What are the main factors that influence an Engineering Drafter's salary?

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

How does experience change An Engineering Drafter's salary?

An Engineering Drafter's salary grows with experience: a CAD Drafter I (0-2 years)earns $66,309, a CAD Drafter II (2-4 years)earns $75,493, a Engineering Drafter (4-7 years)earns $91,408, a CAD Drafter IV (7+ years)earns $118,147, a CAD Drafter V (7-10 years)earns $138,430,

What are the highest paying states for an Engineering Drafter?

Engineering Drafter salary varies significantly by state. The top 3 highest paying states for Engineering Drafter roles are District of Columbia $101,841, California $101,454, Massachusetts $100,102. These tech hubs typically pay 10-15% above the national average.

How much do different types of Engineering Drafter roles make?

Salaries for Engineering Drafter level roles vary by specialization: CAD Drafter, Expert: $138,140; CAD Drafter, Specialist: $117,900; Computer Aided Design Drafter III: $91,300; CAD Drafter, Senior: $91,290; Drafter: $76,794.

How do different companies affect an Engineering Drafter's salary?

Company size, industry, and compensation structure create significant salary variations for Engineering Drafter 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.

Engineering Drafter Salary in the United States

How much does an Engineering Drafter make in the United States?

As of April 01, 2026, the average salary for an Engineering Drafter in the United States is $91,980 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $44.

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

Top Earners (90th percentile): $106,862
Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $83,820 to $99,770
Entry-Level (10th percentile): $76,391

Compensation Planning

Develop a Job Description

Pay Equity

2025 Compensation Trend

AI-Powered HR

AI Onboarding

Salary Salary + Bonus Benefits

View as table

Engineering Drafter Salaries by Percentile

	Annual Salary	Monthly Pay	Weekly Pay	Hourly Wage
75th Percentile	$99,770	$8,314	$1,919	$48
Average	$91,980	$7,665	$1,769	$44
25th Percentile	$83,820	$6,985	$1,612	$40

You may get higher pay by adjusting the following factors:

Change Search Criteria

Check out Engineering Drafter Job Openings in the United States

Intern - Engineering Drafter

Parker Hannifin Corporation - Elyria, OH

Google Cloud Platform (GCP) Site Reliability Engineer (SRE)

Searchpros Staffing - SEATTLE, WA

IT Manager

Starbridge Partners - RED BANK, NJ

Goldwater Care Clinton - CLINTON, IL

Search More Engineering Drafter Jobs in the United States

Key Factors That Influence Engineering Drafter Salaries

An Engineering Drafter'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 Engineering Drafter Salaries?

Experience is a primary driver of an Engineering Drafter'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): $66,309
Early Career (1-2 years): $75,493
Mid-Level (2-4 years): $91,408
Senior-Level (5-8 years): $118,147
Expert (over 8 years): $138,430

Levels	Salary
CAD Draft... Level Engineering Drafter	$66,309
CAD Draft... Level Engineering Drafter	$75,493
Engineeri... Level Engineering Drafter	$91,408
CAD Draft... Level Engineering Drafter	$118,147
CAD Draft... Level Engineering Drafter	$138,430

View as Graph

What Am I Worth?

How Do Engineering Drafter 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 Engineering Drafters. For example, consider the average annual salaries in these key locations:

District of Columbia: $101,841.
California: $101,454.
Massachusetts: $100,102.

District of Columbia $101,841

California $101,454

Massachusetts $100,102

Washington $99,734

New Jersey $99,697

Alaska $99,569

Connecticut $98,299

New York $97,784

Hawaii $96,138

Rhode Island $95,365

Maryland $94,841

Minnesota $94,123

Colorado $93,848

Illinois $93,756

Oregon $93,406

Delaware $93,148

New Hampshire $92,987

Virginia $92,624

Pennsylvania $91,566

Nevada $91,033

North Dakota $90,858

Michigan $90,582

Wisconsin $90,481

Vermont $90,279

Texas $89,718

Maine $89,681

Arizona $89,626

Ohio $89,561

Georgia $88,715

Indiana $88,292

Wyoming $88,209

Utah $88,080

Iowa $88,025

Kansas $87,584

Louisiana $87,455

North Carolina $87,409

Missouri $87,390

Florida $87,032

Montana $86,839

Nebraska $86,655

Kentucky $86,553

South Carolina $86,186

Tennessee $85,956

Idaho $85,864

New Mexico $85,192

Oklahoma $85,045

Alabama $84,502

South Dakota $83,592

Arkansas $83,095

West Virginia $82,828

Mississippi $82,028

Top Paying Cities for Engineering Drafters

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: $116,015
San Francisco: $114,874
Oakland: $112,326

San Jose, CA $116,015

San Francisco, CA $114,874

Oakland, CA $112,326

New York, NY $106,596

Queens Village, NY $105,906

Paramus, NJ $105,170

Passaic, NJ $105,078

Bergenfield, NJ $104,986

Stamford, CT $104,848

Huntington, NY $104,756

Newark, NJ $104,158

Bridgeport, CT $103,975

New Brunswick, NJ $103,671

Vallejo, CA $103,478

Middlesex, NJ $103,423

Somerset, NJ $103,340

Petaluma, CA $103,128

Santa Cruz, CA $102,770

Boston, MA $102,586

Monterey, CA $102,126

Fairbanks, AK $102,061

Los Angeles, CA $101,887

Washington, DC $101,841

Seattle, WA $101,675

Santa Rosa, CA $101,657

Juneau, AK $101,390

Orange, CA $101,086

Anchorage, AK $100,921

Anaheim, CA $100,856

Santa Ana, CA $100,718

Nassau, NY $100,663

Long Beach, CA $100,626

Danbury, CT $100,599

Santa Maria, CA $100,286

Everett, WA $100,268

Bremerton, WA $99,817

Trenton, NJ $99,642

Sacramento, CA $99,605

San Diego, CA $99,559

Brockton, MA $99,523

Tacoma, WA $99,486

Santa Barbara, CA $99,357

Lowell, MA $98,989

New Suffolk, NY $98,952

Nashua, NH $98,842

Lompoc, CA $98,695

Ventura, CA $98,603

Stockton, CA $98,575

New Haven, CT $98,391

Atlantic City, NJ $98,152

Hartford, CT $97,950

Modesto, CA $97,904

Poughkeepsie, NY $97,701

New Britain, CT $97,655

Olympia, WA $97,527

Kennewick, WA $97,527

New London, CT $97,508

Norwich, CT $97,481

Lawrence, MA $97,435

Bakersfield, CA $97,177

Riverside, CA $97,048

New Bedford, MA $97,048

Richland, WA $96,956

Portsmouth, NH $96,883

Vineland, NJ $96,864

San Bernardino, CA $96,791

Boulder, CO $96,533

Worcester, MA $96,460

Portland, OR $96,377

Saint Paul, MN $96,267

Minneapolis, MN $96,267

Philadelphia, PA $96,138

Honolulu, HI $95,650

Springfield, MA $95,328

Providence, RI $95,319

Chicago, IL $95,052

Bellingham, WA $94,942

Baltimore, MD $94,841

Chico, CA $94,611

Wilmington, DE $94,455

Pittsfield, MA $94,363

Manchester, NH $94,188

Spokane, WA $93,783

Denver, CO $93,774

Albany, NY $93,342

Troy, NY $93,305

Schenectady, NY $93,112

Burlington, VT $92,909

Portland, ME $92,587

Salem, OR $92,514

Yakima, WA $92,495

Ann Arbor, MI $92,468

Rochester, MN $92,210

Fresno, CA $92,164

Reno, NV $92,164

Milwaukee, WI $92,081

Detroit, MI $91,989

Allentown, PA $91,962

Carson City, NV $91,953

Houston, TX $91,815

Colorado Springs, CO $91,806

Syracuse, NY $91,760

Eugene, OR $91,585

Bismarck, ND $91,474

Gary, IN $91,474

Galveston, TX $91,474

Springfield, OR $91,401

Medford, OR $91,180

Fort Collins, CO $91,143

Austin, TX $91,070

Mesa, AZ $90,877

Phoenix, AZ $90,858

Dallas, TX $90,831

Reading, PA $90,775

Saint Cloud, MN $90,739

Concord, NH $90,656

Madison, WI $90,619

Utica, NY $90,371

Raleigh, NC $90,297

Las Vegas, NV $90,288

Rochester, NY $90,223

Des Moines, IA $90,214

Atlanta, GA $90,067

Battle Creek, MI $90,040

Salt Lake City, UT $90,012

Lancaster, PA $89,874

Champaign, IL $89,856

Harrisburg, PA $89,745

Durham, NC $89,662

Kansas City, MO $89,653

Kansas City, KS $89,635

Fort Worth, TX $89,626

Boca Raton, FL $89,589

Cleveland, OH $89,580

Columbus, OH $89,561

Pittsburgh, PA $89,552

Richmond, VA $89,515

Indianapolis, IN $89,497

Cincinnati, OH $89,377

Petersburg, VA $89,239

Billings, MT $89,037

Lansing, MI $89,037

Huntsville, AL $89,037

Lebanon, PA $89,028

Dayton, OH $89,019

Pueblo, CO $89,019

Appleton, WI $88,991

Buffalo, NY $88,954

Racine, WI $88,908

Charlotte, NC $88,899

Saint Louis, MO $88,871

Springfield, IL $88,835

Elkhart, IN $88,816

York, PA $88,816

Gastonia, NC $88,807

Benton Harbor, MI $88,807

Beaumont, TX $88,752

Lorain, OH $88,733

Toledo, OH $88,697

Binghamton, NY $88,651

Rock Hill, SC $88,641

Rockford, IL $88,595

Fargo, ND $88,549

Elyria, OH $88,549

Flagstaff, AZ $88,485

Fort Lauderdale, FL $88,430

Miami, FL $88,375

Duluth, MN $88,228

Bangor, ME $88,108

Cedar Rapids, IA $88,007

Louisville, KY $87,961

Grand Rapids, MI $87,942

Hialeah, FL $87,933

Casper, WY $87,804

Scranton, PA $87,694

New Orleans, LA $87,666

Virginia Beach, VA $87,657

Akron, OH $87,611

Peoria, IL $87,492

Sarasota, FL $87,473

Green Bay, WI $87,409

Baton Rouge, LA $87,363

Charleston, SC $87,344

Nashville, TN $87,317

Jamestown, NY $87,299

Davenport, IA $87,299

Tucson, AZ $87,253

Cheyenne, WY $87,225

Saint Petersburg, FL $87,197

Tampa, FL $87,179

Omaha, NE $87,161

Port Arthur, TX $87,124

Evansville, IN $87,124

Bradenton, FL $87,087

Santa Fe, NM $86,921

Orlando, FL $86,829

Clearwater, FL $86,728

Canton, OH $86,535

La Crosse, WI $86,535

Grand Forks, ND $86,507

Albuquerque, NM $86,480

Tulsa, OK $86,480

Newport News, VA $86,471

High Point, NC $86,443

Ogden, UT $86,406

Corpus Christi, TX $86,333

Laramie, WY $86,278

Norfolk, VA $86,278

Rock Island, IL $86,222

Saginaw, MI $86,204

Jacksonville, FL $86,195

Salisbury, NC $86,176

Memphis, TN $86,158

Moline, IL $86,112

Fort Myers, FL $86,084

Waterloo, IA $85,965

Spartanburg, SC $85,873

Lincoln, NE $85,827

Fort Wayne, IN $85,808

Birmingham, AL $85,707

Cedar Falls, IA $85,689

Provo, UT $85,680

Springfield, OH $85,670

San Antonio, TX $85,652

Greensboro, NC $85,615

South Bend, IN $85,606

Winston Salem, NC $85,597

Boise, ID $85,569

Savannah, GA $85,505

Muskegon, MI $85,339

Lima, OH $85,229

Lake Charles, LA $85,192

Anderson, IN $85,174

Lexington, KY $85,146

Augusta, GA $85,119

Greenville, SC $85,119

Wichita, KS $85,036

Tuscaloosa, AL $85,036

Columbia, SC $84,953

Bloomington, IN $84,723

Roanoke, VA $84,668

Asheville, NC $84,548

Knoxville, TN $84,392

Shreveport, LA $84,383

Wilmington, NC $84,263

Frankfort, KY $84,088

Oklahoma City, OK $84,024

Chillicothe, OH $83,987

Longview, TX $83,978

Topeka, KS $83,950

Mobile, AL $83,812

Terre Haute, IN $83,776

Erie, PA $83,766

Altoona, PA $83,720

Melbourne, FL $83,693

Amarillo, TX $83,656

Killeen, TX $83,628

Fayetteville, AR $83,555

Sioux Falls, SD $83,491

Chattanooga, TN $83,435

Idaho Falls, ID $83,426

Gainesville, FL $83,233

Portsmouth, OH $83,187

Little Rock, AR $83,169

Lynchburg, VA $83,169

Lafayette, LA $83,132

Youngstown, OH $83,132

Temple, TX $83,095

Daytona Beach, FL $83,077

Clarksville, TN $83,067

Pensacola, FL $83,058

Hopkinsville, KY $82,782

Charleston, WV $82,773

Florence, SC $82,727

Sioux City, IA $82,672

Macon, GA $82,405

Tallahassee, FL $82,396

Fayetteville, NC $82,378

Waco, TX $82,359

Wichita Falls, TX $82,359

Pine Bluff, AR $82,322

Vincennes, IN $82,148

Lubbock, TX $82,111

Great Falls, MT $82,056

Alamogordo, NM $82,046

Abilene, TX $81,973

Rapid City, SD $81,853

Monroe, LA $81,853

Albany, GA $81,798

Huntington, WV $81,789

Jackson, MS $81,780

Greenville, MS $81,770

Parkersburg, WV $81,679

Montgomery, AL $81,660

Johnstown, PA $81,642

Springfield, MO $81,568

Biloxi, MS $81,522

Sumter, SC $81,329

Columbus, GA $81,320

Twin Falls, ID $81,265

Pascagoula, MS $81,145

Kingsport, TN $80,906

Gulfport, MS $80,878

Alexandria, LA $80,575

Fort Smith, AR $80,345

El Paso, TX $80,096

Helena, MT $79,977

Las Cruces, NM $79,683

Harlingen, TX $79,425

Pocatello, ID $79,342

Florence, AL $79,315

Brownsville, TX $79,296

Dothan, AL $79,149

Mcallen, TX $79,103

Columbus, MS $78,422

Altus, OK $77,999

Lawton, OK $77,825

Pierre, SD $77,493

What Skills Can Increase an Engineering Drafter'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 an Engineering Drafter'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	$99,339	8%
Innovation	$97,499	6%
Analysis	$96,579	5%
Leadership	$96,579	5%
Commitment	$95,660	4%
Collaboration	$95,660	4%

Get Latest Data

How Education impacts an Engineering Drafter's Salary?

Your level of education can impact your salary potential. While many Engineering Drafters 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 an Engineering Drafter with a No Diploma is between $92,048 and $97,709).

Engineering Drafter Salaries by Degree Level

Typical Education for Engineering Drafter

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

Engineering Drafter Salary: Hourly Rate, Weekly Pay, and Monthly Pay

Understanding how an Engineering Drafter'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 April 01, 2026

$83,820

Average $91,980/year

$99,770

$6,985

Average $7,665/month

$8,314

$1,612

Average $1,769/week

$1,919

$40

Average $44/hour

$48

	Annual Salary	Monthly Pay	Weekly Pay	Hourly Wage
75th Percentile	$99,770	$8,314	$1,919	$48
Average	$91,980	$7,665	$1,769	$44
25th Percentile	$83,820	$6,985	$1,612	$40

Salaries of jobs related to Engineering Drafter

Salary Trends for Engineering Drafter

Salaries for an Engineering Drafter can change over time, reflecting shifts in market demand and the overall economy. The median salary decreased from $99,443 in 2023 to around $97,135 in 2025, reflecting changes in demand, location, experience, and the wider economy. For a detailed analysis of Engineering Drafter salary trends, .

Average Annual Salary of Engineering Drafter Over Time

2022

$???

2023

$99,443

2024

$98,343

2025

$97,135

2026

$???

2027

$???

Year	Average Annual Salary
2022	View More
2023	$99,443
2024	$98,343
2025	$97,135
2026	View More
2027	View More

Most common benefits for Engineering Drafter

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

Biotechnology

the United States

Find Your Next Engineering Drafter Job

Ready to take the next step in your career? Browse thousands of current Engineering Drafter job openings on our job board. Use the search bar below to find your perfect match.

For Employees

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.

For Employers

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.

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.

Are you an HR manager or compensation specialist?

Salary.com's CompAnalyst platform offers:

Detailed skills and competency reports for specific positions
Job and employee pricing reports
Compensation data tools, salary structures, surveys and benchmarks.

Learn about