Top 15 cities for drafters, all other by average salary
| San Jose, CA | $91,260 |
|---|---|
| San Francisco, CA | $88,560 |
| New York, NY | $87,900 |
| Milwaukee, WI | $82,450 |
| Baton Rouge, LA | $82,190 |
| Lake Charles, LA | $81,630 |
| Fresno, CA | $79,560 |
| Sacramento, CA | $78,450 |
| Seattle, WA | $78,040 |
| Detroit, MI | $77,930 |
| Boulder, CO | $77,080 |
| Grand Rapids, MI | $76,360 |
| San Diego, CA | $76,320 |
| Boston, MA | $76,020 |
| Los Angeles, CA | $75,600 |
Map: Drafters, All Other salary by metro area
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Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors.
Drafters, All Other salary by state
| State | Metros | Highest average | Lowest average |
|---|---|---|---|
| California | 11 | $91,260 | $52,800 |
| New York | 4 | $87,900 | $65,330 |
| Wisconsin | 2 | $82,450 | $60,490 |
| Louisiana | 7 | $82,190 | $67,600 |
| Washington | 2 | $78,040 | $68,420 |
| Michigan | 2 | $77,930 | $76,360 |
| Colorado | 2 | $77,080 | $70,180 |
| Massachusetts | 1 | $76,020 | $76,020 |
| Utah | 2 | $73,730 | $69,760 |
| Tennessee | 4 | $72,820 | $46,210 |
| Rhode Island | 1 | $72,420 | $72,420 |
| Arizona | 2 | $71,920 | $67,840 |
| Connecticut | 1 | $71,820 | $71,820 |
| Washington, D.C. | 1 | $70,120 | $70,120 |
| Montana | 3 | $70,070 | $64,200 |
| Minnesota | 1 | $68,960 | $68,960 |
| Oregon | 3 | $68,810 | $55,510 |
| Virginia | 2 | $68,480 | $68,370 |
| Nevada | 1 | $67,670 | $67,670 |
| Georgia | 1 | $67,460 | $67,460 |
| Texas | 9 | $66,690 | $50,810 |
| Florida | 5 | $65,780 | $62,430 |
| Missouri | 2 | $65,360 | $63,250 |
| Pennsylvania | 2 | $65,280 | $56,930 |
| Illinois | 1 | $64,890 | $64,890 |
| Puerto Rico | 1 | $63,560 | $63,560 |
| North Carolina | 2 | $63,350 | $61,090 |
| Ohio | 3 | $63,280 | $57,890 |
| Iowa | 2 | $63,030 | $60,420 |
| Maryland | 1 | $61,140 | $61,140 |
| Nebraska | 2 | $57,320 | $51,210 |
Drafters, All Other salary in every city we cover
Sort by any column. Each city links to its pay range, take-home pay and cost of living.
| Metro area | Average | Median | Hourly | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| San Jose, CA | $91,260 | $90,850 | $43.88 | 80 |
| San Francisco, CA | $88,560 | $82,360 | $42.58 | 170 |
| New York, NY | $87,900 | $81,220 | $42.26 | 550 |
| Milwaukee, WI | $82,450 | $80,470 | $39.64 | n/a |
| Baton Rouge, LA | $82,190 | $77,020 | $39.51 | 320 |
| Lake Charles, LA | $81,630 | $71,690 | $39.25 | 60 |
| Fresno, CA | $79,560 | $75,150 | $38.25 | 40 |
| Sacramento, CA | $78,450 | $78,020 | $37.72 | 100 |
| Seattle, WA | $78,040 | $72,990 | $37.52 | 330 |
| Detroit, MI | $77,930 | $79,960 | $37.47 | 180 |
| Boulder, CO | $77,080 | $74,630 | $37.06 | 60 |
| Grand Rapids, MI | $76,360 | $66,240 | $36.71 | 50 |
| San Diego, CA | $76,320 | $73,880 | $36.69 | 140 |
| Boston, MA | $76,020 | $74,380 | $36.55 | 130 |
| Los Angeles, CA | $75,600 | $73,840 | $36.35 | 690 |
| Alexandria, LA | $75,390 | $74,540 | $36.24 | 50 |
| Oxnard, CA | $74,150 | $67,670 | $35.65 | 40 |
| Salt Lake City, UT | $73,730 | $73,080 | $35.45 | 80 |
| Memphis, TN | $72,820 | $68,020 | $35.01 | 30 |
| Modesto, CA | $72,500 | $68,850 | $34.85 | 30 |
| Providence, RI | $72,420 | $75,090 | $34.82 | 40 |
| Phoenix, AZ | $71,920 | $70,320 | $34.58 | 330 |
| Hartford, CT | $71,820 | $73,100 | $34.53 | 50 |
| Nashville, TN | $70,240 | $67,770 | $33.77 | 50 |
| Denver, CO | $70,180 | $67,320 | $33.74 | 150 |
| New Orleans, LA | $70,120 | $65,870 | $33.71 | 180 |
| Washington, DC | $70,120 | $59,300 | $33.71 | 150 |
| Bozeman, MT | $70,070 | $63,200 | $33.69 | 100 |
| Stockton, CA | $69,870 | $66,010 | $33.59 | 40 |
| Ogden, UT | $69,760 | $63,780 | $33.54 | 30 |
| Slidell, LA | $69,620 | $61,260 | $33.47 | 100 |
| Lafayette, LA | $69,570 | $60,270 | $33.45 | 130 |
| Minneapolis, MN | $68,960 | $63,540 | $33.15 | 110 |
| Portland, OR | $68,810 | $62,610 | $33.08 | 450 |
| Riverside, CA | $68,760 | $64,330 | $33.06 | 160 |
| Virginia Beach, VA | $68,480 | $76,330 | $32.92 | 50 |
| Syracuse, NY | $68,460 | $68,500 | $32.92 | 30 |
| Olympia, WA | $68,420 | $60,600 | $32.90 | 40 |
| Richmond, VA | $68,370 | $66,710 | $32.87 | 30 |
| Tucson, AZ | $67,840 | $69,810 | $32.61 | 50 |
| Las Vegas, NV | $67,670 | $62,400 | $32.54 | 150 |
| Houma, LA | $67,600 | $59,970 | $32.50 | 80 |
| Atlanta, GA | $67,460 | $62,500 | $32.43 | 380 |
| Missoula, MT | $66,900 | $72,520 | $32.17 | 30 |
| Austin, TX | $66,690 | $64,490 | $32.06 | 240 |
| Rochester, NY | $65,820 | $61,530 | $31.65 | 50 |
| Sarasota, FL | $65,780 | $59,520 | $31.63 | 30 |
| Kansas City, MO | $65,360 | $62,410 | $31.43 | 130 |
| Buffalo, NY | $65,330 | $62,080 | $31.41 | 90 |
| Philadelphia, PA | $65,280 | $58,810 | $31.39 | 170 |
| Jacksonville, FL | $65,160 | $60,600 | $31.33 | 50 |
| Chicago, IL | $64,890 | $53,300 | $31.20 | 120 |
| Billings, MT | $64,200 | $64,490 | $30.87 | 40 |
| Dallas, TX | $64,170 | $61,200 | $30.85 | 700 |
| Orlando, FL | $63,930 | $59,810 | $30.74 | 80 |
| Miami, FL | $63,920 | $60,520 | $30.73 | 160 |
| San Juan, PR | $63,560 | $60,310 | $30.56 | 60 |
| Charlotte, NC | $63,350 | $61,800 | $30.46 | 80 |
| Cincinnati, OH | $63,280 | $60,950 | $30.42 | 40 |
| St. Louis, MO | $63,250 | $62,500 | $30.41 | 130 |
| Houston, TX | $63,200 | $60,820 | $30.39 | 690 |
| Davenport, IA | $63,030 | $61,360 | $30.30 | 40 |
| Longview, TX | $62,760 | $58,900 | $30.18 | 30 |
| Tampa, FL | $62,430 | $59,970 | $30.02 | 130 |
| Cleveland, OH | $61,910 | $58,690 | $29.77 | 30 |
| Baltimore, MD | $61,140 | $57,940 | $29.40 | 70 |
| Raleigh, NC | $61,090 | $63,330 | $29.37 | 40 |
| Green Bay, WI | $60,490 | $56,280 | $29.08 | 40 |
| Des Moines, IA | $60,420 | $62,840 | $29.05 | 70 |
| Salem, OR | $58,360 | $58,800 | $28.06 | 40 |
| San Antonio, TX | $58,020 | $60,950 | $27.89 | 190 |
| Columbus, OH | $57,890 | $55,630 | $27.83 | 70 |
| Omaha, NE | $57,320 | $58,650 | $27.56 | 50 |
| Lancaster, PA | $56,930 | $55,560 | $27.37 | 30 |
| Eugene, OR | $55,510 | $50,130 | $26.69 | 80 |
| College Station, TX | $54,780 | $55,590 | $26.34 | 30 |
| Lubbock, TX | $53,470 | $58,430 | $25.71 | 40 |
| El Paso, TX | $52,930 | $56,420 | $25.45 | 30 |
| Bakersfield, CA | $52,800 | $47,860 | $25.38 | n/a |
| Lincoln, NE | $51,210 | $58,690 | $24.62 | 40 |
| Tyler, TX | $50,810 | $51,100 | $24.43 | 30 |
| Chattanooga, TN | $50,120 | $37,750 | $24.10 | 40 |
| Knoxville, TN | $46,210 | $34,620 | $22.22 | 140 |
Related jobs
- Architectural and Civil DraftersU.S. metro average $71,698
- Engineering Technologists and Technicians, Except Drafters, All OtherU.S. metro average $80,753
- Electrical and Electronics DraftersU.S. metro average $83,047
- Mechanical DraftersU.S. metro average $77,347
- Civil Engineering Technologists and TechniciansU.S. metro average $70,178
- Electrical and Electronic Engineering Technologists and TechniciansU.S. metro average $80,650
- Environmental Engineering Technologists and TechniciansU.S. metro average $66,866
- Industrial Engineering Technologists and TechniciansU.S. metro average $70,818
Drafters, All Other salary: questions
Where do other drafters make the most money?
In San Jose, CA, with an average of $91,260 a year, among the 83 metro areas we cover.
What is the average other drafters salary in the U.S.?
$69,689 a year across all U.S. metro areas, weighted by employment (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
Where is other drafters pay the lowest?
Knoxville, TN, at $46,210 a year on average. Lower pay often comes with lower prices: check the cost of living on each city page.
Sources and how to read this page
- Wages: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 estimates for metropolitan areas. SOC code 17-3019.
- U.S. metro average: employment-weighted mean of every metro area in the OEWS file (not only the ones listed here).
- Cost of living: Bureau of Economic Analysis regional price parities (RPP), 2024; 100 = U.S. average.
Read the full methodology. Spotted an error? Tell us.