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

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

How does experience change A Construction Drafter's salary?

A Construction Drafter's salary grows with experience: a CAD Drafter I (0-2 years)earns $65,045, a CAD Drafter II (2-4 years)earns $74,054, a Construction Drafter (4-7 years)earns $89,665, a CAD Drafter IV (7+ years)earns $115,891, a CAD Drafter V (7-10 years)earns $135,787,

What are the highest paying states for a Construction Drafter?

Construction Drafter salary varies significantly by state. The top 3 highest paying states for Construction Drafter roles are District of Columbia $98,602, California $98,228, Massachusetts $96,919. These tech hubs typically pay 10-15% above the national average.

How much do different types of Construction Drafter roles make?

Salaries for Construction Drafter level roles vary by specialization: Pipe Drafter: $97,998; Design Drafter: $92,996; Engineering Drafter: $91,981; Revit Drafter: $87,004; Residential Drafter: $77,162.

How do different companies affect a Construction Drafter's salary?

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

Construction Drafter Salary in the United States

How much does a Construction Drafter make in the United States?

As of May 01, 2026, the average salary for a Construction Drafter in the United States is $89,055 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $43.

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

Top Earners (90th percentile): $102,682
Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $80,268 to $96,188
Entry-Level (10th percentile): $72,268

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Construction Drafter Salaries by Percentile

	Annual Salary	Monthly Pay	Weekly Pay	Hourly Wage
75th Percentile	$96,188	$8,016	$1,850	$46
Average	$89,055	$7,421	$1,713	$43
25th Percentile	$80,268	$6,689	$1,544	$39

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Key Factors That Influence Construction Drafter Salaries

A Construction 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 Construction Drafter Salaries?

Experience is a primary driver of a Construction 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): $65,045
Early Career (1-2 years): $74,054
Mid-Level (2-4 years): $89,665
Senior-Level (5-8 years): $115,891
Expert (over 8 years): $135,787

Levels	Salary
CAD Draft... Level Construction Drafter	$65,045
CAD Draft... Level Construction Drafter	$74,054
Construct... Level Construction Drafter	$89,665
CAD Draft... Level Construction Drafter	$115,891
CAD Draft... Level Construction Drafter	$135,787

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What Am I Worth?

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

District of Columbia: $98,602.
California: $98,228.
Massachusetts: $96,919.

District of Columbia $98,602

California $98,228

Massachusetts $96,919

Washington $96,562

New Jersey $96,527

Alaska $96,402

Connecticut $95,173

New York $94,674

Hawaii $93,080

Rhode Island $92,332

Maryland $91,825

Minnesota $91,130

Colorado $90,863

Illinois $90,774

Oregon $90,435

Delaware $90,186

New Hampshire $90,029

Virginia $89,678

Pennsylvania $88,654

Nevada $88,138

North Dakota $87,969

Michigan $87,701

Wisconsin $87,604

Vermont $87,408

Texas $86,864

Maine $86,829

Arizona $86,775

Ohio $86,713

Georgia $85,894

Indiana $85,484

Wyoming $85,404

Utah $85,279

Iowa $85,226

Kansas $84,798

Louisiana $84,674

North Carolina $84,629

Missouri $84,611

Florida $84,264

Montana $84,077

Nebraska $83,899

Kentucky $83,801

South Carolina $83,445

Tennessee $83,222

Idaho $83,133

New Mexico $82,483

Oklahoma $82,340

Alabama $81,815

South Dakota $80,933

Arkansas $80,452

West Virginia $80,194

Mississippi $79,419

Top Paying Cities for Construction 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: $112,325
San Francisco: $111,095
Oakland: $108,754

San Jose, CA $112,325

San Francisco, CA $111,095

Oakland, CA $108,754

New York, NY $102,537

Paramus, NJ $101,290

Queens Village, NY $101,286

Passaic, NJ $101,201

Bergenfield, NJ $101,193

Stamford, CT $100,997

Huntington, NY $100,961

Newark, NJ $100,303

Bridgeport, CT $100,115

Vallejo, CA $99,938

New Brunswick, NJ $99,902

Petaluma, CA $99,849

Middlesex, NJ $99,679

Somerset, NJ $99,617

Santa Cruz, CA $99,501

Boston, MA $98,958

Monterey, CA $98,645

Seattle, WA $98,442

Santa Rosa, CA $98,424

Los Angeles, CA $98,397

Juneau, AK $98,165

Washington, DC $98,067

Orange, CA $97,750

Santa Ana, CA $97,515

Long Beach, CA $97,426

Anaheim, CA $97,408

Anchorage, AK $97,364

Santa Maria, CA $97,097

Everett, WA $97,079

Danbury, CT $96,765

Bremerton, WA $96,643

Tacoma, WA $96,322

New Suffolk, NY $96,320

Sacramento, CA $96,295

Santa Barbara, CA $96,197

Trenton, NJ $96,099

San Diego, CA $96,099

Brockton, MA $96,001

Fairbanks, AK $95,783

Lompoc, CA $95,556

Lowell, MA $95,484

Ventura, CA $95,467

Nashua, NH $95,449

Stockton, CA $95,440

Modesto, CA $94,790

Poughkeepsie, NY $94,594

Olympia, WA $94,425

Kennewick, WA $94,425

New Haven, CT $94,390

Lawrence, MA $94,069

Hartford, CT $93,980

Riverside, CA $93,962

New Bedford, MA $93,873

Richland, WA $93,873

Bakersfield, CA $93,748

San Bernardino, CA $93,713

New Britain, CT $93,704

Atlantic City, NJ $93,704

New London, CT $93,668

Norwich, CT $93,641

Portsmouth, NH $93,624

Boulder, CO $93,435

Portland, OR $93,312

Worcester, MA $93,303

Minneapolis, MN $93,027

Philadelphia, PA $92,902

Honolulu, HI $92,608

Saint Paul, MN $92,566

Vineland, NJ $92,546

Providence, RI $92,288

Chicago, IL $92,030

Bellingham, WA $91,923

Springfield, MA $91,851

Baltimore, MD $91,825

Chico, CA $91,602

Pittsfield, MA $91,362

Manchester, NH $91,192

Spokane, WA $90,801

Denver, CO $90,792

Albany, NY $90,373

Troy, NY $90,337

Nassau, NY $90,242

Schenectady, NY $90,150

Wilmington, DE $90,079

Burlington, VT $89,955

Salem, OR $89,919

Portland, ME $89,643

Yakima, WA $89,554

Rochester, MN $89,278

Reno, NV $89,233

Fresno, CA $89,233

Milwaukee, WI $89,153

Detroit, MI $89,064

Ann Arbor, MI $89,049

Allentown, PA $89,037

Colorado Springs, CO $88,886

Syracuse, NY $88,841

Carson City, NV $88,841

Houston, TX $88,717

Eugene, OR $88,672

Gary, IN $88,565

Springfield, OR $88,494

Bismarck, ND $88,476

Galveston, TX $88,414

Medford, OR $88,280

Fort Collins, CO $88,245

Concord, NH $88,200

Austin, TX $88,173

Mesa, AZ $87,986

Reading, PA $87,978

Phoenix, AZ $87,969

Dallas, TX $87,942

Saint Cloud, MN $87,856

Madison, WI $87,737

Utica, NY $87,497

Rochester, NY $87,354

Des Moines, IA $87,345

Raleigh, NC $87,336

Atlanta, GA $87,203

Battle Creek, MI $87,176

Salt Lake City, UT $87,149

Lancaster, PA $87,016

Harrisburg, PA $86,891

Kansas City, MO $86,802

Champaign, IL $86,784

Kansas City, KS $86,784

Fort Worth, TX $86,775

Columbus, OH $86,760

Boca Raton, FL $86,740

Pittsburgh, PA $86,704

Richmond, VA $86,668

Indianapolis, IN $86,651

Cleveland, OH $86,642

Las Vegas, NV $86,535

Cincinnati, OH $86,535

Petersburg, VA $86,401

Huntsville, AL $86,268

Lansing, MI $86,208

Lebanon, PA $86,196

Pueblo, CO $86,188

Appleton, WI $86,161

Buffalo, NY $86,125

Dayton, OH $86,098

Racine, WI $86,081

Charlotte, NC $86,072

Saint Louis, MO $86,045

York, PA $85,992

Elkhart, IN $85,992

Gastonia, NC $85,975

Billings, MT $85,953

Beaumont, TX $85,929

Lorain, OH $85,911

Benton Harbor, MI $85,894

Toledo, OH $85,876

Binghamton, NY $85,831

Rock Hill, SC $85,822

Rockford, IL $85,778

Springfield, IL $85,742

Elyria, OH $85,733

Fargo, ND $85,733

Flagstaff, AZ $85,671

Fort Lauderdale, FL $85,618

Duluth, MN $85,564

Miami, FL $85,564

Cheyenne, WY $85,502

Grand Forks, ND $85,502

Bangor, ME $85,306

Cedar Rapids, IA $85,208

Durham, NC $85,171

Louisville, KY $85,163

Grand Rapids, MI $85,146

Hialeah, FL $85,137

Casper, WY $85,012

Scranton, PA $84,905

New Orleans, LA $84,878

Virginia Beach, VA $84,870

Akron, OH $84,825

Peoria, IL $84,709

Sarasota, FL $84,691

Nashville, TN $84,629

Omaha, NE $84,629

Green Bay, WI $84,629

Baton Rouge, LA $84,585

Charleston, SC $84,567

Jamestown, NY $84,522

Davenport, IA $84,522

Tucson, AZ $84,478

Saint Petersburg, FL $84,424

Tampa, FL $84,406

Evansville, IN $84,353

Port Arthur, TX $84,353

Bradenton, FL $84,317

Santa Fe, NM $84,157

Orlando, FL $83,997

Clearwater, FL $83,970

Canton, OH $83,783

La Crosse, WI $83,783

Albuquerque, NM $83,730

Newport News, VA $83,721

High Point, NC $83,694

Ogden, UT $83,658

Corpus Christi, TX $83,587

Norfolk, VA $83,534

Laramie, WY $83,534

Rock Island, IL $83,480

Saginaw, MI $83,462

Jacksonville, FL $83,454

Salisbury, NC $83,436

Boise, ID $83,418

Moline, IL $83,373

Fort Myers, FL $83,347

Memphis, TN $83,329

Tulsa, OK $83,284

Waterloo, IA $83,231

Spartanburg, SC $83,142

Lincoln, NE $83,097

Fort Wayne, IN $83,080

Provo, UT $83,071

Cedar Falls, IA $82,964

San Antonio, TX $82,928

Greensboro, NC $82,892

South Bend, IN $82,884

Savannah, GA $82,786

Muskegon, MI $82,750

Birmingham, AL $82,741

Winston Salem, NC $82,697

Lake Charles, LA $82,483

Anderson, IN $82,465

Lexington, KY $82,438

Augusta, GA $82,412

Greenville, SC $82,412

Lima, OH $82,340

Wichita, KS $82,331

Tuscaloosa, AL $82,331

Columbia, SC $82,251

Springfield, OH $82,233

Asheville, NC $82,091

Bloomington, IN $82,029

Knoxville, TN $81,708

Shreveport, LA $81,699

Wilmington, NC $81,583

Roanoke, VA $81,583

Topeka, KS $81,423

Frankfort, KY $81,413

Oklahoma City, OK $81,352

Chillicothe, OH $81,316

Longview, TX $81,307

Melbourne, FL $81,298

Sioux Falls, SD $81,156

Mobile, AL $81,147

Terre Haute, IN $81,111

Altoona, PA $81,058

Amarillo, TX $80,996

Killeen, TX $80,969

Fayetteville, AR $80,898

Chattanooga, TN $80,871

Sioux City, IA $80,791

Idaho Falls, ID $80,773

Lynchburg, VA $80,702

Gainesville, FL $80,586

Portsmouth, OH $80,541

Little Rock, AR $80,524

Lafayette, LA $80,488

Youngstown, OH $80,488

Daytona Beach, FL $80,435

Clarksville, TN $80,426

Pensacola, FL $80,417

Temple, TX $80,411

Hopkinsville, KY $80,150

Erie, PA $80,132

Florence, SC $80,096

Charleston, WV $79,954

Great Falls, MT $79,909

Macon, GA $79,784

Tallahassee, FL $79,776

Fayetteville, NC $79,758

Waco, TX $79,740

Helena, MT $79,678

Pine Bluff, AR $79,644

Vincennes, IN $79,535

Lubbock, TX $79,499

Alamogordo, NM $79,446

Twin Falls, ID $79,366

Rapid City, SD $79,339

Jackson, MS $79,179

Huntington, WV $79,173

Greenville, MS $79,170

Parkersburg, WV $79,079

Montgomery, AL $79,063

Wichita Falls, TX $78,974

Springfield, MO $78,974

Biloxi, MS $78,930

Monroe, LA $78,840

Johnstown, PA $78,778

Sumter, SC $78,743

Columbus, GA $78,734

Pascagoula, MS $78,564

Abilene, TX $78,564

Kingsport, TN $78,333

Albany, GA $78,333

Gulfport, MS $78,306

Alexandria, LA $78,012

Fort Smith, AR $77,790

El Paso, TX $77,549

Las Cruces, NM $77,148

Harlingen, TX $76,922

Pocatello, ID $76,908

Florence, AL $76,792

Brownsville, TX $76,774

Mcallen, TX $76,587

Dothan, AL $76,463

Columbus, MS $75,934

Altus, OK $75,519

Lawton, OK $75,350

Pierre, SD $75,029

What Skills Can Increase a Construction 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 a Construction 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	$96,180	8%
Innovation	$94,398	6%
Analysis	$93,508	5%
Leadership	$93,508	5%
Commitment	$92,617	4%
Collaboration	$92,617	4%

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How Education impacts a Construction Drafter's Salary?

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

Construction Drafter Salaries by Degree Level

Typical Education for Construction 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

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

Understanding how a Construction 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

$80,268

Average $89,055/year

$96,188

$6,689

Average $7,421/month

$8,016

$1,544

Average $1,713/week

$1,850

$39

Average $43/hour

$46

	Annual Salary	Monthly Pay	Weekly Pay	Hourly Wage
75th Percentile	$96,188	$8,016	$1,850	$46
Average	$89,055	$7,421	$1,713	$43
25th Percentile	$80,268	$6,689	$1,544	$39

Salaries of jobs related to Construction Drafter

Salary Trends for Construction Drafter

Salaries for a Construction Drafter can change over time, reflecting shifts in market demand and the overall economy. The median salary decreased from $97,547 in 2023 to around $95,284 in 2025, reflecting changes in demand, location, experience, and the wider economy. For a detailed analysis of Construction Drafter salary trends, .

Average Annual Salary of Construction Drafter Over Time

2022

$???

2023

$97,547

2024

$96,469

2025

$95,284

2026

$???

2027

$???

Year	Average Annual Salary
2022	View More
2023	$97,547
2024	$96,469
2025	$95,284
2026	View More
2027	View More

Most common benefits for Construction 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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