Salary AI Book a Demo

Drafting Supervisor Salary in the United States

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

As of November 01, 2026, the average salary for a Drafting Supervisor in the United States is $118,163 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $57.

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

  • Top Earners (90th percentile): $133,047
  • Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $107,949 to $125,954
  • Entry-Level (10th percentile): $98,650
Salary Factors Salary-Boosting Skills Salary by Experience Related Job Salaries Top Paying Cities Explore Related Jobs
Loading...

Key Factors That Influence Drafting Supervisor Salaries

A Drafting Supervisor'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 Supervisor Salaries?

Experience is a primary driver of a Drafting Supervisor'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): $140,947
  • Early Career (1-2 years): $95,794
  • Mid-Level (2-4 years): $117,590
  • Senior-Level (5-8 years): $129,966
  • Expert (over 8 years): $158,746
Levels Salary
CAD Draft... Level Drafting Supervisor$140,947
CAD Super... Level Drafting Supervisor$95,794
Drafting ... Level Drafting Supervisor$117,590
CAD Manag... Level Drafting Supervisor$129,966
CAD Senio... Level Drafting Supervisor$158,746
View as Graph

How Do Drafting Supervisor 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 Drafting Supervisors. For example, consider the average annual salaries in these key locations:
  • District of Columbia: $130,830.
  • California: $130,334.
  • Massachusetts: $128,597.

Top Paying Cities for Drafting Supervisors

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: $149,039
  • San Francisco: $147,407
  • Oakland: $144,301

What Skills Can Increase a Drafting Supervisor's Salary?

Demanded Skills for the Role:

  • Project Management (Mentioned in 11.11% Job Postings): Project management is the application of processes, methods, skills, knowledge and experience to achieve specific project objectives according to the project acceptance criteria within agreed parameters. Project management has final deliverables that are constrained to a finite timescale and budget.
  • Computer Aided Design (Mentioned in 1.59% Job Postings): CAD (computer-aided design) is the use of computer-based software to aid in design processes. CAD software is frequently used by different types of engineers and designers.
  • Electrical Wiring (Mentioned in 1.59% Job Postings): Connecting and repairing accessories for the distribution of electrical energy from the power source to various appliances and equipment.
Skills Demand Percentage
Project Management 11.11%
Computer Aided Design 1.59%
Electrical Wiring 1.59%
See More Skills

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 Supervisor's salary.

  • Engineering Services: Can increase your salary by up to 12%.
  • Negotiating: Can increase your salary by up to 8%.
  • Computer Hardware: Can increase your salary by up to 8%.
Skill Salary Salary % Increase
Engineering Services $132,343
12%
Negotiating $127,616
8%
Computer Hardware $127,616
8%
Get Latest Data

Drafting Supervisor Salary by Industry: Top Paying Sectors

For Drafting Supervisor roles, the industry you choose can affect earning potential by as much as 50% (the gap between the highest and lowest paying industries). Data shows that the Biotechnology and Software & Networking sectors offer the strongest compensation, at 25% above the average. In contrast, Drafting Supervisor positions in Telecom or Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit typically offer lower base pay, as these industries often view Drafting Supervisor as a support function rather than a direct revenue driver.

The top paying industries for a Drafting Supervisor

Industry Sector Average Annual Salary Average Hourly Rate Pay vs.Avg
Biotechnology$147,704$71.025%
Software & Networking$144,159$69.022%
Insurance$135,887$65.015%
Aerospace & Defense$132,343$64.012%
Internet$132,343$64.012%

How Education impacts a Drafting Supervisor's Salary?

Your level of education can impact your salary potential. While many Drafting Supervisors 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 Supervisor with a Bachelor's Degree is between $107,070 and $114,889).

Drafting Supervisor Salaries by Degree Level

Typical Education for Drafting Supervisor
Degree Level % of user with this level of education
No Diploma 0.8%
High School 22.2%
Associates 44.0%
Bachelors 28.6%
Masters 4.1%
Doctorate 0.4%
View as Graph

Drafting Supervisor Salary: Hourly Rate, Weekly Pay, and Monthly Pay

Understanding how a Drafting Supervisor'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 November 01, 2026
$107,949
Average $118,163/year
$125,954
$8,996
Average $9,847/month
$10,496
$2,076
Average $2,272/week
$2,422
$52
Average $57/hour
$61
Annual Salary Monthly Pay Weekly Pay Hourly Wage
75th Percentile $125,954 $10,496 $2,422 $61
Average $118,163 $9,847 $2,272 $57
25th Percentile $107,949 $8,996 $2,076 $52

Most common benefits for Drafting Supervisor

  • Social Security
  • 401 (k)
  • Disability
  • Healthcare
  • Pension
  • Time Off (days)

Common company salaries for Drafting Supervisor

Here are companies hiring for Drafting Supervisor and their salaries, click below for more details.

Find Your Next Drafting Supervisor Job

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

For Employees

Analyze the market and your qualifications to negotiate your salary with confidence.

Get a Salary Increase

Search thousands of open positions to find your next opportunity.

Search Job Openings

For Employers

Individualize employee pay based on unique job requirements and personal qualifications.

Adjust Employee Salary

Get the latest market price for benchmark jobs and jobs in your industry.

Price My Industry Jobs

FAQ about Drafting Supervisor

1. What industry pays the highest salary for Drafting Supervisor?

The Biotechnology industry offers the highest average compensation for Drafting Supervisor roles, with salaries approximately 25% above the market median.

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 CompAnalyst