Know your market value with insights across roles — from individual contributors to executive pay and overall company compensation trends.
Access a suite of powerful calculators to make data-driven career decisions.
Automate pay cycles, manage job architectures, and ensure pay equity with AI-powered compensation platforms.
Access validated salary benchmarks, labor market trends, and minimum wage data to stay competitive.
Participate in and purchase industry-specific salary surveys to obtain the most accurate, peer-reported pay data.
As of August 01, 2026, the average salary for a Drafting Projects Manager in California is $140,490 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $68.
However, a Drafting Projects Manager's salary can vary significantly. Here’s a look at the typical salary range:
Compensation Planning
Develop a Job Description
Pay Equity
2026 Compensation Trend
AI-Powered Talent
AI-Powered HR
Drafting Projects Manager Salaries by Percentile
| Annual Salary |
Monthly Pay |
Weekly Pay |
Hourly Wage |
|
| 75th Percentile | $153,390 | $12,783 | $2,950 | $74 |
| Average | $140,490 | $11,708 | $2,702 | $68 |
| 25th Percentile | $127,490 | $10,624 | $2,452 | $61 |
JLL - Sacramento, CA, CA
Hadrian Automation - Torrance, CA
American Medical Association - San Francisco, CA
Suffolk Construction - San Francisco, CA
A Drafting Projects Manager'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, and company size can directly affect your earning potential.
Experience is a primary driver of a Drafting Projects Manager'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:
| Job Role | Years of Experience | Average Salary |
|---|---|---|
| CAD Designer V | 7-10 years | $152,344 |
| Computer Aided Design Supervisor | 10+ years | $103,521 |
| Design/Drafting Senior Supervisor | 10+ years | $123,542 |
| Drafting Projects Manager | 10+ years | $140,433 |
| Computer Aided Design Senior Manager | 10+ years | $171,556 |
What Am I Worth?
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 Drafting Projects Managers. 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:
Drafting Projects Manager salary potential scales significantly with company size. Data shows that Enterprise companies (5,000+ employees) pay the highest average salary at around $157,270. While startup companies pay approximate $133,047.
| Company Size | Employees | Average Salary |
|---|---|---|
| Startup | 1~50 | $133,047 |
| Growth Stage | 51~500 | $140,713 |
| Established | 501~5000 | $151,873 |
| Enterprise | 5000+ | $157,270 |
For Drafting Projects Manager roles, the industry you choose can affect earning potential by as much as 90% (the gap between the highest and lowest paying industries). Data shows that the Financial Services and Pharmaceuticals sectors offer the strongest compensation, at 40% above the average. In contrast, Drafting Projects Manager positions in Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit or Hospitality & Leisure typically offer lower base pay, as these industries often view Drafting Projects Manager as a support function rather than a direct revenue driver.
| Industry Sector | Average Annual Salary | Average Hourly Rate | Pay vs.Avg |
|---|---|---|---|
| Financial Services | $196,686 | $95.0 | 40% |
| Pharmaceuticals | $189,662 | $91.0 | 35% |
| Biotechnology | $182,637 | $88.0 | 30% |
| Software & Networking | $182,637 | $88.0 | 30% |
| Energy & Utilities | $161,564 | $78.0 | 15% |
Understanding how a Drafting Projects Manager'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.
| Annual Salary | Monthly Pay | Weekly Pay | Hourly Wage | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 75th Percentile | $153,390 | $12,783 | $2,950 | $74 |
| Average | $140,490 | $11,708 | $2,702 | $68 |
| 25th Percentile | $127,490 | $10,624 | $2,452 | $61 |
For a Drafting Projects Manager, the most direct path to higher earnings is advancing to the Computer Aided Design Senior Manager role. This promotion typically comes with a significant pay increase, bringing the average annual salary to $171,600 - a projected growth of 22% over your current level.
Ready to take the next step in your career? Browse thousands of current Drafting Projects Manager job openings on our job board. Use the search bar below to find your perfect match.
Sila
Alameda, CA
Sila | Alameda, CA
About UsWe are Sila, a next-generation battery materials company. Our mission is to power the world's transition to clean energy. To create this future, ou... more
8 Days Ago
Sila
Alameda, CA
Sila | Alameda, CA
Job Description. Job Description. About Us. We are Sila, a next-generation battery materials company. Our mission is to power the world's transition to cle... more
8 Days Ago
DaVita Inc
Irvine, CA
DaVita Inc | Irvine, CA
Revenue Manager. DaVita is hiring a Revenue Manager for our Payor Escalations - Analytics & Strategy team within Revenue Operations (ROPS), known as Team S... more
9 Days Ago
Welltower
San Francisco, CA
Welltower | San Francisco, CA
WELLTOWER &OpenCurlyDoubleQuote. REIMAGINE REAL ESTATE WITH USAt Welltower, we're transforming how the world thinks about senior living and wellness-focuse... more
8 Days Ago
Benesch
Roseville, CA
Benesch | Roseville, CA
Job Description. Job Description. Simply Put, A Great Place to Work. Benesch is a growing, multi-disciplined planning, engineering, and professional servic... more
8 Days Ago
Talent Search PRO
Pittsburg, CA
Talent Search PRO | Pittsburg, CA
Health insurance starting day 1 (medical, dental, vision), paid time off including sick, vacation, holiday, and volunteer time, flexible and hybrid work op... more
8 Days Ago
Get a Salary Increase
Analyze the market and your qualifications to negotiate your salary with confidence.
Search Job Openings
Search thousands of open positions to find your next opportunity.
Adjust Employee Salary
Individualize employee pay based on unique job requirements and personal qualifications.
Price My Industry Jobs
Get the latest market price for benchmark jobs and jobs in your industry.
Use Salary.com's Cost of Living Calculator to find out what income you need to maintain your standard of living in a different city and how much more or less money you need to budget for basic expenses.
Explore Cost of Living CalculatorSalary.com experts will help you thrive your workplaces.
Salary.com provides salary survey data for thousands of industry Jobs.
Salary.com salary estimates, histograms, trends, and comparisons are derived from both employer job postings and third-party data sources. We also provide multiple percentiles of salary information for your reference, click here to know Why the Salary Midpoint Formula Is Crucial to Getting Pay Equity Right. With more online, real-time compensation data than any other website, Salary.com helps you determine your exact pay target.
Salary.com's CompAnalyst platform offers:
