What are the main factors that influence a Draftsperson's salary?

The primary factors are: 1) Experience Level, 2) Geographic Location, 3) Education/Skills, 4) Company Size & Industry

How does experience change a Draftsperson's salary?

A Draftsperson's salary grows with experience: starting around $85,928 for beginners, reaching about $87,756 at mid-level, and approach $93,855 for experts.

What are the highest paying states for a Draftsperson?

Draftsperson salary varies significantly by state. The top 3 highest paying states for Draftsperson roles are District of Columbia $99,809, California $99,430, Massachusetts $98,105. These tech hubs typically pay 10-15% above the national average.

How much do different types of Draftsperson roles make?

Salaries for Draftsperson level roles vary by specialization: Architectural Draftsperson: $93,532; Draftsperson Designer: $74,902.

How do different companies affect a Draftsperson's salary?

Company size, industry, and compensation structure create significant salary variations for Draftsperson roles. Large, established industry leaders like C R Bard Inc ($128,509) and Henry Schein Canada ($124,697) offer base salaries 35-40% above the national average. In contrast, smaller firms or startups may offer closer to $82,041.

Draftsperson Salary in the United States

How much does a Draftsperson make in the United States?

As of January 01, 2026, the average salary for a Draftsperson in the United States is $90,145 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $43.

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

Top Earners (90th percentile): $104,749
Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $82,151 to $97,789
Entry-Level (10th percentile): $74,873

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Draftsperson Salaries by Percentile

	Annual Salary	Monthly Pay	Weekly Pay	Hourly Wage
75th Percentile	$97,789	$8,149	$1,881	$47
Average	$90,145	$7,512	$1,734	$43
25th Percentile	$82,151	$6,846	$1,580	$39

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Key Factors That Influence Draftsperson Salaries

A Draftsperson'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 Draftsperson Salaries?

Experience is a primary driver of a Draftsperson'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): $85,928
Early Career (1-2 years): $86,537
Mid-Level (2-4 years): $87,756
Senior-Level (5-8 years): $91,832
Expert (over 8 years): $93,855

Levels	Salary
Entry Level Draftsperson	$85,928
Intermediate Level Draftsperson	$86,537
Senior Level Draftsperson	$87,756
Specialist Level Draftsperson	$91,832
Expert Level Draftsperson	$93,855

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What Am I Worth?

How Do Draftsperson 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 Draftspersons. For example, consider the average annual salaries in these key locations:

District of Columbia: $99,809.
California: $99,430.
Massachusetts: $98,105.

District of Columbia $99,809 California $99,430 Massachusetts $98,105 Washington $97,745 New Jersey $97,708 Alaska $97,582 Connecticut $96,338 New York $95,833

Hawaii $94,220 Rhode Island $93,463 Maryland $92,949 Minnesota $92,246 Colorado $91,975 Illinois $91,885 Oregon $91,543 Delaware $91,290

New Hampshire $91,131 Virginia $90,776 Pennsylvania $89,740 Nevada $89,217 North Dakota $89,046 Michigan $88,775 Wisconsin $88,676 Vermont $88,478

Texas $87,928 Maine $87,892 Arizona $87,838 Ohio $87,774 Georgia $86,945 Indiana $86,530 Wyoming $86,449 Utah $86,323

Iowa $86,269 Kansas $85,836 Louisiana $85,710 North Carolina $85,665 Missouri $85,647 Florida $85,295 Montana $85,106 Nebraska $84,926

Kentucky $84,827 South Carolina $84,466 Tennessee $84,241 Idaho $84,151 New Mexico $83,493 Oklahoma $83,348 Alabama $82,816 South Dakota $81,924

Arkansas $81,437 West Virginia $81,176 Mississippi $80,392

Top Paying Cities for Draftspersons

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: $113,700
San Francisco: $112,582
Oakland: $110,085

San Jose, CA $113,700

San Francisco, CA $112,582

Oakland, CA $110,085

New York, NY $104,469

Queens Village, NY $103,793

Paramus, NJ $103,072

Passaic, NJ $102,982

Bergenfield, NJ $102,892

Stamford, CT $102,757

Huntington, NY $102,666

Newark, NJ $102,081

Bridgeport, CT $101,900

New Brunswick, NJ $101,603

Vallejo, CA $101,413

Middlesex, NJ $101,359

Somerset, NJ $101,278

Petaluma, CA $101,071

Santa Cruz, CA $100,719

Boston, MA $100,539

Monterey, CA $100,088

Fairbanks, AK $100,025

Los Angeles, CA $99,854

Washington, DC $99,809

Seattle, WA $99,647

Santa Rosa, CA $99,629

Juneau, AK $99,367

Orange, CA $99,070

Anchorage, AK $98,907

Anaheim, CA $98,844

Santa Ana, CA $98,709

Nassau, NY $98,655

Long Beach, CA $98,619

Danbury, CT $98,592

Santa Maria, CA $98,285

Everett, WA $98,267

Bremerton, WA $97,826

Trenton, NJ $97,654

Sacramento, CA $97,618

San Diego, CA $97,573

Brockton, MA $97,537

Tacoma, WA $97,501

Santa Barbara, CA $97,375

Lowell, MA $97,014

New Suffolk, NY $96,978

Nashua, NH $96,870

Lompoc, CA $96,726

Ventura, CA $96,636

Stockton, CA $96,609

New Haven, CT $96,428

Atlantic City, NJ $96,194

Hartford, CT $95,996

Modesto, CA $95,951

Poughkeepsie, NY $95,752

New Britain, CT $95,707

Olympia, WA $95,581

Kennewick, WA $95,581

New London, CT $95,563

Norwich, CT $95,536

Lawrence, MA $95,491

Bakersfield, CA $95,239

Riverside, CA $95,112

New Bedford, MA $95,112

Richland, WA $95,022

Portsmouth, NH $94,950

Vineland, NJ $94,932

San Bernardino, CA $94,860

Boulder, CO $94,607

Worcester, MA $94,535

Portland, OR $94,454

Saint Paul, MN $94,346

Minneapolis, MN $94,346

Philadelphia, PA $94,220

Honolulu, HI $93,742

Springfield, MA $93,427

Providence, RI $93,418

Chicago, IL $93,156

Bellingham, WA $93,048

Baltimore, MD $92,949

Chico, CA $92,723

Wilmington, DE $92,570

Pittsfield, MA $92,480

Manchester, NH $92,309

Spokane, WA $91,912

Denver, CO $91,903

Albany, NY $91,479

Troy, NY $91,443

Schenectady, NY $91,254

Burlington, VT $91,056

Portland, ME $90,740

Salem, OR $90,668

Yakima, WA $90,650

Ann Arbor, MI $90,623

Rochester, MN $90,371

Fresno, CA $90,326

Reno, NV $90,326

Milwaukee, WI $90,244

Detroit, MI $90,154

Allentown, PA $90,127

Carson City, NV $90,118

Houston, TX $89,983

Colorado Springs, CO $89,974

Syracuse, NY $89,929

Eugene, OR $89,758

Bismarck, ND $89,650

Gary, IN $89,650

Galveston, TX $89,650

Springfield, OR $89,577

Medford, OR $89,361

Fort Collins, CO $89,325

Austin, TX $89,253

Mesa, AZ $89,064

Phoenix, AZ $89,046

Dallas, TX $89,018

Reading, PA $88,964

Saint Cloud, MN $88,928

Concord, NH $88,847

Madison, WI $88,811

Utica, NY $88,568

Raleigh, NC $88,496

Las Vegas, NV $88,487

Rochester, NY $88,424

Des Moines, IA $88,415

Atlanta, GA $88,270

Battle Creek, MI $88,243

Salt Lake City, UT $88,216

Lancaster, PA $88,081

Champaign, IL $88,063

Harrisburg, PA $87,955

Durham, NC $87,874

Kansas City, MO $87,865

Kansas City, KS $87,847

Fort Worth, TX $87,838

Boca Raton, FL $87,802

Cleveland, OH $87,793

Columbus, OH $87,774

Pittsburgh, PA $87,765

Richmond, VA $87,729

Indianapolis, IN $87,711

Cincinnati, OH $87,594

Petersburg, VA $87,459

Billings, MT $87,261

Lansing, MI $87,261

Huntsville, AL $87,261

Lebanon, PA $87,252

Dayton, OH $87,243

Pueblo, CO $87,243

Appleton, WI $87,216

Buffalo, NY $87,180

Racine, WI $87,134

Charlotte, NC $87,125

Saint Louis, MO $87,098

Springfield, IL $87,062

Elkhart, IN $87,044

York, PA $87,044

Gastonia, NC $87,035

Benton Harbor, MI $87,035

Beaumont, TX $86,981

Lorain, OH $86,963

Toledo, OH $86,927

Binghamton, NY $86,882

Rock Hill, SC $86,873

Rockford, IL $86,828

Fargo, ND $86,783

Elyria, OH $86,783

Flagstaff, AZ $86,720

Fort Lauderdale, FL $86,666

Miami, FL $86,612

Duluth, MN $86,467

Bangor, ME $86,350

Cedar Rapids, IA $86,251

Louisville, KY $86,206

Grand Rapids, MI $86,188

Hialeah, FL $86,179

Casper, WY $86,053

Scranton, PA $85,945

New Orleans, LA $85,917

Virginia Beach, VA $85,908

Akron, OH $85,863

Peoria, IL $85,746

Sarasota, FL $85,728

Green Bay, WI $85,665

Baton Rouge, LA $85,620

Charleston, SC $85,602

Nashville, TN $85,575

Jamestown, NY $85,557

Davenport, IA $85,557

Tucson, AZ $85,512

Cheyenne, WY $85,485

Saint Petersburg, FL $85,458

Tampa, FL $85,440

Omaha, NE $85,422

Port Arthur, TX $85,386

Evansville, IN $85,386

Bradenton, FL $85,350

Santa Fe, NM $85,187

Orlando, FL $85,097

Clearwater, FL $84,998

Canton, OH $84,809

La Crosse, WI $84,809

Grand Forks, ND $84,782

Albuquerque, NM $84,755

Tulsa, OK $84,755

Newport News, VA $84,746

High Point, NC $84,719

Ogden, UT $84,682

Corpus Christi, TX $84,610

Laramie, WY $84,556

Norfolk, VA $84,556

Rock Island, IL $84,502

Saginaw, MI $84,484

Jacksonville, FL $84,475

Salisbury, NC $84,457

Memphis, TN $84,439

Moline, IL $84,394

Fort Myers, FL $84,367

Waterloo, IA $84,250

Spartanburg, SC $84,160

Lincoln, NE $84,115

Fort Wayne, IN $84,097

Birmingham, AL $83,997

Cedar Falls, IA $83,979

Provo, UT $83,970

Springfield, OH $83,961

San Antonio, TX $83,943

Greensboro, NC $83,907

South Bend, IN $83,898

Winston Salem, NC $83,889

Boise, ID $83,862

Savannah, GA $83,799

Muskegon, MI $83,637

Lima, OH $83,529

Lake Charles, LA $83,493

Anderson, IN $83,475

Lexington, KY $83,448

Augusta, GA $83,420

Greenville, SC $83,420

Wichita, KS $83,339

Tuscaloosa, AL $83,339

Columbia, SC $83,258

Bloomington, IN $83,033

Roanoke, VA $82,979

Asheville, NC $82,862

Knoxville, TN $82,708

Shreveport, LA $82,699

Wilmington, NC $82,582

Frankfort, KY $82,411

Oklahoma City, OK $82,348

Chillicothe, OH $82,312

Longview, TX $82,303

Topeka, KS $82,276

Mobile, AL $82,140

Terre Haute, IN $82,104

Erie, PA $82,095

Altoona, PA $82,050

Melbourne, FL $82,023

Amarillo, TX $81,987

Killeen, TX $81,960

Fayetteville, AR $81,888

Sioux Falls, SD $81,825

Chattanooga, TN $81,771

Idaho Falls, ID $81,762

Gainesville, FL $81,572

Portsmouth, OH $81,527

Little Rock, AR $81,509

Lynchburg, VA $81,509

Lafayette, LA $81,473

Youngstown, OH $81,473

Temple, TX $81,437

Daytona Beach, FL $81,419

Clarksville, TN $81,410

Pensacola, FL $81,401

Hopkinsville, KY $81,131

Charleston, WV $81,122

Florence, SC $81,077

Sioux City, IA $81,023

Macon, GA $80,761

Tallahassee, FL $80,752

Fayetteville, NC $80,734

Waco, TX $80,716

Wichita Falls, TX $80,716

Pine Bluff, AR $80,680

Vincennes, IN $80,509

Lubbock, TX $80,473

Great Falls, MT $80,419

Alamogordo, NM $80,410

Abilene, TX $80,337

Rapid City, SD $80,220

Monroe, LA $80,220

Albany, GA $80,166

Huntington, WV $80,157

Jackson, MS $80,148

Greenville, MS $80,139

Parkersburg, WV $80,049

Montgomery, AL $80,031

Johnstown, PA $80,013

Springfield, MO $79,941

Biloxi, MS $79,896

Sumter, SC $79,706

Columbus, GA $79,697

Twin Falls, ID $79,643

Pascagoula, MS $79,526

Kingsport, TN $79,292

Gulfport, MS $79,265

Alexandria, LA $78,967

Fort Smith, AR $78,742

El Paso, TX $78,499

Helena, MT $78,381

Las Cruces, NM $78,093

Harlingen, TX $77,840

Pocatello, ID $77,759

Florence, AL $77,732

Brownsville, TX $77,714

Dothan, AL $77,570

Mcallen, TX $77,525

Columbus, MS $76,858

Altus, OK $76,443

Lawton, OK $76,272

Pierre, SD $75,947

What Skills Can Increase a Draftsperson's Salary?

Demanded Skills for the Role:

Troubleshooting (Mentioned in 3.62% 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 2.2% 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	3.62%
Pneumatics	2.2%
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 Draftsperson's salary.

Products and Services: Can increase your salary by up to 8%.
Innovation: Can increase your salary by up to 6%.
Analysis: Can increase your salary by up to 5%.

Skill	Salary	Salary % Increase
Products and Services	$97,357	8%
Innovation	$95,554	6%
Analysis	$94,653	5%
Leadership	$94,653	5%
Commitment	$93,751	4%
Collaboration	$93,751	4%

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How Education impacts a Draftsperson's Salary?

Your level of education can impact your salary potential. While many Draftspersons enter the field with a No Diploma 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 Draftsperson with a No Diploma is between $92,048 and $97,709).

Draftsperson Salaries by Degree Level

Typical Education for Draftsperson

No Diploma 100.0%

High School 0.0%

Associates 100.0%

Bachelors 0.0%

Masters 0.0%

Doctorate 0.0%

view as table

Degree Level	% of user with this level of education
No Diploma	100.0%
High School	0.0%
Associates	100.0%
Bachelors	0.0%
Masters	0.0%
Doctorate	0.0%

view as graph

Draftsperson Salary: Hourly Rate, Weekly Pay, and Monthly Pay

Understanding how a Draftsperson'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.

Last Updated on January 01, 2026

$82,151

Average $90,145/year

$97,789

$6,846

Average $7,512/month

$8,149

$1,580

Average $1,734/week

$1,881

$39

Average $43/hour

$47

	Annual Salary	Monthly Pay	Weekly Pay	Hourly Wage
75th Percentile	$97,789	$8,149	$1,881	$47
Average	$90,145	$7,512	$1,734	$43
25th Percentile	$82,151	$6,846	$1,580	$39

Salaries of jobs related to Draftsperson

Salary Trends for Draftsperson

Salaries for a Draftsperson can change over time, reflecting shifts in market demand and the overall economy. The median salary decreased from $97,458 in 2023 to around $95,197 in 2025, reflecting changes in demand, location, experience, and the wider economy. For a detailed analysis of Draftsperson salary trends, .

Average Annual Salary of Draftsperson Over Time

2022

$???

2023

$97,458

2024

$96,381

2025

$95,197

2026

$???

2027

$???

Year	Average Annual Salary
2022	View More
2023	$97,458
2024	$96,381
2025	$95,197
2026	View More
2027	View More

Most common benefits for Draftsperson

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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.)

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