Key Factors That Influence Autocad Operator Salaries
An Autocad Operator'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 Autocad Operator Salaries?
Experience is a primary driver of an Autocad Operator'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): $66,104
Early Career (1-2 years): $75,261
Mid-Level (2-4 years): $91,125
Senior-Level (5-8 years): $117,768
Expert (over 8 years): $137,986
Levels
Salary
CAD Draft... Level Autocad Operator
$66,104
CAD Draft... Level Autocad Operator
$75,261
Autocad O... Level Autocad Operator
$91,125
CAD Draft... Level Autocad Operator
$117,768
CAD Draft... Level Autocad Operator
$137,986
$66,1040 yr
$75,261< 2 yrs
$91,1252-4 yrs
$117,7685-8 yrs
$137,986> 8 yrs
View as Table
View as Graph
What Am I Worth?
How Do Autocad Operator 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 Autocad Operators.
For example, consider the average annual salaries in these key locations:
District of Columbia: $100,207.
California: $99,827.
Massachusetts: $98,496.
District of Columbia$100,207
California$99,827
Massachusetts$98,496
Washington$98,134
New Jersey$98,098
Alaska$97,971
Connecticut$96,722
New York$96,216
Hawaii$94,596
Rhode Island$93,835
Maryland$93,319
Minnesota$92,613
Colorado$92,342
Illinois$92,251
Oregon$91,908
Delaware$91,654
New Hampshire$91,495
Virginia$91,138
Pennsylvania$90,097
Nevada$89,573
North Dakota$89,401
Michigan$89,129
Wisconsin$89,029
Vermont$88,830
Texas$88,278
Maine$88,242
Arizona$88,188
Ohio$88,124
Georgia$87,292
Indiana$86,875
Wyoming$86,794
Utah$86,667
Iowa$86,613
Kansas$86,179
Louisiana$86,052
North Carolina$86,007
Missouri$85,989
Florida$85,636
Montana$85,445
Nebraska$85,264
Kentucky$85,165
South Carolina$84,803
Tennessee$84,577
Idaho$84,486
New Mexico$83,825
Oklahoma$83,681
Alabama$83,147
South Dakota$82,251
Arkansas$81,762
West Virginia$81,499
Mississippi$80,712
Top Paying Cities for Autocad Operators
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: $114,154
San Francisco: $112,904
Oakland: $110,524
San Jose, CA$114,154
San Francisco, CA$112,904
Oakland, CA$110,524
New York, NY$104,206
Paramus, NJ$102,939
Queens Village, NY$102,935
Passaic, NJ$102,849
Bergenfield, NJ$102,840
Stamford, CT$102,641
Huntington, NY$102,604
Newark, NJ$101,935
Bridgeport, CT$101,744
Vallejo, CA$101,564
New Brunswick, NJ$101,528
Petaluma, CA$101,474
Middlesex, NJ$101,302
Somerset, NJ$101,239
Santa Cruz, CA$101,121
Boston, MA$100,569
Monterey, CA$100,251
Seattle, WA$100,044
Santa Rosa, CA$100,026
Los Angeles, CA$99,999
Juneau, AK$99,763
Washington, DC$99,664
Orange, CA$99,342
Santa Ana, CA$99,103
Long Beach, CA$99,012
Anaheim, CA$98,994
Anchorage, AK$98,949
Santa Maria, CA$98,677
Everett, WA$98,659
Danbury, CT$98,341
Bremerton, WA$98,216
Tacoma, WA$97,890
New Suffolk, NY$97,888
Sacramento, CA$97,863
Santa Barbara, CA$97,763
Trenton, NJ$97,664
San Diego, CA$97,664
Brockton, MA$97,564
Fairbanks, AK$97,342
Lompoc, CA$97,112
Lowell, MA$97,038
Ventura, CA$97,021
Nashua, NH$97,003
Stockton, CA$96,994
Modesto, CA$96,333
Poughkeepsie, NY$96,134
Olympia, WA$95,962
Kennewick, WA$95,962
New Haven, CT$95,926
Lawrence, MA$95,600
Hartford, CT$95,510
Riverside, CA$95,492
New Bedford, MA$95,401
Richland, WA$95,401
Bakersfield, CA$95,274
San Bernardino, CA$95,238
New Britain, CT$95,229
Atlantic City, NJ$95,229
New London, CT$95,193
Norwich, CT$95,166
Portsmouth, NH$95,148
Boulder, CO$94,956
Portland, OR$94,831
Worcester, MA$94,822
Minneapolis, MN$94,541
Philadelphia, PA$94,415
Honolulu, HI$94,116
Saint Paul, MN$94,072
Vineland, NJ$94,052
Providence, RI$93,790
Chicago, IL$93,528
Bellingham, WA$93,419
Springfield, MA$93,347
Baltimore, MD$93,319
Chico, CA$93,093
Pittsfield, MA$92,849
Manchester, NH$92,677
Spokane, WA$92,279
Denver, CO$92,270
Albany, NY$91,844
Troy, NY$91,808
Nassau, NY$91,711
Schenectady, NY$91,618
Wilmington, DE$91,546
Burlington, VT$91,419
Salem, OR$91,383
Portland, ME$91,102
Yakima, WA$91,012
Rochester, MN$90,731
Reno, NV$90,686
Fresno, CA$90,686
Milwaukee, WI$90,604
Detroit, MI$90,514
Ann Arbor, MI$90,498
Allentown, PA$90,487
Colorado Springs, CO$90,333
Syracuse, NY$90,287
Carson City, NV$90,287
Houston, TX$90,161
Eugene, OR$90,116
Gary, IN$90,007
Springfield, OR$89,935
Bismarck, ND$89,916
Galveston, TX$89,853
Medford, OR$89,717
Fort Collins, CO$89,681
Concord, NH$89,636
Austin, TX$89,609
Mesa, AZ$89,419
Reading, PA$89,410
Phoenix, AZ$89,401
Dallas, TX$89,373
Saint Cloud, MN$89,287
Madison, WI$89,165
Utica, NY$88,921
Rochester, NY$88,776
Des Moines, IA$88,767
Raleigh, NC$88,758
Atlanta, GA$88,622
Battle Creek, MI$88,595
Salt Lake City, UT$88,568
Lancaster, PA$88,432
Harrisburg, PA$88,305
Kansas City, MO$88,215
Champaign, IL$88,197
Kansas City, KS$88,197
Fort Worth, TX$88,188
Columbus, OH$88,172
Boca Raton, FL$88,152
Pittsburgh, PA$88,115
Richmond, VA$88,079
Indianapolis, IN$88,061
Cleveland, OH$88,052
Las Vegas, NV$87,943
Cincinnati, OH$87,943
Petersburg, VA$87,808
Huntsville, AL$87,672
Lansing, MI$87,611
Lebanon, PA$87,599
Pueblo, CO$87,590
Appleton, WI$87,563
Buffalo, NY$87,527
Dayton, OH$87,500
Racine, WI$87,482
Charlotte, NC$87,473
Saint Louis, MO$87,446
York, PA$87,391
Elkhart, IN$87,391
Gastonia, NC$87,374
Billings, MT$87,352
Beaumont, TX$87,328
Lorain, OH$87,310
Benton Harbor, MI$87,292
Toledo, OH$87,274
Binghamton, NY$87,228
Rock Hill, SC$87,219
Rockford, IL$87,174
Springfield, IL$87,138
Elyria, OH$87,129
Fargo, ND$87,129
Flagstaff, AZ$87,066
Fort Lauderdale, FL$87,011
Duluth, MN$86,957
Miami, FL$86,957
Cheyenne, WY$86,894
Grand Forks, ND$86,894
Bangor, ME$86,694
Cedar Rapids, IA$86,595
Durham, NC$86,557
Louisville, KY$86,550
Grand Rapids, MI$86,532
Hialeah, FL$86,522
Casper, WY$86,396
Scranton, PA$86,287
New Orleans, LA$86,260
Virginia Beach, VA$86,251
Akron, OH$86,206
Peoria, IL$86,088
Sarasota, FL$86,070
Nashville, TN$86,007
Omaha, NE$86,007
Green Bay, WI$86,007
Baton Rouge, LA$85,961
Charleston, SC$85,943
Jamestown, NY$85,898
Davenport, IA$85,898
Tucson, AZ$85,853
Saint Petersburg, FL$85,798
Tampa, FL$85,780
Evansville, IN$85,726
Port Arthur, TX$85,726
Bradenton, FL$85,690
Santa Fe, NM$85,527
Orlando, FL$85,364
Clearwater, FL$85,337
Canton, OH$85,147
La Crosse, WI$85,147
Albuquerque, NM$85,093
Newport News, VA$85,083
High Point, NC$85,056
Ogden, UT$85,020
Corpus Christi, TX$84,948
Norfolk, VA$84,893
Laramie, WY$84,893
Rock Island, IL$84,839
Saginaw, MI$84,821
Jacksonville, FL$84,812
Salisbury, NC$84,794
Boise, ID$84,776
Moline, IL$84,731
Fort Myers, FL$84,703
Memphis, TN$84,685
Tulsa, OK$84,640
Waterloo, IA$84,586
Spartanburg, SC$84,495
Lincoln, NE$84,450
Fort Wayne, IN$84,432
Provo, UT$84,423
Cedar Falls, IA$84,314
San Antonio, TX$84,278
Greensboro, NC$84,242
South Bend, IN$84,233
Savannah, GA$84,133
Muskegon, MI$84,097
Birmingham, AL$84,088
Winston Salem, NC$84,044
Lake Charles, LA$83,825
Anderson, IN$83,807
Lexington, KY$83,780
Augusta, GA$83,753
Greenville, SC$83,753
Lima, OH$83,681
Wichita, KS$83,672
Tuscaloosa, AL$83,672
Columbia, SC$83,590
Springfield, OH$83,572
Asheville, NC$83,427
Bloomington, IN$83,364
Knoxville, TN$83,038
Shreveport, LA$83,029
Wilmington, NC$82,911
Roanoke, VA$82,911
Topeka, KS$82,748
Frankfort, KY$82,738
Oklahoma City, OK$82,676
Chillicothe, OH$82,640
Longview, TX$82,631
Melbourne, FL$82,622
Sioux Falls, SD$82,477
Mobile, AL$82,468
Terre Haute, IN$82,432
Altoona, PA$82,377
Amarillo, TX$82,314
Killeen, TX$82,287
Fayetteville, AR$82,214
Chattanooga, TN$82,187
Sioux City, IA$82,106
Idaho Falls, ID$82,088
Lynchburg, VA$82,015
Gainesville, FL$81,898
Portsmouth, OH$81,852
Little Rock, AR$81,834
Lafayette, LA$81,798
Youngstown, OH$81,798
Daytona Beach, FL$81,744
Clarksville, TN$81,735
Pensacola, FL$81,726
Temple, TX$81,719
Hopkinsville, KY$81,454
Erie, PA$81,436
Florence, SC$81,400
Charleston, WV$81,255
Great Falls, MT$81,210
Macon, GA$81,083
Tallahassee, FL$81,074
Fayetteville, NC$81,056
Waco, TX$81,038
Helena, MT$80,975
Pine Bluff, AR$80,940
Vincennes, IN$80,830
Lubbock, TX$80,794
Alamogordo, NM$80,739
Twin Falls, ID$80,658
Rapid City, SD$80,631
Jackson, MS$80,468
Huntington, WV$80,461
Greenville, MS$80,459
Parkersburg, WV$80,366
Montgomery, AL$80,350
Wichita Falls, TX$80,260
Springfield, MO$80,260
Biloxi, MS$80,214
Monroe, LA$80,124
Johnstown, PA$80,060
Sumter, SC$80,024
Columbus, GA$80,015
Pascagoula, MS$79,843
Abilene, TX$79,843
Kingsport, TN$79,608
Albany, GA$79,608
Gulfport, MS$79,581
Alexandria, LA$79,282
Fort Smith, AR$79,056
El Paso, TX$78,811
Las Cruces, NM$78,404
Harlingen, TX$78,174
Pocatello, ID$78,160
Florence, AL$78,042
Brownsville, TX$78,024
Mcallen, TX$77,834
Dothan, AL$77,707
Columbus, MS$77,170
Altus, OK$76,748
Lawton, OK$76,576
Pierre, SD$76,250
What Skills Can Increase an Autocad Operator'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 Autocad Operator'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
$97,745
8%
Innovation
$95,935
6%
Analysis
$95,030
5%
Leadership
$95,030
5%
Commitment
$94,125
4%
Collaboration
$94,125
4%
Get Latest Data
Autocad Operator Salary by Industry: Top Paying Sectors
For Autocad Operator 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 Transportation and Energy & Utilities
sectors offer the strongest compensation, at 30% above the average.
In contrast, Autocad Operator positions in Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit or Construction typically offer lower base pay,
as these industries often view Autocad Operator as a support function rather than a direct revenue driver.
The top paying industries for an Autocad Operator
Industry Sector
Average Annual Salary
Average Hourly Rate
Pay vs.Avg
Transportation
$117,656
$57.0
30%
Energy & Utilities
$99,555
$48.0
10%
Financial Services
$99,555
$48.0
10%
Software & Networking
$97,745
$47.0
8%
Biotechnology
$95,030
$46.0
5%
How Education impacts an Autocad Operator's Salary?
Your level of education can impact your salary potential.
While many Autocad Operators 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 Autocad Operator with a No Diploma is between
$92,048
and $97,709).
Autocad Operator Salaries by Degree Level
Typical Education for Autocad Operator
No Diploma100.0%
High School0.0%
Associates100.0%
Bachelors0.0%
Masters0.0%
Doctorate0.0%
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
Autocad Operator Salary: Hourly Rate, Weekly Pay, and Monthly Pay
Understanding how an Autocad Operator'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.
Salaries for an Autocad Operator can change over time,
reflecting shifts in market demand and the overall economy.
The median salary decreased from $99,135 in 2023
to around $96,835 in 2025,
reflecting changes in demand, location, experience, and the wider economy.
For a detailed analysis of Autocad Operator salary trends,
.
Average Annual Salary of Autocad Operator Over Time
2022
$???
2023
$99,135
2024
$98,039
2025
$96,835
2026
$???
2027
$???
Year
Average Annual Salary
2022
View More
2023
$99,135
2024
$98,039
2025
$96,835
2026
View More
2027
View More
Most common benefits for Autocad Operator
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
Common company salaries for Autocad Operator
Here are companies hiring for Autocad Operator and their salaries, click below for more details.
C
$128,509/per year
C R Bard Inc
Biotechnology
the United States
H
$124,697/per year
Henry Schein Canada
Biotechnology
the United States
N
$123,899/per year
Nordex Inc
Biotechnology
the United States
N
$120,416/per year
Nipro Corp
Biotechnology
the United States
E
$115,870/per year
Enovis
Biotechnology
the United States
A
$114,553/per year
Advanced Research Projects Agency - Energy
Biotechnology
the United States
M
$112,110/per year
MiniMed Inc
Biotechnology
the United States
L
$111,500/per year
Labcorp Drug Development
Biotechnology
the United States
L
$110,229/per year
Life Technologies Corp
Biotechnology
the United States
Z
$106,224/per year
Zimmer Biomet
Biotechnology
the United States
P
$103,077/per year
Promontory Therapeutics
Biotechnology
the United States
S
$102,181/per year
Steris PLC
Biotechnology
the United States
G
$97,274/per year
Gavin Conferences Pty Ltd
Biotechnology
the United States
E
$94,764/per year
Endeavor BioMedicines
Biotechnology
the United States
R
$94,402/per year
Replay Holdings LLC
Biotechnology
the United States
P
$94,235/per year
Pleno Inc
Biotechnology
the United States
S
$93,666/per year
Simulaids Inc
Biotechnology
the United States
N
$88,880/per year
NOIRLab/CAS
Biotechnology
the United States
O
$86,468/per year
Onward Technology
Biotechnology
the United States
L
$84,895/per year
LED Medical Diagnostics Inc
Biotechnology
the United States
E
$84,682/per year
Eyeco Ltd
Biotechnology
the United States
P
$84,523/per year
Paerosol
Biotechnology
the United States
I
$83,525/per year
IONIQ Sciences Inc
Biotechnology
the United States
S
$82,815/per year
Stateside PPE
Biotechnology
the United States
D
$82,041/per year
Digi Bio
Biotechnology
the United States
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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.