Drafting Manager Salary in the United States

How much does a Drafting Manager make in the United States?

As of January 01, 2026, the average salary for a Drafting Manager in the United States is $134,132 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $64.

However, a Drafting Manager's salary can vary significantly. Here’s a look at the typical salary range:

  • Top Earners (90th percentile): $156,549
  • Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $121,926 to $145,866
  • Entry-Level (10th percentile): $110,813
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View as table View as graph 25% $121,926 10% $110,813 90% $156,549 75% $145,866 $134,132 50%(Median) Didn’t find job title? Click

Drafting Manager Salaries by Percentile

Annual
Salary		 Monthly
Pay		 Weekly
Pay		 Hourly
Wage
75th Percentile $145,866 $12,156 $2,805 $70
Average $134,132 $11,178 $2,579 $64
25th Percentile $121,926 $10,161 $2,345 $59
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Key Factors That Influence Drafting Manager Salaries

A Drafting 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, education and company size can directly affect your earning potential.

How Experience Level Affects Drafting Manager Salaries?

Experience is a primary driver of a Drafting 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:

  • Entry-Level (less than 1 year): $128,621
  • Early Career (1-2 years): $129,179
  • Mid-Level (2-4 years): $130,480
  • Senior-Level (5-8 years): $134,132
  • Expert (over 8 years): $137,583
Levels Salary
Entry Level Drafting Manager$128,621
Intermediate Level Drafting Manager$129,179
Senior Level Drafting Manager$130,480
Specialist Level Drafting Manager$134,132
Expert Level Drafting Manager$137,583
$128,621 0 yr
$129,179 < 2 yrs
$130,480 2-4 yrs
$134,132 5-8 yrs
$137,583 > 8 yrs
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What Am I Worth?

Top Paying Cities for Drafting Managers

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: $169,181
  • San Francisco: $167,517
  • Oakland: $163,802

What Skills Can Increase a Drafting Manager's Salary?

Demanded Skills for the Role:

  • Written Communication (Mentioned in 11.11% Job Postings): Communicating information through written media to educate, inform and influence the target audience.
  • CAD (Mentioned in 2.88% Job Postings): Computer-aided design is the use of computers to aid in the creation, modification, analysis, or optimization of a design. This software is used to increase the productivity of the designer
  • Construction Management (Mentioned in 0.82% Job Postings): Construction management (CM) is a professional service that uses specialized, project management techniques to oversee the planning, design, and construction of a project, from its beginning to its end. The purpose of CM is to control a project's time / delivery, cost and quality—sometimes referred to as a project management triangle or "triple constraints." CM is compatible with all project delivery systems, including design-bid-build, design-build, CM At-Risk and Public Private Partnerships. Professional construction managers may be reserved for lengthy, large-scale, high budget undertakings (commercial real estate, transportation infrastructure, industrial facilities, and military infrastructure), called capital projects.
See More Skills
Skills Demand Percentage
Written Communication 11.11%
CAD 2.88%
Construction Management 0.82%
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 Drafting Manager's salary.
  • Interviewing: Can increase your salary by up to 11%.
  • 3D Rendering: Can increase your salary by up to 10%.
  • 3D Scanning: Can increase your salary by up to 8%.
Skill Salary Salary % Increase
Interviewing
 $148,887
11%
3D Rendering
 $147,545
10%
3D Scanning
 $144,863
8%
Coaching
 $144,863
8%
Leadership
 $139,497
4%
Project Design
 $138,156
3%
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How Education impacts a Drafting Manager's Salary?

Your level of education can impact your salary potential. While many Drafting Managers enter the field with a Bachelor's Degree 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 Drafting Manager with a Bachelor's Degree is between $133,664 and $143,905).

Drafting Manager Salaries by Degree Level

Typical Education for Drafting Manager
Degree Level % of user with this level of education
No Diploma 0.4%
High School 10.3%
Associates 14.7%
Bachelors 51.6%
Masters 19.4%
Doctorate 3.6%
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Drafting Manager Salary: Hourly Rate, Weekly Pay, and Monthly Pay

Understanding how a Drafting 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.

  • Hourly
  • Monthly
  • Weekly
  • Yearly
  • Table View
Last Updated on January 01, 2026
$121,926
Average $134,132/year
$145,866
$10,161
Average $11,178/month
$12,156
$2,345
Average $2,579/week
$2,805
$59
Average $64/hour
$70
Annual Salary Monthly Pay Weekly Pay Hourly Wage
75th Percentile $145,866 $12,156 $2,805 $70
Average $134,132 $11,178 $2,579 $64
25th Percentile $121,926 $10,161 $2,345 $59

Salaries of jobs related to Drafting Manager

Salary Trends for Drafting Manager

Salaries for a Drafting Manager can change over time, reflecting shifts in market demand and the overall economy. The median salary decreased from $130,067 in 2023 to around $129,319 in 2025, reflecting changes in demand, location, experience, and the wider economy. For a detailed analysis of Drafting Manager salary trends, .

Average Annual Salary of Drafting Manager Over Time

2022
$???
2023
$130,067
2024
$130,316
2025
$129,319
2026
$???
2027
$???
Year Average Annual Salary
2022
View More
2023 $130,067
2024 $130,316
2025 $129,319
2026
View More
2027
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Most common benefits for Drafting Manager

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401(k)
Disability
Healthcare
Pension
Time Off (days)
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Common company salaries for Drafting Manager

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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.

We offer detailed salary information across multiple percentiles for your reference. (Click here to learn Why the Salary Midpoint Formula Is Crucial for Achieving Pay Equity.)

With the most extensive online, real-time compensation data available, Salary.com helps you pinpoint your exact pay target.

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