285 metro areas
Architectural and Civil Drafter Salary by City (2026)
Architectural and civil drafters earn the most in San Jose, CA, an average of $93,870 a year, against $70,740 nationally. After local prices, pay goes furthest in Lake Charles, LA ($105,680 in national-average dollars). Every metro area with its own BLS estimate is ranked below.
- US average (mean)
- $70,740BLS OEWS, May 2025
- Highest-paying city
- $93,870San Jose, CA
- Best after cost of living
- $105,680Lake Charles, LA
- Metro areas
- 285With their own estimate
Top cities
Highest-paying cities for architectural and civil drafters
Top 10 metro areas
- San Jose, CA$93,870
- Lake Charles, LA$90,730
- San Francisco, CA$89,290
- Denver, CO$83,760
- Rochester, MN$83,220
- Santa Rosa, CA$83,120
- Dalton, GA$80,790
- Sacramento, CA$80,770
- Washington, DC-VA-MD-WV$80,660
- Kennewick, WA$80,270
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $93,870 |
| Lake Charles, LA | $90,730 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $89,290 |
| Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO | $83,760 |
| Rochester, MN | $83,220 |
| Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA | $83,120 |
| Dalton, GA | $80,790 |
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | $80,770 |
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | $80,660 |
| Kennewick-Richland, WA | $80,270 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025
Mean wage ÷ BEA price level
- Lake Charles, LA$90,730 nominal$105,680
- Rochester, MN$83,220 nominal$91,630
- Dalton, GA$80,790 nominal$89,920
- Baton Rouge, LA$77,690 nominal$85,580
- San Jose, CA$93,870 nominal$85,010
- Knoxville, TN$77,940 nominal$84,200
- Savannah, GA$79,100 nominal$83,080
- Augusta, GA-SC$75,520 nominal$82,170
- Gainesville, GA$78,500 nominal$81,120
- Kennewick, WA$80,270 nominal$80,210
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Lake Charles, LA | $105,680 |
| Rochester, MN | $91,630 |
| Dalton, GA | $89,920 |
| Baton Rouge, LA | $85,580 |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $85,010 |
| Knoxville, TN | $84,200 |
| Savannah, GA | $83,080 |
| Augusta-Richmond County, GA-SC | $82,170 |
| Gainesville, GA | $81,120 |
| Kennewick-Richland, WA | $80,210 |
Source: BLS OEWS 2025 · BEA RPP 2024
Every city
Architectural and Civil Drafter salary in every metro area
Mean annual wage, with the Department of Labor's entry (Level I) and experienced (Level IV) prevailing-wage benchmarks for the same metro, and the mean at national-average prices. Sorted by mean pay.
| # | Metro area | Mean | Entry (Level I) | Experienced (Level IV) | At US prices |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | San Jose, CA | $93,870 | $60,610 | $110,240 | $85,010 |
| 2 | Lake Charles, LA | $90,730 | $48,260 | $111,650 | $105,680 |
| 3 | San Francisco, CA | $89,290 | $63,090 | $102,190 | $77,230 |
| 4 | Denver, CO | $83,760 | $60,720 | $95,120 | $79,180 |
| 5 | Rochester, MN | $83,220 | $60,510 | $94,410 | $91,630 |
| 6 | Santa Rosa, CA | $83,120 | $59,260 | $94,870 | $77,120 |
| 7 | Dalton, GA | $80,790 | $46,970 | $97,430 | $89,920 |
| 8 | Sacramento, CA | $80,770 | $54,660 | $93,600 | $75,720 |
| 9 | Washington, DC-VA-MD-WV | $80,660 | $58,220 | $91,710 | $74,080 |
| 10 | Kennewick, WA | $80,270 | $53,830 | $93,290 | $80,210 |
| 11 | Napa, CA | $79,960 | $57,300 | $91,120 | $71,040 |
| 12 | Atlanta, GA | $79,580 | $52,370 | $93,000 | $79,530 |
| 13 | San Diego, CA | $79,500 | $55,470 | $91,330 | $71,050 |
| 14 | New York, NY-NJ | $79,250 | $53,890 | $91,750 | $70,410 |
| 15 | Los Angeles, CA | $79,190 | $55,910 | $90,650 | $69,730 |
| 16 | Savannah, GA | $79,100 | $53,600 | $91,640 | $83,080 |
| 17 | Vallejo, CA | $79,060 | $55,060 | $90,900 | $72,880 |
| 18 | Bridgeport, CT | $78,920 | $58,430 | $89,000 | $73,850 |
| 19 | Gainesville, GA | $78,500 | $45,720 | $94,660 | $81,120 |
| 20 | Boston, MA-NH | $78,350 | $60,940 | $86,940 | $72,370 |
| 21 | Knoxville, TN | $77,940 | $55,810 | $88,840 | $84,200 |
| 22 | Baton Rouge, LA | $77,690 | $49,840 | $91,420 | $85,580 |
| 23 | Chico, CA | $77,600 | $57,660 | $87,440 | $76,680 |
| 24 | Baltimore, MD | $77,560 | $56,010 | $88,190 | $74,230 |
| 25 | Seattle, WA | $77,520 | $59,220 | $86,550 | $69,750 |
| 26 | Boulder, CO | $77,250 | $56,060 | $87,690 | $73,430 |
| 27 | Lexington Park, MD | $76,750 | $51,150 | $89,360 | $76,170 |
| 28 | Portland, OR-WA | $76,750 | $60,030 | $85,010 | $72,800 |
| 29 | San Luis Obispo, CA | $76,710 | $54,200 | $87,800 | $70,640 |
| 30 | Waterbury, CT | $75,960 | $52,870 | $87,340 | $76,130 |
| 31 | Austin, TX | $75,920 | $51,900 | $87,780 | $77,420 |
| 32 | Modesto, CA | $75,550 | $53,310 | $86,510 | $72,570 |
| 33 | Augusta, GA-SC | $75,520 | $47,590 | $89,290 | $82,170 |
| 34 | Nashville, TN | $75,320 | $54,140 | $85,740 | $78,180 |
| 35 | Santa Maria, CA | $75,070 | $55,720 | $84,590 | $69,000 |
| 36 | Riverside, CA | $74,800 | $49,000 | $87,510 | $70,270 |
| 37 | Stockton, CA | $74,650 | $51,380 | $86,110 | $71,040 |
| 38 | Reno, NV | $74,630 | $52,870 | $85,360 | $73,880 |
| 39 | Pittsfield, MA | $74,570 | $47,470 | $87,920 | $78,410 |
| 40 | Santa Cruz, CA | $74,570 | $56,830 | $83,320 | $67,860 |
| 41 | Ithaca, NY | $74,550 | $58,120 | $82,640 | $72,160 |
| 42 | Wenatchee, WA | $74,210 | $56,510 | $82,910 | $71,460 |
| 43 | Minneapolis, MN-WI | $73,990 | $57,570 | $82,060 | $70,590 |
| 44 | Madison, WI | $73,780 | $56,100 | $82,470 | $75,840 |
| 45 | Bremerton, WA | $73,570 | $57,410 | $81,520 | $69,660 |
| 46 | Barnstable Town, MA | $73,360 | $54,140 | $82,830 | $74,590 |
| 47 | Oxnard, CA | $73,300 | $49,320 | $85,110 | $66,310 |
| 48 | Greeley, CO | $73,200 | $53,410 | $82,930 | $73,070 |
| 49 | Worcester, MA | $73,130 | $48,730 | $85,130 | $71,330 |
| 50 | Salinas, CA | $73,030 | $55,490 | $81,660 | $66,970 |
| 51 | Bellingham, WA | $72,860 | $56,040 | $81,140 | $70,510 |
| 52 | Coeur d'Alene, ID | $72,860 | $49,690 | $84,280 | $74,130 |
| 53 | Las Vegas, NV | $72,530 | $48,400 | $84,430 | $72,370 |
| 54 | Hartford, CT | $72,490 | $52,730 | $82,220 | $70,550 |
| 55 | Charleston, SC | $72,430 | $51,190 | $82,890 | $71,740 |
| 56 | Philadelphia, PA-NJ-DE-MD | $72,360 | $53,250 | $81,790 | $70,560 |
| 57 | Salt Lake City, UT | $72,130 | $52,790 | $81,660 | $71,510 |
| 58 | Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN | $72,110 | $51,170 | $82,450 | $75,610 |
| 59 | Providence, RI-MA | $72,110 | $50,020 | $82,990 | $70,850 |
| 60 | Tucson, AZ | $72,090 | $51,460 | $82,240 | $74,400 |
| 61 | Rockford, IL | $71,740 | $51,380 | $81,760 | $77,850 |
| 62 | Helena, MT | $71,700 | $52,980 | $80,910 | $74,940 |
| 63 | Bakersfield, CA | $71,450 | $48,960 | $82,530 | $70,820 |
| 64 | Bismarck, ND | $71,430 | $52,250 | $80,870 | $78,470 |
| 65 | Kahului, HI | $71,390 | $51,330 | $81,270 | $65,260 |
| 66 | Portland, ME | $71,070 | $52,620 | $80,180 | $69,770 |
| 67 | Salem, OR | $71,050 | $51,060 | $80,890 | $68,550 |
| 68 | Ames, IA | $70,970 | $51,940 | $80,350 | $79,890 |
| 69 | Visalia, CA | $70,820 | $50,750 | $80,700 | $70,940 |
| 70 | Davenport, IA-IL | $70,760 | $46,840 | $82,530 | $79,440 |
| 71 | Pittsburgh, PA | $70,680 | $49,230 | $81,220 | $74,660 |
| 72 | Allentown, PA-NJ | $70,570 | $49,460 | $80,970 | $70,590 |
| 73 | Fresno, CA | $70,470 | $51,330 | $79,890 | $68,980 |
| 74 | Phoenix, AZ | $70,350 | $50,460 | $80,140 | $68,090 |
| 75 | Trenton, NJ | $70,350 | $51,130 | $79,790 | $68,180 |
| 76 | Raleigh, NC | $69,990 | $48,360 | $80,640 | $71,300 |
| 77 | Longview, TX | $69,970 | $46,130 | $81,720 | $78,190 |
| 78 | Fort Collins, CO | $69,910 | $48,380 | $80,520 | $69,130 |
| 79 | Dallas, TX | $69,890 | $48,190 | $80,580 | $67,800 |
| 80 | Syracuse, NY | $69,870 | $51,670 | $78,810 | $72,980 |
| 81 | Beaumont, TX | $69,760 | $47,300 | $80,830 | $77,470 |
| 82 | Des Moines, IA | $69,740 | $51,000 | $78,960 | $76,050 |
| 83 | Oshkosh, WI | $69,720 | $53,680 | $77,600 | $75,030 |
| 84 | Kalamazoo, MI | $69,700 | $48,170 | $80,290 | $73,490 |
| 85 | Houston, TX | $69,680 | $46,320 | $81,200 | $70,650 |
| 86 | Tulsa, OK | $69,680 | $48,840 | $79,960 | $78,100 |
| 87 | Spartanburg, SC | $69,600 | $47,670 | $80,410 | $76,440 |
| 88 | Manhattan, KS | $69,560 | $50,690 | $78,830 | $77,150 |
| 89 | Albany, NY | $69,530 | $48,760 | $79,770 | $69,830 |
| 90 | Milwaukee, WI | $69,390 | $51,380 | $78,270 | $71,580 |
| 91 | Buffalo, NY | $69,370 | $50,940 | $78,460 | $72,380 |
| 92 | New Haven, CT | $69,370 | $51,710 | $78,040 | $66,350 |
| 93 | Brunswick, GA | $69,350 | $41,680 | $82,970 | $79,070 |
| 94 | Mount Vernon, WA | $69,330 | $56,990 | $75,400 | $67,680 |
| 95 | Memphis, TN-MS-AR | $69,280 | $53,410 | $77,130 | $75,160 |
| 96 | Wilmington, NC | $69,180 | $44,490 | $81,350 | $71,750 |
| 97 | Rochester, NY | $69,140 | $51,250 | $77,960 | $71,250 |
| 98 | Billings, MT | $69,120 | $52,290 | $77,400 | $73,900 |
| 99 | Springfield, MA | $69,060 | $48,510 | $79,190 | $71,890 |
| 100 | Idaho Falls, ID | $69,010 | $41,640 | $82,490 | $73,090 |
| 101 | Kiryas Joel, NY | $68,990 | $49,320 | $78,690 | $63,050 |
| 102 | Redding, CA | $68,950 | $51,830 | $77,400 | $68,480 |
| 103 | Amherst Town, MA | $68,890 | $53,680 | $76,380 | $68,720 |
| 104 | Altoona, PA | $68,850 | $47,670 | $79,270 | $76,920 |
| 105 | Colorado Springs, CO | $68,830 | $47,220 | $79,480 | $68,350 |
| 106 | Dubuque, IA | $68,810 | $50,130 | $78,020 | $78,790 |
| 107 | Kansas City, MO-KS | $68,810 | $50,590 | $77,770 | $74,350 |
| 108 | Urban Honolulu, HI | $68,810 | $50,190 | $77,960 | $62,010 |
| 109 | Boise City, ID | $68,790 | $51,880 | $77,130 | $69,910 |
| 110 | Jacksonville, FL | $68,740 | $47,960 | $78,980 | $69,100 |
| 111 | Killeen, TX | $68,680 | $46,530 | $79,600 | $75,360 |
| 112 | Harrisburg, PA | $68,560 | $48,280 | $78,560 | $69,500 |
| 113 | Fayetteville, AR | $68,450 | $55,310 | $74,940 | $74,930 |
| 114 | Sheboygan, WI | $68,450 | $54,770 | $75,190 | $72,810 |
| 115 | Janesville, WI | $68,390 | $53,160 | $75,880 | $72,990 |
| 116 | St. Louis, MO-IL | $68,370 | $49,940 | $77,440 | $71,900 |
| 117 | Greenville, NC | $68,330 | $48,550 | $78,080 | $77,290 |
| 118 | Grand Forks, ND-MN | $68,290 | $51,080 | $76,770 | $78,800 |
| 119 | York, PA | $68,290 | $48,780 | $77,900 | $71,140 |
| 120 | Indianapolis, IN | $68,220 | $48,340 | $78,000 | $71,290 |
| 121 | Midland, TX | $68,200 | $44,620 | $79,810 | $71,200 |
| 122 | Fargo, ND-MN | $68,180 | $53,190 | $75,550 | $75,030 |
| 123 | Bend, OR | $68,140 | $53,080 | $75,550 | $65,770 |
| 124 | Topeka, KS | $68,120 | $46,800 | $78,600 | $76,690 |
| 125 | Orlando, FL | $68,100 | $47,010 | $78,460 | $67,150 |
| 126 | Omaha, NE-IA | $67,830 | $50,730 | $76,270 | $73,800 |
| 127 | Tampa, FL | $67,810 | $46,510 | $78,290 | $67,210 |
| 128 | Missoula, MT | $67,720 | $53,660 | $74,650 | $70,220 |
| 129 | Columbia, SC | $67,700 | $48,110 | $77,360 | $72,280 |
| 130 | Medford, OR | $67,660 | $53,830 | $74,460 | $66,700 |
| 131 | Provo, UT | $67,620 | $47,050 | $77,750 | $68,840 |
| 132 | Ogden, UT | $67,560 | $47,610 | $77,380 | $67,330 |
| 133 | Dover, DE | $67,520 | $46,780 | $77,730 | $69,250 |
| 134 | Charlotte, NC-SC | $67,450 | $47,570 | $77,250 | $69,290 |
| 135 | Manchester, NH | $67,430 | $51,310 | $75,380 | $63,820 |
| 136 | Dayton, OH | $67,370 | $51,440 | $75,230 | $72,680 |
| 137 | North Port, FL | $67,330 | $45,390 | $78,120 | $65,740 |
| 138 | St. Cloud, MN | $67,270 | $52,710 | $74,440 | $76,760 |
| 139 | Appleton, WI | $67,080 | $49,860 | $75,550 | $72,580 |
| 140 | Hilton Head Island, SC | $67,080 | $47,400 | $76,770 | $68,440 |
| 141 | Reading, PA | $66,960 | $46,950 | $76,810 | $68,990 |
| 142 | Richmond, VA | $66,890 | $50,630 | $74,900 | $68,350 |
| 143 | Lancaster, PA | $66,680 | $47,820 | $75,980 | $67,860 |
| 144 | Akron, OH | $66,660 | $47,510 | $76,130 | $71,390 |
| 145 | Cedar Rapids, IA | $66,560 | $46,820 | $76,270 | $74,820 |
| 146 | Detroit, MI | $66,520 | $45,950 | $76,630 | $66,320 |
| 147 | Bozeman, MT | $66,480 | $51,170 | $74,010 | $64,850 |
| 148 | Naples, FL | $66,440 | $46,880 | $76,070 | $64,380 |
| 149 | Greenville, SC | $66,390 | $44,740 | $77,040 | $71,190 |
| 150 | Grand Rapids, MI | $66,310 | $47,490 | $75,590 | $69,400 |
| 151 | Duluth, MN-WI | $66,190 | $51,000 | $73,670 | $74,570 |
| 152 | State College, PA | $66,160 | $48,530 | $74,860 | $68,370 |
| 153 | La Crosse, WI-MN | $66,120 | $53,210 | $72,510 | $72,050 |
| 154 | Logan, UT-ID | $66,080 | $49,090 | $74,460 | $68,890 |
| 155 | Pueblo, CO | $66,060 | $43,930 | $76,960 | $71,990 |
| 156 | Corpus Christi, TX | $66,040 | $45,220 | $76,290 | $71,260 |
| 157 | Eugene, OR | $66,000 | $55,270 | $71,300 | $64,980 |
| 158 | Burlington, VT | $65,890 | $50,440 | $73,510 | $65,270 |
| 159 | Scranton, PA | $65,870 | $44,760 | $76,270 | $70,410 |
| 160 | Panama City, FL | $65,850 | $47,420 | $74,920 | $67,680 |
| 161 | Kingsport, TN-VA | $65,830 | $46,740 | $75,250 | $76,150 |
| 162 | Port St. Lucie, FL | $65,580 | $46,950 | $74,760 | $65,430 |
| 163 | Toledo, OH | $65,500 | $48,760 | $73,760 | $71,620 |
| 164 | Punta Gorda, FL | $65,480 | $47,690 | $74,240 | $65,140 |
| 165 | Cleveland, OH | $65,420 | $49,670 | $73,170 | $69,650 |
| 166 | Macon, GA | $65,420 | $45,680 | $75,150 | $73,900 |
| 167 | Palm Bay, FL | $65,370 | $43,410 | $76,170 | $65,370 |
| 168 | Olympia, WA | $65,330 | $52,060 | $71,860 | $63,020 |
| 169 | Great Falls, MT | $65,290 | $47,650 | $73,990 | $67,420 |
| 170 | Kingston, NY | $65,270 | $47,240 | $74,170 | $64,810 |
| 171 | Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN | $65,210 | $46,380 | $74,480 | $70,060 |
| 172 | Oklahoma City, OK | $65,100 | $46,180 | $74,420 | $72,010 |
| 173 | Green Bay, WI | $65,080 | $50,360 | $72,340 | $69,910 |
| 174 | Crestview, FL | $65,040 | $42,620 | $76,110 | $67,030 |
| 175 | St. George, UT | $65,000 | $49,000 | $72,860 | $66,790 |
| 176 | Blacksburg, VA | $64,920 | $48,710 | $72,900 | $70,020 |
| 177 | Virginia Beach, VA-NC | $64,920 | $44,680 | $74,900 | $66,280 |
| 178 | Greensboro, NC | $64,850 | $43,220 | $75,520 | $69,830 |
| 179 | Huntington, WV-KY-OH | $64,690 | $41,790 | $75,980 | $73,160 |
| 180 | Abilene, TX | $64,650 | $42,040 | $75,770 | $71,540 |
| 181 | Fort Smith, AR-OK | $64,630 | $50,900 | $71,390 | $75,250 |
| 182 | Bangor, ME | $64,600 | $47,550 | $73,010 | $66,940 |
| 183 | Cape Coral, FL | $64,600 | $44,930 | $74,300 | $63,120 |
| 184 | Wausau, WI | $64,580 | $49,610 | $71,970 | $69,700 |
| 185 | Eau Claire, WI | $64,310 | $49,900 | $71,410 | $69,300 |
| 186 | Santa Fe, NM | $64,270 | $42,660 | $74,920 | $65,070 |
| 187 | Deltona, FL | $64,210 | $41,970 | $75,170 | $64,620 |
| 188 | Erie, PA | $64,210 | $44,720 | $73,820 | $70,600 |
| 189 | Durham, NC | $64,080 | $45,760 | $73,090 | $65,670 |
| 190 | Asheville, NC | $63,900 | $46,740 | $72,340 | $66,210 |
| 191 | Columbus, OH | $63,770 | $41,660 | $74,650 | $66,800 |
| 192 | Yakima, WA | $63,770 | $50,420 | $70,350 | $66,740 |
| 193 | Chicago, IL-IN | $63,710 | $47,030 | $71,950 | $61,500 |
| 194 | Little Rock, AR | $63,710 | $50,980 | $69,970 | $71,290 |
| 195 | Wildwood, FL | $63,670 | $45,530 | $72,590 | $74,530 |
| 196 | Yuma, AZ | $63,650 | $49,170 | $70,780 | $68,660 |
| 197 | Hagerstown, MD-WV | $63,560 | $44,780 | $72,820 | $67,490 |
| 198 | Miami, FL | $63,540 | $42,540 | $73,880 | $55,660 |
| 199 | Sioux City, IA-NE-SD | $63,540 | $50,400 | $70,010 | $73,500 |
| 200 | Jefferson City, MO | $63,500 | $47,860 | $71,200 | $72,180 |
| 201 | Charleston, WV | $63,380 | $42,790 | $73,530 | $71,440 |
| 202 | Athens, GA | $63,270 | $45,640 | $71,970 | $67,780 |
| 203 | Cheyenne, WY | $63,230 | $51,420 | $69,060 | $65,530 |
| 204 | Lincoln, NE | $63,230 | $47,340 | $71,070 | $69,040 |
| 205 | Flint, MI | $63,210 | $48,340 | $70,550 | $67,940 |
| 206 | Huntsville, AL | $63,130 | $46,050 | $71,550 | $67,830 |
| 207 | Lakeland, FL | $63,130 | $43,950 | $72,570 | $64,990 |
| 208 | Spokane, WA | $63,090 | $51,150 | $68,950 | $62,870 |
| 209 | San Antonio, TX | $63,070 | $46,380 | $71,280 | $66,590 |
| 210 | Charlottesville, VA | $63,040 | $48,960 | $69,970 | $63,580 |
| 211 | Atlantic City, NJ | $62,940 | $47,630 | $70,490 | $63,670 |
| 212 | Iowa City, IA | $62,900 | $42,580 | $72,900 | $68,740 |
| 213 | Lansing, MI | $62,860 | $47,780 | $70,300 | $66,170 |
| 214 | Evansville, IN | $62,730 | $44,430 | $71,740 | $68,540 |
| 215 | Waco, TX | $62,670 | $45,300 | $71,240 | $67,710 |
| 216 | Ann Arbor, MI | $62,610 | $42,520 | $72,510 | $62,060 |
| 217 | Grand Junction, CO | $62,610 | $46,090 | $70,740 | $65,580 |
| 218 | Clarksville, TN-KY | $62,440 | $44,600 | $71,220 | $68,660 |
| 219 | Columbus, GA-AL | $62,380 | $42,810 | $72,030 | $69,860 |
| 220 | Youngstown, OH | $62,360 | $43,930 | $71,430 | $71,360 |
| 221 | Chattanooga, TN-GA | $62,300 | $46,260 | $70,200 | $68,110 |
| 222 | Pensacola, FL | $62,300 | $42,830 | $71,860 | $63,760 |
| 223 | Gulfport, MS | $61,980 | $44,620 | $70,530 | $68,860 |
| 224 | Tyler, TX | $61,840 | $42,970 | $71,140 | $67,100 |
| 225 | Amarillo, TX | $61,650 | $46,590 | $69,060 | $67,140 |
| 226 | Springfield, MO | $61,380 | $44,320 | $69,780 | $69,290 |
| 227 | Roanoke, VA | $61,210 | $47,510 | $67,970 | $65,380 |
| 228 | Gainesville, FL | $61,170 | $40,560 | $71,320 | $63,240 |
| 229 | Jackson, MS | $61,050 | $46,430 | $68,240 | $68,560 |
| 230 | Lawrence, KS | $60,960 | $48,170 | $67,270 | $67,550 |
| 231 | Bloomington, IN | $60,820 | $44,160 | $69,040 | $63,960 |
| 232 | Johnson City, TN | $60,800 | $47,590 | $67,330 | $69,150 |
| 233 | Winston, NC | $60,630 | $39,960 | $70,800 | $65,870 |
| 234 | Canton, OH | $60,570 | $46,610 | $67,450 | $67,750 |
| 235 | Valdosta, GA | $60,530 | $42,560 | $69,370 | $68,570 |
| 236 | Ocala, FL | $60,400 | $42,080 | $69,430 | $63,420 |
| 237 | Lafayette, IN | $60,360 | $44,910 | $67,970 | $64,600 |
| 238 | Twin Falls, ID | $60,320 | $45,740 | $67,500 | $65,490 |
| 239 | Las Cruces, NM | $60,170 | $42,720 | $68,790 | $66,700 |
| 240 | Peoria, IL | $59,950 | $46,590 | $66,520 | $65,710 |
| 241 | Lexington, KY | $59,880 | $43,830 | $67,790 | $64,460 |
| 242 | Lynchburg, VA | $59,860 | $43,600 | $67,870 | $66,990 |
| 243 | Shreveport, LA | $59,840 | $42,140 | $68,560 | $70,590 |
| 244 | Sebastian, FL | $59,630 | $40,640 | $68,990 | $60,660 |
| 245 | Chambersburg, PA | $59,570 | $45,760 | $66,390 | $62,940 |
| 246 | Birmingham, AL | $59,490 | $43,680 | $67,270 | $64,910 |
| 247 | Fort Wayne, IN | $59,400 | $44,740 | $66,600 | $64,170 |
| 248 | Williamsport, PA | $59,280 | $44,570 | $66,540 | $64,190 |
| 249 | Johnstown, PA | $59,260 | $44,240 | $66,640 | $68,960 |
| 250 | Winchester, VA-WV | $59,260 | $43,430 | $67,060 | $61,440 |
| 251 | College Station, TX | $59,180 | $41,660 | $67,790 | $65,070 |
| 252 | Elkhart, IN | $59,110 | $45,820 | $65,640 | $65,440 |
| 253 | Columbia, MO | $58,990 | $42,160 | $67,270 | $65,960 |
| 254 | Sioux Falls, SD-MN | $58,760 | $47,200 | $64,460 | $64,830 |
| 255 | Terre Haute, IN | $58,720 | $41,910 | $67,020 | $66,880 |
| 256 | Houma, LA | $58,610 | $40,830 | $67,370 | $68,870 |
| 257 | Rapid City, SD | $58,340 | $48,360 | $63,270 | $65,430 |
| 258 | Mobile, AL | $58,180 | $41,410 | $66,440 | $66,040 |
| 259 | Joplin, MO-KS | $58,140 | $40,120 | $67,000 | $67,830 |
| 260 | Sherman, TX | $58,140 | $38,130 | $67,970 | $62,000 |
| 261 | Tallahassee, FL | $58,070 | $40,680 | $66,640 | $61,830 |
| 262 | Lubbock, TX | $57,260 | $41,080 | $65,230 | $62,700 |
| 263 | El Paso, TX | $57,120 | $39,940 | $65,580 | $63,530 |
| 264 | Bowling Green, KY | $56,910 | $33,840 | $68,270 | $63,110 |
| 265 | South Bend, IN-MI | $56,800 | $43,780 | $63,230 | $61,170 |
| 266 | Wichita, KS | $56,760 | $42,520 | $63,770 | $63,810 |
| 267 | Lafayette, LA | $56,580 | $40,930 | $64,270 | $64,880 |
| 268 | Montgomery, AL | $56,530 | $42,180 | $63,590 | $63,030 |
| 269 | Albuquerque, NM | $56,350 | $42,470 | $63,170 | $58,980 |
| 270 | McAllen, TX | $56,140 | $38,500 | $64,830 | $65,360 |
| 271 | Brownsville, TX | $55,890 | $41,350 | $63,040 | $65,010 |
| 272 | Champaign, IL | $55,200 | $43,180 | $61,130 | $59,540 |
| 273 | Traverse City, MI | $55,160 | $40,810 | $62,230 | $59,080 |
| 274 | Albany, GA | $55,060 | $33,800 | $65,520 | $62,800 |
| 275 | Pocatello, ID | $54,970 | $42,240 | $61,240 | $61,830 |
| 276 | Prescott Valley, AZ | $54,830 | $38,310 | $62,960 | $55,800 |
| 277 | Daphne, AL | $54,310 | $37,650 | $62,500 | $57,360 |
| 278 | Muskegon, MI | $54,230 | $39,710 | $61,380 | $58,610 |
| 279 | Fayetteville, NC | $54,080 | $37,340 | $62,320 | $58,800 |
| 280 | Auburn, AL | $53,540 | $35,030 | $62,650 | $60,890 |
| 281 | Dothan, AL | $52,460 | $37,170 | $59,990 | $62,580 |
| 282 | Tuscaloosa, AL | $52,330 | $39,890 | $58,450 | $59,650 |
| 283 | Florence, AL | $50,770 | $36,440 | $57,820 | $59,860 |
| 284 | San Juan, PR | $44,620 | $34,440 | $49,630 | N/A |
| 285 | Ponce, PR | $39,920 | $26,830 | $46,360 | N/A |
More
More on architectural and civil drafters
Method
About these numbers
- Mean wages are BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) May 2025 estimates for each metropolitan statistical area, as published in the Department of Labor’s 2026–27 OFLC prevailing-wage file. Only metros with their own BLS estimate are listed.
- Entry (Level I) and experienced (Level IV) are the Department of Labor’s prevailing-wage levels for the occupation in that metro, used for employer visa filings. They are benchmarks from the same OEWS survey, not percentiles.
- OEWS top-codes wages at $115 an hour ($239,200 a year); top-coded means are shown as "$239,200+" and left out of rankings.
- At US prices divides the mean by the metro’s BEA Regional Price Parity (2024) over 100, a NueCareer calculation.
Questions
Architectural and Civil Drafter salary by city: FAQ
Which city pays architectural and civil drafters the most?
San Jose, CA, where the average (mean) wage is $93,870 a year, followed by Lake Charles, LA ($90,730), San Francisco, CA ($89,290), Denver, CO ($83,760). The national mean is $70,740 (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
Where do architectural and civil drafters earn the most after cost of living?
Divided by each metro's BEA price level, pay goes furthest in Lake Charles, LA ($105,680 at national prices, $90,730 nominal), Rochester, MN ($91,630 at national prices, $83,220 nominal), Dalton, GA ($89,920 at national prices, $80,790 nominal).
How much do architectural and civil drafters make in the biggest cities?
New York, NY-NJ: $79,250; Los Angeles, CA: $79,190; Chicago, IL-IN: $63,710; Dallas, TX: $69,890; Houston, TX: $69,680 (mean annual wage, BLS OEWS May 2025).
Where do architectural and civil drafters earn the least?
Of the 285 metro areas with their own estimate, Ponce, PR has the lowest mean wage, $39,920.