Drafters, All Other
Drafters, All Other (SOC 17-3019) earn a median $63,520 a year ($30.54 an hour) in the United States, with 14,470 employed as of May 2025; the highest-paying state is New Jersey.
What drafters, all other do
Drafters, all other, is the residual category for people who prepare technical drawings and plans but whose specialty is not architectural and civil, electrical and electronics, or mechanical drafting, the three drafting occupations that have their own classifications. A drafter in this group turns the rough sketches, specifications, and calculations of engineers, designers, and architects into finished drawings that manufacturers, builders, or installers can follow. Many use computer-aided drafting software, and the titles listed for the group include CAD operator, CAD designer, AutoCAD technician, and blueprint tracer. Because the category is a catch-all, the exact tasks and the education involved depend on the specialty and the employer, and the data used for this page do not give a single set of tasks or a single education level for the group. Drafters in general differ from engineers and architects, who make the design decisions, and from engineering technicians, who test and modify equipment. The SOC classification defines the group only as all drafters not listed under the separate drafting codes.
Also called: AutoCAD Technician, Blueprint Engineer, Blueprint Tracer, CAD Designer (Computer-Aided Design Designer), CAD Draftsman (Computer-Aided Design Draftsman).
National wage percentiles, May 2025
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||
| United States | Hourly | $20.88 | $24.83 | $30.54 | $38.32 | $47.78 | $32.81 | 14,470 |
| Annual | $43,420 | $51,650 | $63,520 | $79,700 | $99,380 | $68,250 | ||
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 drafters, all other 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 | ||||||
| New Jersey | Hourly | $25.35 | $30.07 | $37.42 | $46.18 | $57.33 | $39.83 | 350 | 0.08 | 0.88 |
| Annual | $52,720 | $62,550 | $77,840 | $96,050 | $119,240 | $82,840 | ||||
| California | Hourly | $23.65 | $29.41 | $35.28 | $43.68 | $50.14 | $36.49 | 1,750 | 0.10 | 1.03 |
| Annual | $49,200 | $61,160 | $73,390 | $90,850 | $104,290 | $75,890 | ||||
| Wisconsin | Hourly | $24.82 | $26.75 | $35.12 | $38.69 | $47.62 | $34.59 | 200 | 0.07 | 0.73 |
| Annual | $51,630 | $55,640 | $73,040 | $80,470 | $99,050 | $71,940 | ||||
| Washington | Hourly | $25.37 | $29.14 | $35.00 | $39.87 | $49.22 | $36.35 | 520 | 0.15 | 1.57 |
| Annual | $52,780 | $60,600 | $72,800 | $82,920 | $102,370 | $75,610 | ||||
| New York | Hourly | $25.06 | $29.85 | $34.71 | $45.34 | $55.69 | $37.94 | 610 | 0.06 | 0.68 |
| Annual | $52,120 | $62,080 | $72,190 | $94,310 | $115,840 | $78,920 | ||||
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 | $17.64 | $23.17 | $28.84 | $34.88 | $43.99 | $29.90 | 2,450 | 0.17 | 1.87 |
| Annual | $36,680 | $48,190 | $59,990 | $72,550 | $91,500 | $62,190 | ||||
| California | Hourly | $23.65 | $29.41 | $35.28 | $43.68 | $50.14 | $36.49 | 1,750 | 0.10 | 1.03 |
| Annual | $49,200 | $61,160 | $73,390 | $90,850 | $104,290 | $75,890 | ||||
| Louisiana | Hourly | $21.99 | $25.96 | $32.92 | $42.49 | $53.11 | $35.38 | 1,200 | 0.62 | 6.64 |
| Annual | $45,730 | $53,990 | $68,470 | $88,380 | $110,460 | $73,590 | ||||
| Florida | Hourly | $18.35 | $24.47 | $28.83 | $35.62 | $41.06 | $30.14 | 670 | 0.07 | 0.72 |
| Annual | $38,160 | $50,910 | $59,970 | $74,080 | $85,410 | $62,680 | ||||
| Oregon | Hourly | $22.15 | $23.05 | $28.27 | $36.38 | $45.15 | $31.94 | 660 | 0.33 | 3.59 |
| Annual | $46,070 | $47,940 | $58,790 | $75,660 | $93,910 | $66,440 | ||||
Five highest-paying metropolitan areas
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | Hourly | $29.71 | $34.66 | $43.68 | $48.59 | $60.93 | $43.88 | 80 | 0.07 | 0.71 |
| Annual | $61,800 | $72,090 | $90,850 | $101,060 | $126,730 | $91,260 | ||||
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | Hourly | $30.87 | $33.83 | $39.60 | $48.23 | $59.31 | $42.58 | 170 | 0.07 | 0.79 |
| Annual | $64,220 | $70,370 | $82,360 | $100,320 | $123,360 | $88,560 | ||||
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | Hourly | $29.69 | $31.32 | $39.05 | $52.84 | $59.52 | $42.26 | 550 | 0.06 | 0.62 |
| Annual | $61,760 | $65,150 | $81,220 | $109,910 | $123,800 | $87,900 | ||||
| Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI | Hourly | $27.19 | $38.26 | $38.69 | $44.56 | $49.49 | $39.64 | ** | ** | ** |
| Annual | $56,560 | $79,590 | $80,470 | $92,690 | $102,930 | $82,450 | ||||
| Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI | Hourly | $22.86 | $29.68 | $38.44 | $44.18 | $52.22 | $37.47 | 180 | 0.10 | 1.04 |
| Annual | $47,540 | $61,720 | $79,960 | $91,900 | $108,620 | $77,930 | ||||
Five metropolitan areas with the most jobs
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | Hourly | $17.47 | $23.58 | $29.43 | $36.79 | $46.78 | $30.85 | 700 | 0.17 | 1.86 |
| Annual | $36,340 | $49,050 | $61,200 | $76,520 | $97,300 | $64,170 | ||||
| Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX | Hourly | $18.53 | $22.65 | $29.24 | $36.94 | $46.61 | $30.39 | 690 | 0.21 | 2.25 |
| Annual | $38,540 | $47,120 | $60,820 | $76,840 | $96,940 | $63,200 | ||||
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | Hourly | $24.04 | $29.74 | $35.50 | $41.85 | $48.75 | $36.35 | 690 | 0.11 | 1.19 |
| Annual | $50,010 | $61,850 | $73,840 | $87,040 | $101,390 | $75,600 | ||||
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | Hourly | $29.69 | $31.32 | $39.05 | $52.84 | $59.52 | $42.26 | 550 | 0.06 | 0.62 |
| Annual | $61,760 | $65,150 | $81,220 | $109,910 | $123,800 | $87,900 | ||||
| Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA | Hourly | $22.86 | $23.45 | $30.10 | $37.56 | $49.06 | $33.08 | 450 | 0.37 | 3.96 |
| Annual | $47,550 | $48,780 | $62,610 | $78,130 | $102,040 | $68,810 | ||||
Top industries employing drafters, all other
Furniture and Related Product Manufacturing (3371 and 3372 only) employ 16.7% of drafters, all other nationally (2,410 jobs) at a median $62,230 a year ($29.92 an hour), followed by Architectural, Engineering, and Related Services (16.5%) and Fabricated Metal Product Manufacturing (3323 and 3324 only) (6.6%).
| Industry | Employment | Share of occupation | Median annual | Median hourly |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Furniture and Related Product Manufacturing (3371 and 3372 only) NAICS 3370A1 | 2,410 | 16.7% | $62,230 | $29.92 |
| Architectural, Engineering, and Related Services NAICS 541300 | 2,390 | 16.5% | $72,100 | $34.67 |
| Fabricated Metal Product Manufacturing (3323 and 3324 only) NAICS 3320A2 | 960 | 6.6% | $62,150 | $29.88 |
| Building Equipment Contractors NAICS 238200 | 850 | 5.9% | $66,090 | $31.77 |
| Employment Services NAICS 561300 | 490 | 3.4% | $48,000 | $23.08 |
Share is the industry's employment over the occupation's national employment (14,470). Industries whose employment BLS withheld are not ranked.
Published medians, May 2021 to May 2025
BLS published a median annual wage of $54,240 for drafters, all other in May 2021 and $63,520 in May 2025, with employment of 15,300 and 14,470.
| Release | Median annual | Median hourly | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 2021 | $54,240 | $26.08 | 15,300 |
| May 2022 | $57,640 | $27.71 | 17,980 |
| May 2023 | $59,260 | $28.49 | 16,580 |
| May 2024 | $62,010 | $29.81 | 16,010 |
| May 2025 | $63,520 | $30.54 | 14,470 |
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
41 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 | New Jersey profile | $37.42 | $77,840 | $52,720 | $119,240 | 350 | 0.08 | 0.88 |
| 2 | California profile | $35.28 | $73,390 | $49,200 | $104,290 | 1,750 | 0.10 | 1.03 |
| 3 | Wisconsin profile | $35.12 | $73,040 | $51,630 | $99,050 | 200 | 0.07 | 0.73 |
| 4 | Washington profile | $35.00 | $72,800 | $52,780 | $102,370 | 520 | 0.15 | 1.57 |
| 5 | New York profile | $34.71 | $72,190 | $52,120 | $115,840 | 610 | 0.06 | 0.68 |
| 6 | Massachusetts profile | $34.66 | $72,100 | $50,770 | $97,220 | 170 | 0.05 | 0.50 |
| 7 | New Hampshire profile | $34.00 | $70,710 | $51,550 | $110,230 | 70 | 0.11 | 1.15 |
| 8 | Arizona profile | $33.69 | $70,070 | $45,960 | $102,200 | 430 | 0.13 | 1.41 |
| 9 | Utah profile | $33.38 | $69,420 | $48,450 | $108,740 | 170 | 0.10 | 1.04 |
| 10 | Louisiana profile | $32.92 | $68,470 | $45,730 | $110,460 | 1,200 | 0.62 | 6.64 |
| 11 | Michigan profile | $32.57 | $67,750 | $47,500 | $115,640 | 360 | 0.08 | 0.87 |
| 12 | Mississippi profile | $32.56 | $67,730 | $52,540 | $97,710 | 70 | 0.06 | 0.63 |
| 13 | Colorado profile | $32.36 | $67,320 | $50,130 | $100,550 | 280 | 0.10 | 1.03 |
| 14 | Virginia profile | $32.32 | $67,220 | $41,760 | $87,430 | 170 | 0.04 | 0.45 |
| 15 | Connecticut profile | $32.03 | $66,620 | $49,660 | $101,870 | 140 | 0.09 | 0.91 |
| 16 | Kansas profile | $31.75 | $66,040 | $51,900 | $86,910 | 50 | 0.03 | 0.36 |
| 17 | Minnesota profile | $30.39 | $63,220 | $49,660 | $88,450 | 170 | 0.06 | 0.62 |
| 18 | Montana profile | $30.39 | $63,200 | $47,610 | $83,490 | 280 | 0.54 | 5.79 |
| 19 | Georgia profile | $30.00 | $62,400 | $41,140 | $99,890 | 550 | 0.11 | 1.22 |
| 20 | Nevada profile | $30.00 | $62,400 | $41,760 | $90,590 | 180 | 0.12 | 1.25 |
| 21 | Missouri profile | $29.80 | $61,990 | $41,320 | $84,270 | 400 | 0.14 | 1.46 |
| 22 | South Carolina profile | $29.45 | $61,250 | $52,110 | $82,100 | 60 | 0.03 | 0.28 |
| 23 | Iowa profile | $29.21 | $60,750 | $39,980 | $84,840 | 230 | 0.15 | 1.59 |
| 24 | Texas profile | $28.84 | $59,990 | $36,680 | $91,500 | 2,450 | 0.17 | 1.87 |
| 25 | Florida profile | $28.83 | $59,970 | $38,160 | $85,410 | 670 | 0.07 | 0.72 |
| 26 | Vermont profile | $28.81 | $59,930 | $40,630 | $80,050 | 90 | 0.29 | 3.13 |
| 27 | North Carolina profile | $28.61 | $59,500 | $34,130 | $101,250 | 320 | 0.06 | 0.69 |
| 28 | Oregon profile | $28.27 | $58,790 | $46,070 | $93,910 | 660 | 0.33 | 3.59 |
| 29 | Nebraska profile | $28.19 | $58,640 | $28,080 | $74,900 | 110 | 0.11 | 1.16 |
| 30 | Indiana profile | $28.17 | $58,600 | $51,820 | $89,610 | 50 | 0.02 | 0.17 |
| 31 | Kentucky profile | $27.85 | $57,930 | $45,760 | $80,240 | 50 | 0.03 | 0.28 |
| 32 | Ohio profile | $27.70 | $57,610 | $43,310 | $83,300 | 260 | 0.05 | 0.49 |
| 33 | Idaho profile | $27.13 | $56,430 | $37,590 | $85,430 | 60 | 0.07 | 0.79 |
| 34 | Maryland profile | $26.75 | $55,640 | $41,730 | $98,050 | 160 | 0.06 | 0.64 |
| 35 | Maine profile | $26.66 | $55,460 | $30,470 | $76,370 | 40 | 0.07 | 0.73 |
| 36 | Pennsylvania profile | $26.08 | $54,240 | $44,420 | $76,270 | 250 | 0.04 | 0.44 |
| 37 | Illinois profile | $25.62 | $53,300 | $44,420 | $94,270 | 190 | 0.03 | 0.33 |
| 38 | Oklahoma profile | $24.00 | $49,920 | $38,000 | $104,680 | 40 | 0.02 | 0.23 |
| 39 | Arkansas profile | $23.09 | $48,020 | $32,750 | $84,360 | 100 | 0.08 | 0.83 |
| 40 | Alabama profile | $22.75 | $47,320 | $34,120 | $80,030 | 50 | 0.02 | 0.24 |
| – | Tennessee profile | * | * | * | * | 320 | 0.10 | 1.06 |
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 17-3019 Drafters, All Other.
*- Wage estimate not available.
**- Employment 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 17-3019, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- O*NET 30.1 Database, 17-3019.00, 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.