Architectural and Civil Drafters
Architectural and Civil Drafters (SOC 17-3011) earn a median $66,150 a year ($31.80 an hour) in the United States, with 103,700 employed as of May 2025; the highest-paying state is District of Columbia.
What architectural and civil drafters do
Architectural and civil drafters turn the ideas of architects and engineers into the detailed drawings that builders use. Architectural drafters produce plans for the structural and visible features of buildings, while civil drafters prepare drawings and topographical relief maps for highways, bridges, utilities, and other public works. They use computer-aided drafting systems, drafting machines, or hand methods to draft plans, sections, details, and sheets in a drawing set. They draw on knowledge of building materials, construction methods, and codes, and they review building codes, site and space requirements, and other technical documents when preparing drawings. Drafters also coordinate structural, electrical, and mechanical layouts so the pieces fit together, and they revise drawings as designs change. The occupation differs from architects and civil engineers, who make the design decisions, and from mechanical and electrical drafters, who prepare drawings of machinery and electrical systems instead of buildings and infrastructure. They also lay out interior room arrangements for commercial buildings, draw maps and profiles from cross-sections and surveys, and may supervise and train other technicians.
Also called: Architectural Drafter, Architectural Designer, Architectural Draftsman, Architectural Technician, Architectural Technologist.
National wage percentiles, May 2025
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||
| United States | Hourly | $22.24 | $26.76 | $31.80 | $38.88 | $47.94 | $34.01 | 103,700 |
| Annual | $46,260 | $55,650 | $66,150 | $80,870 | $99,710 | $70,740 | ||
Employment per 1,000 jobs and the location quotient are area measures; they appear in the state and metro tables below. To see what a wage in this range leaves after tax, use FastCalc's take-home pay calculator.
Where architectural and civil drafters earn and work most
Five highest-paying states
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| District of Columbia | Hourly | $32.62 | $37.96 | $47.06 | $56.97 | $57.79 | $46.59 | 370 | 0.53 | 0.80 |
| Annual | $67,850 | $78,960 | $97,880 | $118,490 | $120,190 | $96,900 | ||||
| Massachusetts | Hourly | $27.33 | $30.90 | $37.02 | $39.65 | $49.36 | $37.07 | 2,660 | 0.73 | 1.10 |
| Annual | $56,850 | $64,270 | $76,990 | $82,460 | $102,660 | $77,110 | ||||
| California | Hourly | $23.97 | $29.91 | $36.79 | $46.30 | $55.09 | $38.64 | 11,400 | 0.63 | 0.94 |
| Annual | $49,850 | $62,220 | $76,520 | $96,300 | $114,600 | $80,360 | ||||
| Colorado | Hourly | $23.55 | $29.60 | $36.72 | $44.38 | $51.92 | $37.62 | 3,570 | 1.24 | 1.86 |
| Annual | $48,980 | $61,570 | $76,370 | $92,310 | $107,990 | $78,240 | ||||
| Connecticut | Hourly | $24.62 | $30.89 | $36.68 | $38.33 | $43.55 | $35.17 | 810 | 0.48 | 0.72 |
| Annual | $51,220 | $64,250 | $76,290 | $79,720 | $90,590 | $73,150 | ||||
Five states with the most jobs
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Texas | Hourly | $21.61 | $24.43 | $30.44 | $38.97 | $48.25 | $32.98 | 11,710 | 0.83 | 1.25 |
| Annual | $44,950 | $50,810 | $63,320 | $81,050 | $100,350 | $68,600 | ||||
| California | Hourly | $23.97 | $29.91 | $36.79 | $46.30 | $55.09 | $38.64 | 11,400 | 0.63 | 0.94 |
| Annual | $49,850 | $62,220 | $76,520 | $96,300 | $114,600 | $80,360 | ||||
| Florida | Hourly | $21.00 | $23.26 | $30.12 | $37.30 | $45.74 | $31.52 | 7,530 | 0.76 | 1.14 |
| Annual | $43,680 | $48,380 | $62,640 | $77,580 | $95,150 | $65,550 | ||||
| New York | Hourly | $23.75 | $29.27 | $36.66 | $45.12 | $54.52 | $37.58 | 7,380 | 0.76 | 1.14 |
| Annual | $49,390 | $60,890 | $76,260 | $93,840 | $113,400 | $78,160 | ||||
| Pennsylvania | Hourly | $22.47 | $26.23 | $31.15 | $38.26 | $46.48 | $33.21 | 5,370 | 0.89 | 1.33 |
| Annual | $46,740 | $54,560 | $64,800 | $79,570 | $96,680 | $69,080 | ||||
Five highest-paying metropolitan areas
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury, CT | Hourly | $26.77 | $32.72 | $40.59 | $43.55 | $45.58 | $37.94 | 110 | 0.28 | 0.41 |
| Annual | $55,680 | $68,060 | $84,440 | $90,590 | $94,800 | $78,920 | ||||
| Rochester, MN | Hourly | $28.21 | $31.80 | $40.28 | $50.55 | $50.55 | $40.01 | 60 | 0.46 | 0.68 |
| Annual | $58,670 | $66,150 | $83,780 | $105,140 | $105,140 | $83,220 | ||||
| Waterbury-Shelton, CT | Hourly | $23.57 | $30.05 | $40.21 | $42.60 | $43.21 | $36.52 | 40 | 0.25 | 0.38 |
| Annual | $49,030 | $62,490 | $83,630 | $88,600 | $89,870 | $75,970 | ||||
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | Hourly | $26.49 | $33.56 | $39.82 | $50.20 | $63.75 | $45.13 | 610 | 0.54 | 0.81 |
| Annual | $55,100 | $69,800 | $82,820 | $104,410 | $132,600 | $93,870 | ||||
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | Hourly | $30.39 | $31.53 | $39.00 | $48.92 | $61.96 | $42.93 | 1,750 | 0.74 | 1.11 |
| Annual | $63,200 | $65,580 | $81,130 | $101,760 | $128,870 | $89,290 | ||||
Five metropolitan areas with the most jobs
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | Hourly | $23.61 | $29.57 | $37.10 | $45.54 | $57.42 | $38.10 | 6,710 | 0.71 | 1.06 |
| Annual | $49,110 | $61,500 | $77,170 | $94,720 | $119,430 | $79,250 | ||||
| Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX | Hourly | $21.92 | $24.07 | $30.35 | $38.93 | $50.08 | $33.50 | 4,130 | 1.26 | 1.88 |
| Annual | $45,590 | $50,070 | $63,120 | $80,970 | $104,170 | $69,680 | ||||
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | Hourly | $23.95 | $30.35 | $36.84 | $45.12 | $52.10 | $38.07 | 3,890 | 0.62 | 0.93 |
| Annual | $49,820 | $63,120 | $76,630 | $93,860 | $108,370 | $79,180 | ||||
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | Hourly | $22.50 | $26.25 | $32.16 | $40.01 | $48.12 | $33.60 | 3,360 | 0.83 | 1.24 |
| Annual | $46,790 | $54,600 | $66,890 | $83,220 | $100,090 | $69,890 | ||||
| Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA | Hourly | $24.12 | $28.71 | $35.66 | $44.44 | $60.76 | $38.26 | 2,170 | 0.75 | 1.13 |
| Annual | $50,180 | $59,720 | $74,180 | $92,420 | $126,390 | $79,580 | ||||
Top industries employing architectural and civil drafters
Architectural, Engineering, and Related Services employ 70.8% of architectural and civil drafters nationally (73,450 jobs) at a median $65,980 a year ($31.72 an hour), followed by Residential Building Construction (3.9%) and Management of Companies and Enterprises (2.1%).
| Industry | Employment | Share of occupation | Median annual | Median hourly |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Architectural, Engineering, and Related Services NAICS 541300 | 73,450 | 70.8% | $65,980 | $31.72 |
| Residential Building Construction NAICS 236100 | 4,080 | 3.9% | $64,370 | $30.95 |
| Management of Companies and Enterprises NAICS 551100 | 2,150 | 2.1% | $77,500 | $37.26 |
| Nonresidential Building Construction NAICS 236200 | 2,130 | 2.1% | $73,060 | $35.12 |
| Building Equipment Contractors NAICS 238200 | 1,850 | 1.8% | $75,950 | $36.51 |
Share is the industry's employment over the occupation's national employment (103,700). Industries whose employment BLS withheld are not ranked.
Published medians, May 2021 to May 2025
BLS published a median annual wage of $60,340 for architectural and civil drafters in May 2021 and $66,150 in May 2025, with employment of 101,310 and 103,700.
| Release | Median annual | Median hourly | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 2021 | $60,340 | $29.01 | 101,310 |
| May 2022 | $59,820 | $28.76 | 105,960 |
| May 2023 | $61,820 | $29.72 | 111,070 |
| May 2024 | $64,280 | $30.90 | 109,550 |
| May 2025 | $66,150 | $31.80 | 103,700 |
BLS does not design OEWS as a time series: each release pools three years of samples, and occupational classifications, area definitions and estimation methods change between releases, so a difference between two releases is not a measure of change over time. The figures are shown as published, side by side, and nothing is computed from them. See how often OEWS is updated.
Every state, by median wage
51 states and DC publish a row for this occupation. A linked state has its own page with the within-state metro table and comparison; the others appear here only.
| Rank | State | Median hourly | Median annual | 10th pct (annual) | 90th pct (annual) | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | District of Columbia profile | $47.06 | $97,880 | $67,850 | $120,190 | 370 | 0.53 | 0.80 |
| 2 | Massachusetts profile | $37.02 | $76,990 | $56,850 | $102,660 | 2,660 | 0.73 | 1.10 |
| 3 | California profile | $36.79 | $76,520 | $49,850 | $114,600 | 11,400 | 0.63 | 0.94 |
| 4 | Colorado profile | $36.72 | $76,370 | $48,980 | $107,990 | 3,570 | 1.24 | 1.86 |
| 5 | Connecticut profile | $36.68 | $76,290 | $51,220 | $90,590 | 810 | 0.48 | 0.72 |
| 6 | New York profile | $36.66 | $76,260 | $49,390 | $113,400 | 7,380 | 0.76 | 1.14 |
| 7 | Maryland profile | $36.14 | $75,180 | $48,670 | $103,690 | 910 | 0.33 | 0.49 |
| 8 | Georgia profile | $36.03 | $74,940 | $46,530 | $108,610 | 3,970 | 0.81 | 1.22 |
| 9 | Oregon profile | $35.58 | $74,000 | $57,020 | $98,410 | 1,490 | 0.76 | 1.13 |
| 10 | Delaware profile | $35.12 | $73,040 | $48,810 | $88,020 | 290 | 0.60 | 0.90 |
| 11 | Washington profile | $35.10 | $73,000 | $55,990 | $102,180 | 2,530 | 0.71 | 1.07 |
| 12 | Rhode Island profile | $34.47 | $71,700 | $52,000 | $105,650 | 240 | 0.48 | 0.71 |
| 13 | Minnesota profile | $33.98 | $70,680 | $52,000 | $98,110 | 1,930 | 0.65 | 0.98 |
| 14 | Tennessee profile | $33.28 | $69,220 | $45,050 | $98,020 | 1,310 | 0.40 | 0.60 |
| 15 | Nevada profile | $32.21 | $67,000 | $45,570 | $102,650 | 1,100 | 0.71 | 1.06 |
| 16 | Maine profile | $31.83 | $66,200 | $48,450 | $93,810 | 440 | 0.68 | 1.02 |
| 17 | Montana profile | $31.61 | $65,750 | $48,810 | $84,480 | 600 | 1.17 | 1.75 |
| 18 | West Virginia profile | $31.56 | $65,640 | $40,520 | $100,710 | 330 | 0.47 | 0.70 |
| 19 | New Hampshire profile | $31.39 | $65,300 | $52,740 | $90,710 | 400 | 0.59 | 0.88 |
| 20 | Pennsylvania profile | $31.15 | $64,800 | $46,740 | $96,680 | 5,370 | 0.89 | 1.33 |
| 21 | Arizona profile | $31.13 | $64,750 | $44,930 | $99,450 | 2,120 | 0.65 | 0.98 |
| 22 | North Dakota profile | $31.12 | $64,720 | $47,430 | $92,820 | 380 | 0.89 | 1.34 |
| 23 | South Carolina profile | $31.09 | $64,680 | $46,410 | $100,970 | 1,170 | 0.51 | 0.76 |
| 24 | Utah profile | $30.91 | $64,290 | $48,290 | $96,270 | 1,820 | 1.05 | 1.58 |
| 25 | Iowa profile | $30.87 | $64,220 | $45,760 | $102,060 | 980 | 0.63 | 0.95 |
| 26 | Wyoming profile | $30.64 | $63,730 | $51,080 | $78,470 | 200 | 0.71 | 1.06 |
| 27 | Hawaii profile | $30.53 | $63,510 | $48,940 | $95,170 | 610 | 0.97 | 1.46 |
| 28 | Virginia profile | $30.51 | $63,450 | $47,170 | $93,970 | 2,600 | 0.63 | 0.95 |
| 29 | Texas profile | $30.44 | $63,320 | $44,950 | $100,350 | 11,710 | 0.83 | 1.25 |
| 30 | New Jersey profile | $30.27 | $62,960 | $44,700 | $96,120 | 2,280 | 0.53 | 0.80 |
| 31 | Wisconsin profile | $30.25 | $62,930 | $48,840 | $96,830 | 2,200 | 0.75 | 1.12 |
| 32 | North Carolina profile | $30.17 | $62,750 | $42,790 | $95,540 | 2,680 | 0.54 | 0.81 |
| 33 | Florida profile | $30.12 | $62,640 | $43,680 | $95,150 | 7,530 | 0.76 | 1.14 |
| 34 | Arkansas profile | $30.01 | $62,420 | $49,880 | $81,490 | 980 | 0.75 | 1.12 |
| 35 | Kansas profile | $29.91 | $62,220 | $41,950 | $86,380 | 630 | 0.44 | 0.65 |
| 36 | Oklahoma profile | $29.88 | $62,140 | $43,170 | $91,330 | 1,260 | 0.74 | 1.11 |
| 37 | Missouri profile | $29.78 | $61,940 | $44,760 | $90,200 | 2,270 | 0.77 | 1.16 |
| 38 | Idaho profile | $29.73 | $61,840 | $45,490 | $97,080 | 1,010 | 1.18 | 1.77 |
| 39 | Nebraska profile | $29.59 | $61,550 | $46,580 | $87,260 | 850 | 0.83 | 1.24 |
| 40 | Ohio profile | $29.54 | $61,450 | $44,700 | $87,160 | 2,860 | 0.52 | 0.77 |
| 41 | Louisiana profile | $29.33 | $61,010 | $43,700 | $107,130 | 1,040 | 0.54 | 0.80 |
| 42 | Vermont profile | $29.33 | $61,000 | $47,410 | $78,930 | 230 | 0.75 | 1.12 |
| 43 | Kentucky profile | $28.91 | $60,120 | $38,780 | $86,530 | 870 | 0.44 | 0.65 |
| 44 | Indiana profile | $28.85 | $60,000 | $43,430 | $93,560 | 2,240 | 0.70 | 1.05 |
| 45 | Mississippi profile | $28.81 | $59,920 | $42,740 | $81,010 | 330 | 0.28 | 0.42 |
| 46 | Michigan profile | $28.04 | $58,330 | $40,390 | $90,750 | 2,100 | 0.48 | 0.72 |
| 47 | Illinois profile | $28.00 | $58,240 | $45,760 | $88,040 | 1,310 | 0.22 | 0.32 |
| 48 | Alabama profile | $27.45 | $57,100 | $39,040 | $77,630 | 1,010 | 0.48 | 0.71 |
| 49 | South Dakota profile | $25.23 | $52,470 | $41,070 | $72,940 | 460 | 1.01 | 1.52 |
| 50 | New Mexico profile | $24.15 | $50,230 | $42,560 | $81,000 | 690 | 0.79 | 1.18 |
| – | Alaska profile | * | * | * | * | 220 | 0.68 | 1.02 |
Related occupations
Occupations in the same SOC broad group (17-3010), with their national median annual wage.
Part of Architecture and Engineering Occupations. Compare any area in the wage explorer.
Source and notes
Data: BLS OEWS May 2025, released 2026-05-15. Cross-industry estimates, all ownerships. BLS page: OEWS 17-3011 Architectural and Civil Drafters.
*- Wage estimate not available.
- Annual wages assume 2,080 hours a year at the hourly rate; occupations BLS publishes on one basis only show an en dash (–) on the other.
- Employment is rounded to the nearest 10 by BLS. Where BLS withholds a cell, nothing is estimated in its place.
- Top industries: nat4d_M2025_dl.xlsx in oesm25in4.zip (BLS OEWS May 2025, national, 4-digit NAICS, cross-ownership). Employment is the industry's rounded total for this occupation; industries whose employment BLS withheld (**) are not ranked.
- Published medians: national_M2021_dl.xlsx to national_M2024_dl.xlsx in oesm21nat.zip to oesm24nat.zip (BLS OEWS May 2021 to May 2024, national, cross-industry, all ownerships) and the May 2025 spine. Each release is shown as published; nothing is computed between them.
Sources
- BLS Standard Occupational Classification 2018, definition of 17-3011, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- O*NET 30.1 Database, 17-3011.00, National Center for O*NET Development, USDOL/ETA (CC BY 4.0).
- OEWS May 2025 national industry-specific estimates, 4-digit NAICS (oesm25in4.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2021 national estimates (oesm21nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2022 national estimates (oesm22nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2023 national estimates (oesm23nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2024 national estimates (oesm24nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2025 national estimates (oesm25nat.zip), the site's data spine, US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
Includes information from O*NET 30.1 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration, used under the CC BY 4.0 license.
Description written 2026-10-17 in our own words from the sources above.