Key Factors That Influence CAD Drafter, Entry Salaries
A CAD Drafter, Entry's salary isn't a fixed number.
It's shaped by several important factors.
Below, we'll explore how your years of experience, geographic location, education, and company size can directly affect your earning potential.
How Experience Level Affects CAD Drafter, Entry Salaries?
Experience is a primary driver of a CAD Drafter, Entry's salary.
As you build your skills and take on more complex tasks, your compensation generally increases.
Here's how the average salary grows at different career stages:
CAD Drafter, Entry (0-2 years): $66,170
CAD Drafter, Experienced (2-4 years): $75,336
Computer Aided Design Drafter III (4-7 years): $91,216
CAD Designer IV (7+ years): $117,886
CAD Designer V (7-10 years): $138,124
Job Role
Years of Experience
Average Salary
CAD Drafter, Entry
0-2 years
$66,170
CAD Drafter, Experienced
2-4 years
$75,336
Computer Aided Design Drafter III
4-7 years
$91,216
CAD Designer IV
7+ years
$117,886
CAD Designer V
7-10 years
$138,124
$66,170CAD Draft...
$75,336CAD Draft...
$91,216Computer ...
$117,886CAD Desig...
$138,124CAD Desig...
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What Am I Worth?
How Do CAD Drafter, Entry Salaries Vary from State to State?
Your salary can change significantly depending on where you work.
States with a higher cost of living and strong industrial sectors
often pay more to attract CAD Drafter, Entries.
For example, consider the average annual salaries in these key locations:
Salaries can also vary between different cities.
Major metropolitan areas or cities with a high demand for technicians often offer more competitive pay.
Here are a few examples of average annual salaries in different U.S. cities:
San Jose: $83,500
San Francisco: $82,600
Oakland: $80,900
San Jose, CA$83,500
San Francisco, CA$82,600
Oakland, CA$80,900
New York, NY$76,200
Paramus, NJ$75,300
Queens Village, NY$75,300
Passaic, NJ$75,200
Bergenfield, NJ$75,200
Huntington, NY$75,100
Stamford, CT$75,100
Newark, NJ$74,600
Bridgeport, CT$74,400
Vallejo, CA$74,300
New Brunswick, NJ$74,300
Petaluma, CA$74,200
Middlesex, NJ$74,100
Somerset, NJ$74,100
Santa Cruz, CA$74,000
Boston, MA$73,600
Monterey, CA$73,300
Seattle, WA$73,200
Santa Rosa, CA$73,200
Los Angeles, CA$73,200
Juneau, AK$73,000
Washington, DC$72,900
Orange, CA$72,700
Santa Ana, CA$72,500
Anchorage, AK$72,400
Anaheim, CA$72,400
Long Beach, CA$72,400
Santa Maria, CA$72,200
Everett, WA$72,200
Danbury, CT$71,900
Bremerton, WA$71,900
Tacoma, WA$71,600
New Suffolk, NY$71,600
Sacramento, CA$71,600
San Diego, CA$71,500
Trenton, NJ$71,500
Santa Barbara, CA$71,500
Brockton, MA$71,400
Fairbanks, AK$71,200
Lompoc, CA$71,100
Lowell, MA$71,000
Ventura, CA$71,000
Nashua, NH$71,000
Stockton, CA$71,000
Modesto, CA$70,500
Poughkeepsie, NY$70,300
Olympia, WA$70,200
Kennewick, WA$70,200
New Haven, CT$70,200
Lawrence, MA$69,900
Hartford, CT$69,900
Riverside, CA$69,900
New Bedford, MA$69,800
Richland, WA$69,800
Atlantic City, NJ$69,700
San Bernardino, CA$69,700
Bakersfield, CA$69,700
New Britain, CT$69,700
New London, CT$69,600
Norwich, CT$69,600
Portsmouth, NH$69,600
Boulder, CO$69,500
Portland, OR$69,400
Worcester, MA$69,400
Minneapolis, MN$69,200
Philadelphia, PA$69,100
Honolulu, HI$68,900
Saint Paul, MN$68,800
Vineland, NJ$68,800
Providence, RI$68,600
Chicago, IL$68,400
Bellingham, WA$68,400
Springfield, MA$68,300
Baltimore, MD$68,300
Chico, CA$68,100
Pittsfield, MA$67,900
Manchester, NH$67,800
Spokane, WA$67,500
Denver, CO$67,500
Albany, NY$67,200
Troy, NY$67,200
Nassau, NY$67,100
Schenectady, NY$67,000
Wilmington, DE$67,000
Burlington, VT$66,900
Salem, OR$66,900
Portland, ME$66,700
Yakima, WA$66,600
Rochester, MN$66,400
Reno, NV$66,400
Fresno, CA$66,400
Milwaukee, WI$66,300
Detroit, MI$66,200
Ann Arbor, MI$66,200
Allentown, PA$66,200
Carson City, NV$66,100
Syracuse, NY$66,100
Colorado Springs, CO$66,100
Houston, TX$66,000
Eugene, OR$65,900
Gary, IN$65,900
Springfield, OR$65,800
Bismarck, ND$65,800
Galveston, TX$65,700
Austin, TX$65,600
Concord, NH$65,600
Medford, OR$65,600
Fort Collins, CO$65,600
Mesa, AZ$65,400
Reading, PA$65,400
Phoenix, AZ$65,400
Dallas, TX$65,400
Saint Cloud, MN$65,300
Madison, WI$65,200
Utica, NY$65,100
Rochester, NY$65,000
Raleigh, NC$64,900
Des Moines, IA$64,900
Atlanta, GA$64,800
Battle Creek, MI$64,800
Salt Lake City, UT$64,800
Lancaster, PA$64,700
Harrisburg, PA$64,600
Pittsburgh, PA$64,500
Boca Raton, FL$64,500
Fort Worth, TX$64,500
Columbus, OH$64,500
Kansas City, KS$64,500
Kansas City, MO$64,500
Champaign, IL$64,500
Richmond, VA$64,400
Indianapolis, IN$64,400
Cleveland, OH$64,400
Las Vegas, NV$64,300
Cincinnati, OH$64,300
Petersburg, VA$64,200
Appleton, WI$64,100
Pueblo, CO$64,100
Lansing, MI$64,100
Huntsville, AL$64,100
Lebanon, PA$64,100
Buffalo, NY$64,000
Dayton, OH$64,000
Racine, WI$64,000
Charlotte, NC$64,000
Saint Louis, MO$64,000
Elkhart, IN$63,900
York, PA$63,900
Gastonia, NC$63,900
Billings, MT$63,900
Beaumont, TX$63,900
Lorain, OH$63,900
Benton Harbor, MI$63,900
Toledo, OH$63,900
Elyria, OH$63,800
Fargo, ND$63,800
Springfield, IL$63,800
Rock Hill, SC$63,800
Rockford, IL$63,800
Binghamton, NY$63,800
Flagstaff, AZ$63,700
Fort Lauderdale, FL$63,700
Duluth, MN$63,600
Miami, FL$63,600
Grand Forks, ND$63,600
Cheyenne, WY$63,600
Bangor, ME$63,400
Cedar Rapids, IA$63,400
Durham, NC$63,300
Louisville, KY$63,300
Grand Rapids, MI$63,300
Hialeah, FL$63,300
Casper, WY$63,200
Virginia Beach, VA$63,100
Akron, OH$63,100
Scranton, PA$63,100
New Orleans, LA$63,100
Peoria, IL$63,000
Sarasota, FL$63,000
Davenport, IA$62,900
Charleston, SC$62,900
Baton Rouge, LA$62,900
Jamestown, NY$62,900
Omaha, NE$62,900
Nashville, TN$62,900
Green Bay, WI$62,900
Tucson, AZ$62,800
Saint Petersburg, FL$62,800
Tampa, FL$62,800
Evansville, IN$62,700
Port Arthur, TX$62,700
Bradenton, FL$62,700
Santa Fe, NM$62,600
Orlando, FL$62,500
Clearwater, FL$62,400
Newport News, VA$62,300
Albuquerque, NM$62,300
Canton, OH$62,300
La Crosse, WI$62,300
High Point, NC$62,200
Ogden, UT$62,200
Corpus Christi, TX$62,200
Saginaw, MI$62,100
Rock Island, IL$62,100
Jacksonville, FL$62,100
Norfolk, VA$62,100
Laramie, WY$62,100
Salisbury, NC$62,000
Boise, ID$62,000
Moline, IL$62,000
Fort Myers, FL$62,000
Memphis, TN$62,000
Tulsa, OK$61,900
Waterloo, IA$61,900
Provo, UT$61,800
Fort Wayne, IN$61,800
Spartanburg, SC$61,800
Lincoln, NE$61,800
Cedar Falls, IA$61,700
San Antonio, TX$61,700
Greensboro, NC$61,600
South Bend, IN$61,600
Savannah, GA$61,600
Muskegon, MI$61,500
Birmingham, AL$61,500
Winston Salem, NC$61,500
Lake Charles, LA$61,300
Anderson, IN$61,300
Lexington, KY$61,300
Augusta, GA$61,300
Greenville, SC$61,300
Columbia, SC$61,200
Tuscaloosa, AL$61,200
Springfield, OH$61,200
Lima, OH$61,200
Wichita, KS$61,200
Bloomington, IN$61,000
Asheville, NC$61,000
Knoxville, TN$60,800
Shreveport, LA$60,800
Wilmington, NC$60,700
Roanoke, VA$60,700
Melbourne, FL$60,500
Chillicothe, OH$60,500
Longview, TX$60,500
Frankfort, KY$60,500
Topeka, KS$60,500
Oklahoma City, OK$60,500
Sioux Falls, SD$60,400
Mobile, AL$60,300
Terre Haute, IN$60,300
Altoona, PA$60,300
Fayetteville, AR$60,200
Amarillo, TX$60,200
Killeen, TX$60,200
Idaho Falls, ID$60,100
Sioux City, IA$60,100
Chattanooga, TN$60,100
Lynchburg, VA$60,000
Gainesville, FL$59,900
Portsmouth, OH$59,900
Little Rock, AR$59,900
Lafayette, LA$59,900
Youngstown, OH$59,900
Temple, TX$59,800
Pensacola, FL$59,800
Clarksville, TN$59,800
Daytona Beach, FL$59,800
Hopkinsville, KY$59,600
Erie, PA$59,600
Florence, SC$59,600
Charleston, WV$59,500
Great Falls, MT$59,400
Helena, MT$59,300
Waco, TX$59,300
Fayetteville, NC$59,300
Tallahassee, FL$59,300
Macon, GA$59,300
Pine Bluff, AR$59,200
Vincennes, IN$59,100
Lubbock, TX$59,100
Alamogordo, NM$59,100
Twin Falls, ID$59,000
Rapid City, SD$59,000
Greenville, MS$58,900
Jackson, MS$58,900
Huntington, WV$58,900
Parkersburg, WV$58,800
Montgomery, AL$58,800
Biloxi, MS$58,700
Wichita Falls, TX$58,700
Springfield, MO$58,700
Columbus, GA$58,600
Sumter, SC$58,600
Monroe, LA$58,600
Johnstown, PA$58,600
Pascagoula, MS$58,400
Abilene, TX$58,400
Kingsport, TN$58,300
Albany, GA$58,300
Gulfport, MS$58,200
Alexandria, LA$58,000
Fort Smith, AR$57,800
El Paso, TX$57,700
Las Cruces, NM$57,400
Harlingen, TX$57,200
Pocatello, ID$57,200
Florence, AL$57,100
Brownsville, TX$57,100
Mcallen, TX$57,000
Dothan, AL$56,900
Columbus, MS$56,500
Altus, OK$56,200
Lawton, OK$56,000
Pierre, SD$55,800
What Skills Can Increase a CAD Drafter, Entry's Salary?
Demanded Skills for the Role:
Troubleshooting (Mentioned in 3.6% Job Postings): Troubleshooting is a form of problem solving, often applied to repair failed products or processes on a machine or a system. It is a logical, systematic search for the source of a problem in order to solve it, and make the product or process operational again. Troubleshooting is needed to identify the symptoms. Determining the most likely cause is a process of elimination—eliminating potential causes of a problem. Finally, troubleshooting requires confirmation that the solution restores the product or process to its working state. In general, troubleshooting is the identification or diagnosis of "trouble" in the management flow of a system caused by a failure of some kind. The problem is initially described as symptoms of malfunction, and troubleshooting is the process of determining and remedying the causes of these symptoms. A system can be described in terms of its expected, desired or intended behavior (usually, for artificial systems, its purpose). Events or inputs to the system are expected to generate specific results or outputs. (For example, selecting the "print" option from various computer applications is intended to result in a hardcopy emerging from some specific device). Any unexpected or undesirable behavior is a symptom. Troubleshooting is the process of isolating the specific cause or causes of the symptom. Frequently the symptom is a failure of the product or process to produce any results. (Nothing was printed, for example). Corrective action can then be taken to prevent further failures of a similar kind.
Pneumatics (Mentioned in 2.17% Job Postings): Pneumatics (pronounced new-MATT-ix) is an aspect of physics and engineering that is concerned with using the energy in compressed gas to make something move or work.
CAD Software (Mentioned in 1.38% Job Postings): Computer-aided design is the use of computers to aid in the creation, modification, analysis, or optimization of a design.
See More Skills
Skills
Demand Percentage
Troubleshooting
3.6%
Pneumatics
2.17%
CAD Software
1.38%
What skills can make your compensation higher?
Mastering certain specialized skills can lead to a significant increase in pay.
Here are examples of skills and the potential impact they can have on a CAD Drafter, Entry's salary.
Ethernet: Can increase your salary by up to 15%.
Products and Services: Can increase your salary by up to 7%.
Presentation: Can increase your salary by up to 6%.
Skill
Salary
Salary % Increase
Ethernet
$76,130
15%
Products and Services
$70,834
7%
Presentation
$70,172
6%
Analysis
$69,510
5%
Leadership
$68,848
4%
Project Management
$68,848
4%
Get Latest Data
CAD Drafter, Entry Salary by Company Size: Startups vs. Enterprise
CAD Drafter, Entry salary potential scales significantly with company size.
Data shows that Enterprise companies (5,000+ employees) pay the highest average salary at around $74,044.
While startup companies pay approximate $62,619.
CAD Drafter, Entry Salary by Company Size
Company Size
Employees
Average Salary
Startup
1~50
$62,619
Growth Stage
51~500
$66,230
Established
501~5000
$71,504
Enterprise
5000+
$74,044
CAD Drafter, Entry Salary by Industry: Top Paying Sectors
For CAD Drafter, Entry roles, the industry you choose can affect earning potential
by as much as 40% (the gap between the highest and lowest paying industries).
Data shows that the Aerospace & Defense and Business Services
sectors offer the strongest compensation, at 20% above the average.
In contrast, CAD Drafter, Entry positions in Biotechnology or Chemicals typically offer lower base pay,
as these industries often view CAD Drafter, Entry as a support function rather than a direct revenue driver.
The top paying industries for a CAD Drafter, Entry
Industry Sector
Average Annual Salary
Average Hourly Rate
Pay vs.Avg
Aerospace & Defense
$79,440
$38.0
20%
Business Services
$78,116
$38.0
18%
Construction
$76,792
$37.0
16%
Energy & Utilities
$75,468
$36.0
14%
Healthcare
$74,144
$36.0
12%
How Education impacts a CAD Drafter, Entry's Salary?
Your level of education can impact your salary potential.
While many CAD Drafter, Entries enter the field with a High School Diploma or Technical Certificate degree,
higher education can lead to more specialized and higher-paying roles.
According to our 100% employer-reported salary data,
the median salary for a CAD Drafter, Entry with a High School Diploma or Technical Certificate is between
$60,619
and $64,345).
Understanding how a CAD Drafter, Entry's annual salary breaks down can help with budgeting.
Below, you can see the average hourly rate, weekly pay, and monthly pay for this role.
Use the buttons to switch between different pay periods.
Hourly
Monthly
Weekly
Yearly
Table View
Last Updated on July 01, 2026
$60,200
Average$66,200/year
$71,300
$5,017
Average$5,517/month
$5,942
$1,158
Average$1,273/week
$1,371
$29
Average$32/hour
$34
Annual Salary
Monthly Pay
Weekly Pay
Hourly Wage
75th Percentile
$71,300
$5,942
$1,371
$34
Average
$66,200
$5,517
$1,273
$32
25th Percentile
$60,200
$5,017
$1,158
$29
CAD Drafter, Entry Salary Growth & Career Path
For a CAD Drafter, Entry, the most direct path to higher earnings is advancing to the CAD Drafter, Experienced role.
This promotion typically comes with a significant pay increase, bringing the average annual salary to
$75,400 - a projected growth of
14%
over your current level.
Salaries for a CAD Drafter, Entry can change over time,
reflecting shifts in market demand and the overall economy.
The median salary decreased from $64,746 in 2023
to around $63,427 in 2025,
reflecting changes in demand, location, experience, and the wider economy.
For a detailed analysis of CAD Drafter, Entry salary trends,
.
Average Annual Salary of CAD Drafter, Entry Over Time
2022
$???
2023
$64,746
2024
$64,053
2025
$63,427
2026
$???
2027
$???
Year
Average Annual Salary
2022
View More
2023
$64,746
2024
$64,053
2025
$63,427
2026
View More
2027
View More
Most common benefits for CAD Drafter, Entry
Social Security
401(k)
Disability
Healthcare
Pension
Time Off (days)
For Employers
If your compensation planning software is too rigid to deploy winning incentive strategies, it’s time to find an adaptable solution.
Compensation Planning
Common company salaries for CAD Drafter, Entry
Here are companies hiring for CAD Drafter, Entry and their salaries, click below for more details.
C
$128,509/per year
C R Bard Inc
Biotechnology
the United States
H
$124,697/per year
Henry Schein Canada
Biotechnology
the United States
N
$123,899/per year
Nordex Inc
Biotechnology
the United States
N
$120,416/per year
Nipro Corp
Biotechnology
the United States
E
$115,870/per year
Enovis
Biotechnology
the United States
A
$114,553/per year
Advanced Research Projects Agency - Energy
Biotechnology
the United States
M
$112,110/per year
MiniMed Inc
Biotechnology
the United States
L
$111,500/per year
Labcorp Drug Development
Biotechnology
the United States
L
$110,229/per year
Life Technologies Corp
Biotechnology
the United States
Z
$106,224/per year
Zimmer Biomet
Biotechnology
the United States
P
$103,077/per year
Promontory Therapeutics
Biotechnology
the United States
S
$102,181/per year
Steris PLC
Biotechnology
the United States
G
$97,274/per year
Gavin Conferences Pty Ltd
Biotechnology
the United States
E
$94,764/per year
Endeavor BioMedicines
Biotechnology
the United States
R
$94,402/per year
Replay Holdings LLC
Biotechnology
the United States
P
$94,235/per year
Pleno Inc
Biotechnology
the United States
S
$93,666/per year
Simulaids Inc
Biotechnology
the United States
N
$88,880/per year
NOIRLab/CAS
Biotechnology
the United States
O
$86,468/per year
Onward Technology
Biotechnology
the United States
L
$84,895/per year
LED Medical Diagnostics Inc
Biotechnology
the United States
E
$84,682/per year
Eyeco Ltd
Biotechnology
the United States
P
$84,523/per year
Paerosol
Biotechnology
the United States
I
$83,525/per year
IONIQ Sciences Inc
Biotechnology
the United States
S
$82,815/per year
Stateside PPE
Biotechnology
the United States
D
$82,041/per year
Digi Bio
Biotechnology
the United States
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Where Does Our Salary Data Come From?
Salary.com provides salary estimates, histograms, trends, and comparisons using data from employer job postings and third-party sources.
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