Electrical and Electronics Drafters
Electrical and Electronics Drafters (SOC 17-3012) earn a median $76,870 a year ($36.96 an hour) in the United States, with 17,920 employed as of May 2025; the highest-paying state is New Hampshire.
What electrical and electronics drafters do
Electrical and electronics drafters prepare the diagrams and drawings used to manufacture, install, and repair electrical and electronic equipment. Their output includes wiring diagrams, circuit board assembly drawings, and layout drawings. Using computer-aided drafting software, they draft detail and assembly drawings of components, circuitry, and printed circuit boards from the sketches, notes, and specifications provided by engineers. They also prepare working drawings and wiring connection specifications, assemble documentation packages into drawing sets for an engineer or other reviewer to check, and review completed drawings and cost estimates for accuracy and conformity to specifications. The occupation is distinct from electrical and electronics engineers, who decide how the equipment is designed, and from electricians and electronics technicians, who install, test, or repair equipment rather than draw it. It also differs from architectural and mechanical drafters, who work on buildings and machinery. They also measure factors that affect installation and equipment arrangement, such as the distances to be spanned, and they may design electrical systems such as lighting.
Typical entry: According to O*NET, the most commonly reported education level is a bachelor's degree.
Also called: AutoCAD Drafter, Analog Design Engineer, AutoCAD Technician, CAD Drafter (Computer-Aided Design Drafter), 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 | $24.06 | $29.53 | $36.96 | $46.50 | $57.83 | $39.08 | 17,920 |
| Annual | $50,040 | $61,430 | $76,870 | $96,730 | $120,290 | $81,280 | ||
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 electrical and electronics 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 | ||||||
| New Hampshire | Hourly | $30.78 | $38.88 | $49.07 | $59.81 | $61.45 | $47.28 | 220 | 0.32 | 2.78 |
| Annual | $64,020 | $80,860 | $102,070 | $124,410 | $127,820 | $98,330 | ||||
| New Mexico | Hourly | $26.44 | $38.34 | $48.72 | $57.94 | $59.84 | $47.54 | 390 | 0.45 | 3.93 |
| Annual | $55,000 | $79,750 | $101,330 | $120,520 | $124,470 | $98,870 | ||||
| Massachusetts | Hourly | $26.87 | $28.98 | $41.97 | $50.21 | $57.83 | $40.89 | 470 | 0.13 | 1.13 |
| Annual | $55,880 | $60,280 | $87,290 | $104,430 | $120,280 | $85,060 | ||||
| North Carolina | Hourly | $26.75 | $35.00 | $39.40 | $40.64 | $47.96 | $37.88 | 430 | 0.09 | 0.75 |
| Annual | $55,640 | $72,810 | $81,960 | $84,530 | $99,770 | $78,800 | ||||
| Idaho | Hourly | $20.29 | $25.98 | $39.23 | $55.97 | $64.43 | $39.68 | 100 | 0.12 | 1.03 |
| Annual | $42,210 | $54,040 | $81,590 | $116,410 | $134,020 | $82,520 | ||||
Five states with the most jobs
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| California | Hourly | $24.34 | $30.37 | $37.65 | $49.30 | $70.58 | $43.22 | 2,730 | 0.15 | 1.30 |
| Annual | $50,620 | $63,180 | $78,310 | $102,530 | $146,810 | $89,900 | ||||
| Texas | Hourly | $24.00 | $29.60 | $38.76 | $46.50 | $51.79 | $39.17 | 1,840 | 0.13 | 1.13 |
| Annual | $49,920 | $61,580 | $80,620 | $96,730 | $107,710 | $81,470 | ||||
| New York | Hourly | $28.05 | $31.65 | $37.42 | $48.07 | $60.12 | $40.80 | 850 | 0.09 | 0.76 |
| Annual | $58,340 | $65,820 | $77,830 | $99,990 | $125,050 | $84,860 | ||||
| Colorado | Hourly | $27.60 | $30.46 | $38.13 | $49.03 | $63.93 | $41.99 | 750 | 0.26 | 2.27 |
| Annual | $57,410 | $63,350 | $79,300 | $101,980 | $132,970 | $87,340 | ||||
| Florida | Hourly | $21.60 | $26.33 | $35.10 | $42.23 | $46.13 | $34.09 | 660 | 0.07 | 0.58 |
| Annual | $44,920 | $54,770 | $73,010 | $87,840 | $95,950 | $70,900 | ||||
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 | $28.65 | $36.21 | $55.54 | $82.79 | $101.14 | $59.70 | 480 | 0.42 | 3.65 |
| Annual | $59,590 | $75,320 | $115,530 | $172,200 | $210,370 | $124,170 | ||||
| Boulder, CO | Hourly | $31.17 | $37.12 | $49.96 | $62.50 | $69.97 | $48.53 | 40 | 0.19 | 1.65 |
| Annual | $64,820 | $77,210 | $103,910 | $129,990 | $145,530 | $100,940 | ||||
| Manchester-Nashua, NH | Hourly | $35.00 | $39.63 | $49.43 | $59.55 | $60.70 | $47.59 | 160 | 0.81 | 7.05 |
| Annual | $72,800 | $82,440 | $102,810 | $123,850 | $126,250 | $99,000 | ||||
| Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT | Hourly | $28.69 | $37.39 | $48.28 | $58.50 | $65.05 | $46.04 | 100 | 0.17 | 1.47 |
| Annual | $59,680 | $77,770 | $100,420 | $121,680 | $135,300 | $95,770 | ||||
| Scranton--Wilkes-Barre, PA | Hourly | $25.10 | $30.22 | $48.12 | $50.87 | $50.87 | $41.83 | 30 | 0.12 | 1.05 |
| Annual | $52,200 | $62,860 | $100,090 | $105,800 | $105,800 | $87,000 | ||||
Five metropolitan areas with the most jobs
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | Hourly | $23.65 | $30.39 | $37.32 | $48.52 | $62.25 | $40.42 | 860 | 0.14 | 1.19 |
| Annual | $49,190 | $63,200 | $77,630 | $100,920 | $129,470 | $84,070 | ||||
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | Hourly | $24.52 | $30.45 | $39.95 | $46.50 | $51.80 | $40.74 | 720 | 0.18 | 1.55 |
| Annual | $51,000 | $63,330 | $83,100 | $96,730 | $107,740 | $84,740 | ||||
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | Hourly | $28.99 | $31.65 | $37.42 | $47.89 | $57.71 | $41.15 | 580 | 0.06 | 0.53 |
| Annual | $60,310 | $65,820 | $77,830 | $99,600 | $120,030 | $85,590 | ||||
| Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO | Hourly | $27.68 | $30.46 | $38.24 | $48.87 | $63.93 | $42.15 | 560 | 0.35 | 3.00 |
| Annual | $57,580 | $63,350 | $79,530 | $101,650 | $132,970 | $87,680 | ||||
| Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ | Hourly | $23.49 | $25.79 | $33.03 | $43.32 | $56.19 | $36.87 | 480 | 0.20 | 1.74 |
| Annual | $48,860 | $53,640 | $68,710 | $90,110 | $116,870 | $76,690 | ||||
Top industries employing electrical and electronics drafters
Architectural, Engineering, and Related Services employ 29.2% of electrical and electronics drafters nationally (5,240 jobs) at a median $77,730 a year ($37.37 an hour), followed by Building Equipment Contractors (19.4%) and Electric Power Generation, Transmission and Distribution (10.6%).
| Industry | Employment | Share of occupation | Median annual | Median hourly |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Architectural, Engineering, and Related Services NAICS 541300 | 5,240 | 29.2% | $77,730 | $37.37 |
| Building Equipment Contractors NAICS 238200 | 3,470 | 19.4% | $73,370 | $35.28 |
| Electric Power Generation, Transmission and Distribution NAICS 221100 | 1,900 | 10.6% | $83,190 | $40.00 |
| Semiconductor and Other Electronic Component Manufacturing NAICS 334400 | 1,120 | 6.3% | $98,820 | $47.51 |
| Navigational, Measuring, Electromedical, and Control Instruments Manufacturing NAICS 334500 | 720 | 4.0% | $81,730 | $39.29 |
Share is the industry's employment over the occupation's national employment (17,920). Industries whose employment BLS withheld are not ranked.
Published medians, May 2021 to May 2025
BLS published a median annual wage of $61,510 for electrical and electronics drafters in May 2021 and $76,870 in May 2025, with employment of 20,830 and 17,920.
| Release | Median annual | Median hourly | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 2021 | $61,510 | $29.57 | 20,830 |
| May 2022 | $64,240 | $30.89 | 20,930 |
| May 2023 | $69,260 | $33.30 | 20,680 |
| May 2024 | $73,720 | $35.44 | 20,020 |
| May 2025 | $76,870 | $36.96 | 17,920 |
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
45 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 Hampshire profile | $49.07 | $102,070 | $64,020 | $127,820 | 220 | 0.32 | 2.78 |
| 2 | New Mexico profile | $48.72 | $101,330 | $55,000 | $124,470 | 390 | 0.45 | 3.93 |
| 3 | Massachusetts profile | $41.97 | $87,290 | $55,880 | $120,280 | 470 | 0.13 | 1.13 |
| 4 | North Carolina profile | $39.40 | $81,960 | $55,640 | $99,770 | 430 | 0.09 | 0.75 |
| 5 | Idaho profile | $39.23 | $81,590 | $42,210 | $134,020 | 100 | 0.12 | 1.03 |
| 6 | Ohio profile | $38.87 | $80,840 | $50,680 | $101,880 | 510 | 0.09 | 0.80 |
| 7 | Georgia profile | $38.76 | $80,620 | $50,480 | $138,440 | 470 | 0.10 | 0.83 |
| 8 | Texas profile | $38.76 | $80,620 | $49,920 | $107,710 | 1,840 | 0.13 | 1.13 |
| 9 | Indiana profile | $38.51 | $80,100 | $60,950 | $113,950 | 360 | 0.11 | 0.96 |
| 10 | Utah profile | $38.15 | $79,360 | $44,880 | $106,630 | 290 | 0.17 | 1.47 |
| 11 | Colorado profile | $38.13 | $79,300 | $57,410 | $132,970 | 750 | 0.26 | 2.27 |
| 12 | Kentucky profile | $38.01 | $79,050 | $48,950 | $95,110 | 80 | 0.04 | 0.35 |
| 13 | California profile | $37.65 | $78,310 | $50,620 | $146,810 | 2,730 | 0.15 | 1.30 |
| 14 | Oregon profile | $37.58 | $78,170 | $53,200 | $121,500 | 330 | 0.17 | 1.44 |
| 15 | New York profile | $37.42 | $77,830 | $58,340 | $125,050 | 850 | 0.09 | 0.76 |
| 16 | New Jersey profile | $37.31 | $77,600 | $55,130 | $112,490 | 240 | 0.06 | 0.48 |
| 17 | Minnesota profile | $37.18 | $77,330 | $63,060 | $99,570 | 250 | 0.09 | 0.74 |
| 18 | Tennessee profile | $37.11 | $77,180 | $56,480 | $98,020 | 340 | 0.11 | 0.91 |
| 19 | Missouri profile | $36.87 | $76,690 | $54,970 | $113,930 | 420 | 0.15 | 1.25 |
| 20 | South Carolina profile | $36.75 | $76,440 | $55,720 | $92,060 | 290 | 0.13 | 1.09 |
| 21 | Maryland profile | $36.38 | $75,680 | $57,230 | $115,730 | 380 | 0.14 | 1.20 |
| 22 | Wisconsin profile | $36.37 | $75,650 | $62,300 | $97,740 | 470 | 0.16 | 1.40 |
| 23 | Maine profile | $36.10 | $75,100 | $48,450 | $82,050 | 110 | 0.18 | 1.55 |
| 24 | Iowa profile | $35.81 | $74,470 | $49,560 | $105,910 | 180 | 0.12 | 1.02 |
| 25 | Michigan profile | $35.51 | $73,860 | $51,530 | $109,570 | 380 | 0.09 | 0.74 |
| 26 | Arizona profile | $35.14 | $73,080 | $48,860 | $123,520 | 570 | 0.18 | 1.53 |
| 27 | Florida profile | $35.10 | $73,010 | $44,920 | $95,950 | 660 | 0.07 | 0.58 |
| 28 | Pennsylvania profile | $34.96 | $72,720 | $50,700 | $105,240 | 500 | 0.08 | 0.71 |
| 29 | Washington profile | $34.74 | $72,250 | $53,370 | $109,480 | 390 | 0.11 | 0.96 |
| 30 | Nevada profile | $34.28 | $71,310 | $48,860 | $103,990 | 250 | 0.16 | 1.38 |
| 31 | Oklahoma profile | $33.42 | $69,520 | $50,880 | $92,710 | 290 | 0.17 | 1.47 |
| 32 | Illinois profile | $32.84 | $68,310 | $53,500 | $99,610 | 150 | 0.02 | 0.21 |
| 33 | Hawaii profile | $32.71 | $68,050 | $46,700 | $97,080 | 80 | 0.13 | 1.12 |
| 34 | Connecticut profile | $32.20 | $66,980 | $51,400 | $129,890 | 430 | 0.26 | 2.22 |
| 35 | Wyoming profile | $31.10 | $64,690 | $50,800 | $81,740 | 40 | 0.13 | 1.12 |
| 36 | Virginia profile | $31.08 | $64,650 | $44,580 | $107,630 | 280 | 0.07 | 0.59 |
| 37 | Delaware profile | $30.51 | $63,460 | $47,470 | $93,070 | 60 | 0.12 | 1.03 |
| 38 | Louisiana profile | $30.07 | $62,550 | $40,360 | $138,330 | 150 | 0.08 | 0.68 |
| 39 | Kansas profile | $29.20 | $60,730 | $40,890 | $95,960 | 210 | 0.14 | 1.24 |
| 40 | Nebraska profile | $28.64 | $59,570 | $47,590 | $93,410 | 190 | 0.19 | 1.63 |
| 41 | Mississippi profile | $28.26 | $58,780 | $44,320 | $103,720 | 110 | 0.10 | 0.83 |
| 42 | Alabama profile | $24.83 | $51,650 | $36,280 | $92,200 | 300 | 0.14 | 1.23 |
| 43 | South Dakota profile | $24.44 | $50,840 | $38,860 | $73,310 | 40 | 0.09 | 0.76 |
| – | Alaska profile | * | * | * | * | 80 | 0.23 | 2.01 |
| – | North Dakota profile | * | * | * | * | 90 | 0.22 | 1.90 |
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 17-3012 Electrical and Electronics 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 17-3012, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- O*NET 30.1 Database, 17-3012.00, 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.