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 $118,143, a CAD Drafter V (7-10 years)earns $138,425,

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 $101,455, Massachusetts $100,103. 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: $76,793.

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 May 01, 2026, the average salary for an Engineering Drafter in the United States is $91,981 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): $106,874
Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $83,819 to $99,777
Entry-Level (10th percentile): $76,387

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Engineering Drafter Salaries by Percentile

	Annual Salary	Monthly Pay	Weekly Pay	Hourly Wage
75th Percentile	$99,777	$8,315	$1,919	$48
Average	$91,981	$7,665	$1,769	$44
25th Percentile	$83,819	$6,985	$1,612	$40

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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): $118,143
Expert (over 8 years): $138,425

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	$118,143
CAD Draft... Level Engineering Drafter	$138,425

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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: $101,455.
Massachusetts: $100,103.

District of Columbia $101,841

California $101,455

Massachusetts $100,103

Washington $99,735

New Jersey $99,698

Alaska $99,569

Connecticut $98,300

New York $97,785

Hawaii $96,138

Rhode Island $95,366

Maryland $94,841

Minnesota $94,124

Colorado $93,848

Illinois $93,756

Oregon $93,407

Delaware $93,149

New Hampshire $92,987

Virginia $92,625

Pennsylvania $91,567

Nevada $91,033

North Dakota $90,859

Michigan $90,583

Wisconsin $90,482

Vermont $90,279

Texas $89,718

Maine $89,681

Arizona $89,626

Ohio $89,562

Georgia $88,715

Indiana $88,292

Wyoming $88,210

Utah $88,081

Iowa $88,026

Kansas $87,584

Louisiana $87,455

North Carolina $87,409

Missouri $87,391

Florida $87,032

Montana $86,839

Nebraska $86,655

Kentucky $86,554

South Carolina $86,186

Tennessee $85,956

Idaho $85,864

New Mexico $85,193

Oklahoma $85,045

Alabama $84,503

South Dakota $83,592

Arkansas $83,095

West Virginia $82,829

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: $114,745
Oakland: $112,327

San Jose, CA $116,015

San Francisco, CA $114,745

Oakland, CA $112,327

New York, NY $105,906

Paramus, NJ $104,618

Queens Village, NY $104,613

Passaic, NJ $104,526

Bergenfield, NJ $104,518

Stamford, CT $104,315

Huntington, NY $104,278

Newark, NJ $103,598

Bridgeport, CT $103,404

Vallejo, CA $103,221

New Brunswick, NJ $103,184

Petaluma, CA $103,129

Middlesex, NJ $102,954

Somerset, NJ $102,890

Santa Cruz, CA $102,770

Boston, MA $102,209

Monterey, CA $101,886

Seattle, WA $101,676

Santa Rosa, CA $101,657

Los Angeles, CA $101,630

Juneau, AK $101,390

Washington, DC $101,289

Orange, CA $100,962

Santa Ana, CA $100,719

Long Beach, CA $100,627

Anaheim, CA $100,609

Anchorage, AK $100,563

Santa Maria, CA $100,287

Everett, WA $100,268

Danbury, CT $99,944

Bremerton, WA $99,818

Tacoma, WA $99,486

New Suffolk, NY $99,485

Sacramento, CA $99,459

Santa Barbara, CA $99,358

Trenton, NJ $99,256

San Diego, CA $99,256

Brockton, MA $99,155

Fairbanks, AK $98,930

Lompoc, CA $98,695

Lowell, MA $98,621

Ventura, CA $98,603

Nashua, NH $98,585

Stockton, CA $98,576

Modesto, CA $97,904

Poughkeepsie, NY $97,702

Olympia, WA $97,527

Kennewick, WA $97,527

New Haven, CT $97,490

Lawrence, MA $97,159

Hartford, CT $97,067

Riverside, CA $97,049

New Bedford, MA $96,957

Richland, WA $96,957

Bakersfield, CA $96,828

San Bernardino, CA $96,791

New Britain, CT $96,782

Atlantic City, NJ $96,782

New London, CT $96,745

Norwich, CT $96,718

Portsmouth, NH $96,699

Boulder, CO $96,504

Portland, OR $96,377

Worcester, MA $96,368

Minneapolis, MN $96,083

Philadelphia, PA $95,954

Honolulu, HI $95,651

Saint Paul, MN $95,607

Vineland, NJ $95,586

Providence, RI $95,320

Chicago, IL $95,053

Bellingham, WA $94,943

Springfield, MA $94,869

Baltimore, MD $94,841

Chico, CA $94,611

Pittsfield, MA $94,363

Manchester, NH $94,188

Spokane, WA $93,784

Denver, CO $93,774

Albany, NY $93,342

Troy, NY $93,305

Nassau, NY $93,207

Schenectady, NY $93,112

Wilmington, DE $93,039

Burlington, VT $92,910

Salem, OR $92,873

Portland, ME $92,588

Yakima, WA $92,496

Rochester, MN $92,211

Reno, NV $92,165

Fresno, CA $92,165

Milwaukee, WI $92,082

Detroit, MI $91,990

Ann Arbor, MI $91,974

Allentown, PA $91,962

Colorado Springs, CO $91,806

Syracuse, NY $91,760

Carson City, NV $91,760

Houston, TX $91,631

Eugene, OR $91,585

Gary, IN $91,475

Springfield, OR $91,401

Bismarck, ND $91,383

Galveston, TX $91,319

Medford, OR $91,181

Fort Collins, CO $91,144

Concord, NH $91,098

Austin, TX $91,070

Mesa, AZ $90,877

Reading, PA $90,868

Phoenix, AZ $90,859

Dallas, TX $90,831

Saint Cloud, MN $90,743

Madison, WI $90,619

Utica, NY $90,371

Rochester, NY $90,224

Des Moines, IA $90,215

Raleigh, NC $90,206

Atlanta, GA $90,068

Battle Creek, MI $90,040

Salt Lake City, UT $90,012

Lancaster, PA $89,874

Harrisburg, PA $89,746

Kansas City, MO $89,654

Champaign, IL $89,635

Kansas City, KS $89,635

Fort Worth, TX $89,626

Columbus, OH $89,610

Boca Raton, FL $89,589

Pittsburgh, PA $89,553

Richmond, VA $89,516

Indianapolis, IN $89,497

Cleveland, OH $89,488

Las Vegas, NV $89,378

Cincinnati, OH $89,378

Petersburg, VA $89,240

Huntsville, AL $89,102

Lansing, MI $89,040

Lebanon, PA $89,028

Pueblo, CO $89,019

Appleton, WI $88,991

Buffalo, NY $88,955

Dayton, OH $88,927

Racine, WI $88,909

Charlotte, NC $88,899

Saint Louis, MO $88,872

York, PA $88,817

Elkhart, IN $88,817

Gastonia, NC $88,799

Billings, MT $88,777

Beaumont, TX $88,752

Lorain, OH $88,734

Benton Harbor, MI $88,715

Toledo, OH $88,697

Binghamton, NY $88,651

Rock Hill, SC $88,642

Rockford, IL $88,596

Springfield, IL $88,559

Elyria, OH $88,550

Fargo, ND $88,550

Flagstaff, AZ $88,486

Fort Lauderdale, FL $88,430

Duluth, MN $88,375

Miami, FL $88,375

Cheyenne, WY $88,311

Grand Forks, ND $88,311

Bangor, ME $88,108

Cedar Rapids, IA $88,007

Durham, NC $87,969

Louisville, KY $87,961

Grand Rapids, MI $87,943

Hialeah, FL $87,934

Casper, WY $87,805

Scranton, PA $87,694

New Orleans, LA $87,667

Virginia Beach, VA $87,658

Akron, OH $87,612

Peoria, IL $87,492

Sarasota, FL $87,474

Nashville, TN $87,409

Omaha, NE $87,409

Green Bay, WI $87,409

Baton Rouge, LA $87,363

Charleston, SC $87,345

Jamestown, NY $87,299

Davenport, IA $87,299

Tucson, AZ $87,253

Saint Petersburg, FL $87,198

Tampa, FL $87,179

Evansville, IN $87,124

Port Arthur, TX $87,124

Bradenton, FL $87,087

Santa Fe, NM $86,922

Orlando, FL $86,756

Clearwater, FL $86,729

Canton, OH $86,536

La Crosse, WI $86,536

Albuquerque, NM $86,480

Newport News, VA $86,471

High Point, NC $86,444

Ogden, UT $86,407

Corpus Christi, TX $86,333

Norfolk, VA $86,278

Laramie, WY $86,278

Rock Island, IL $86,223

Saginaw, MI $86,204

Jacksonville, FL $86,195

Salisbury, NC $86,177

Boise, ID $86,158

Moline, IL $86,112

Fort Myers, FL $86,085

Memphis, TN $86,066

Tulsa, OK $86,020

Waterloo, IA $85,965

Spartanburg, SC $85,873

Lincoln, NE $85,827

Fort Wayne, IN $85,809

Provo, UT $85,800

Cedar Falls, IA $85,689

San Antonio, TX $85,653

Greensboro, NC $85,616

South Bend, IN $85,607

Savannah, GA $85,505

Muskegon, MI $85,469

Birmingham, AL $85,459

Winston Salem, NC $85,414

Lake Charles, LA $85,193

Anderson, IN $85,174

Lexington, KY $85,147

Augusta, GA $85,119

Greenville, SC $85,119

Lima, OH $85,045

Wichita, KS $85,036

Tuscaloosa, AL $85,036

Columbia, SC $84,953

Springfield, OH $84,935

Asheville, NC $84,788

Bloomington, IN $84,724

Knoxville, TN $84,392

Shreveport, LA $84,383

Wilmington, NC $84,264

Roanoke, VA $84,264

Topeka, KS $84,098

Frankfort, KY $84,088

Oklahoma City, OK $84,024

Chillicothe, OH $83,988

Longview, TX $83,978

Melbourne, FL $83,969

Sioux Falls, SD $83,822

Mobile, AL $83,813

Terre Haute, IN $83,776

Altoona, PA $83,721

Amarillo, TX $83,657

Killeen, TX $83,629

Fayetteville, AR $83,555

Chattanooga, TN $83,528

Sioux City, IA $83,445

Idaho Falls, ID $83,427

Lynchburg, VA $83,353

Gainesville, FL $83,233

Portsmouth, OH $83,187

Little Rock, AR $83,169

Lafayette, LA $83,132

Youngstown, OH $83,132

Daytona Beach, FL $83,077

Clarksville, TN $83,068

Pensacola, FL $83,059

Temple, TX $83,052

Hopkinsville, KY $82,783

Erie, PA $82,764

Florence, SC $82,728

Charleston, WV $82,580

Great Falls, MT $82,534

Macon, GA $82,406

Tallahassee, FL $82,396

Fayetteville, NC $82,378

Waco, TX $82,360

Helena, MT $82,295

Pine Bluff, AR $82,260

Vincennes, IN $82,148

Lubbock, TX $82,111

Alamogordo, NM $82,056

Twin Falls, ID $81,973

Rapid City, SD $81,946

Jackson, MS $81,780

Huntington, WV $81,774

Greenville, MS $81,771

Parkersburg, WV $81,677

Montgomery, AL $81,661

Wichita Falls, TX $81,569

Springfield, MO $81,569

Biloxi, MS $81,523

Monroe, LA $81,431

Johnstown, PA $81,366

Sumter, SC $81,329

Columbus, GA $81,320

Pascagoula, MS $81,145

Abilene, TX $81,145

Kingsport, TN $80,906

Albany, GA $80,906

Gulfport, MS $80,879

Alexandria, LA $80,575

Fort Smith, AR $80,345

El Paso, TX $80,097

Las Cruces, NM $79,683

Harlingen, TX $79,449

Pocatello, ID $79,435

Florence, AL $79,315

Brownsville, TX $79,297

Mcallen, TX $79,103

Dothan, AL $78,975

Columbus, MS $78,428

Altus, OK $78,000

Lawton, OK $77,825

Pierre, SD $77,494

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	$97,500	6%
Analysis	$96,580	5%
Leadership	$96,580	5%
Commitment	$95,660	4%
Collaboration	$95,660	4%

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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 May 01, 2026

$83,819

Average $91,981/year

$99,777

$6,985

Average $7,665/month

$8,315

$1,612

Average $1,769/week

$1,919

$40

Average $44/hour

$48

	Annual Salary	Monthly Pay	Weekly Pay	Hourly Wage
75th Percentile	$99,777	$8,315	$1,919	$48
Average	$91,981	$7,665	$1,769	$44
25th Percentile	$83,819	$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

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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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