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 $74,053, a Construction Drafter (4-7 years)earns $89,665, a CAD Drafter IV (7+ years)earns $115,899, a CAD Drafter V (7-10 years)earns $135,797,

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 $96,918. 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: $91,980; Revit Drafter: $87,003; Residential Drafter: $77,159.

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 March 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): $102,674
Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $80,265 to $96,184
Entry-Level (10th percentile): $72,262

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Construction Drafter Salaries by Percentile

	Annual Salary	Monthly Pay	Weekly Pay	Hourly Wage
75th Percentile	$96,184	$8,015	$1,850	$46
Average	$89,055	$7,421	$1,713	$43
25th Percentile	$80,265	$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): $74,053
Mid-Level (2-4 years): $89,665
Senior-Level (5-8 years): $115,899
Expert (over 8 years): $135,797

Levels	Salary
CAD Draft... Level Construction Drafter	$65,045
CAD Draft... Level Construction Drafter	$74,053
Construct... Level Construction Drafter	$89,665
CAD Draft... Level Construction Drafter	$115,899
CAD Draft... Level Construction Drafter	$135,797

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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: $96,918.

District of Columbia $98,602

California $98,228

Massachusetts $96,918

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 $87,968

Michigan $87,701

Wisconsin $87,603

Vermont $87,407

Texas $86,864

Maine $86,829

Arizona $86,775

Ohio $86,713

Georgia $85,893

Indiana $85,484

Wyoming $85,404

Utah $85,279

Iowa $85,226

Kansas $84,798

Louisiana $84,673

North Carolina $84,629

Missouri $84,611

Florida $84,264

Montana $84,077

Nebraska $83,899

Kentucky $83,801

South Carolina $83,444

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: $111,221
Oakland: $108,754

San Jose, CA $112,325

San Francisco, CA $111,221

Oakland, CA $108,754

New York, NY $103,206

Queens Village, NY $102,538

Paramus, NJ $101,825

Passaic, NJ $101,736

Bergenfield, NJ $101,647

Stamford, CT $101,514

Huntington, NY $101,425

Newark, NJ $100,846

Bridgeport, CT $100,668

New Brunswick, NJ $100,374

Vallejo, CA $100,187

Middlesex, NJ $100,133

Somerset, NJ $100,053

Petaluma, CA $99,848

Santa Cruz, CA $99,501

Boston, MA $99,323

Monterey, CA $98,878

Fairbanks, AK $98,815

Los Angeles, CA $98,646

Washington, DC $98,602

Seattle, WA $98,441

Santa Rosa, CA $98,423

Juneau, AK $98,165

Orange, CA $97,871

Anchorage, AK $97,711

Anaheim, CA $97,649

Santa Ana, CA $97,515

Nassau, NY $97,462

Long Beach, CA $97,426

Danbury, CT $97,399

Santa Maria, CA $97,097

Everett, WA $97,079

Bremerton, WA $96,642

Trenton, NJ $96,473

Sacramento, CA $96,438

San Diego, CA $96,393

Brockton, MA $96,357

Tacoma, WA $96,322

Santa Barbara, CA $96,197

Lowell, MA $95,841

New Suffolk, NY $95,805

Nashua, NH $95,698

Lompoc, CA $95,556

Ventura, CA $95,467

Stockton, CA $95,440

New Haven, CT $95,262

Atlantic City, NJ $95,030

Hartford, CT $94,835

Modesto, CA $94,790

Poughkeepsie, NY $94,594

New Britain, CT $94,550

Olympia, WA $94,425

Kennewick, WA $94,425

New London, CT $94,407

Norwich, CT $94,380

Lawrence, MA $94,336

Bakersfield, CA $94,087

Riverside, CA $93,962

New Bedford, MA $93,962

Richland, WA $93,873

Portsmouth, NH $93,802

Vineland, NJ $93,784

San Bernardino, CA $93,712

Boulder, CO $93,463

Worcester, MA $93,392

Portland, OR $93,312

Saint Paul, MN $93,205

Minneapolis, MN $93,205

Philadelphia, PA $93,080

Honolulu, HI $92,608

Springfield, MA $92,296

Providence, RI $92,288

Chicago, IL $92,029

Bellingham, WA $91,922

Baltimore, MD $91,825

Chico, CA $91,602

Wilmington, DE $91,450

Pittsfield, MA $91,361

Manchester, NH $91,192

Spokane, WA $90,800

Denver, CO $90,791

Albany, NY $90,373

Troy, NY $90,337

Schenectady, NY $90,150

Burlington, VT $89,954

Portland, ME $89,643

Salem, OR $89,571

Yakima, WA $89,554

Ann Arbor, MI $89,527

Rochester, MN $89,278

Fresno, CA $89,233

Reno, NV $89,233

Milwaukee, WI $89,153

Detroit, MI $89,064

Allentown, PA $89,037

Carson City, NV $89,028

Houston, TX $88,895

Colorado Springs, CO $88,886

Syracuse, NY $88,841

Eugene, OR $88,672

Bismarck, ND $88,565

Gary, IN $88,565

Galveston, TX $88,565

Springfield, OR $88,494

Medford, OR $88,280

Fort Collins, CO $88,245

Austin, TX $88,173

Mesa, AZ $87,986

Phoenix, AZ $87,968

Dallas, TX $87,942

Reading, PA $87,888

Saint Cloud, MN $87,853

Concord, NH $87,773

Madison, WI $87,737

Utica, NY $87,496

Raleigh, NC $87,425

Las Vegas, NV $87,416

Rochester, NY $87,354

Des Moines, IA $87,345

Atlanta, GA $87,203

Battle Creek, MI $87,176

Salt Lake City, UT $87,149

Lancaster, PA $87,016

Champaign, IL $86,998

Harrisburg, PA $86,891

Durham, NC $86,811

Kansas City, MO $86,802

Kansas City, KS $86,784

Fort Worth, TX $86,775

Boca Raton, FL $86,739

Cleveland, OH $86,731

Columbus, OH $86,713

Pittsburgh, PA $86,704

Richmond, VA $86,668

Indianapolis, IN $86,650

Cincinnati, OH $86,535

Petersburg, VA $86,401

Billings, MT $86,205

Lansing, MI $86,205

Huntsville, AL $86,205

Lebanon, PA $86,196

Dayton, OH $86,187

Pueblo, CO $86,187

Appleton, WI $86,161

Buffalo, NY $86,125

Racine, WI $86,080

Charlotte, NC $86,072

Saint Louis, MO $86,045

Springfield, IL $86,009

Elkhart, IN $85,991

York, PA $85,991

Gastonia, NC $85,983

Benton Harbor, MI $85,983

Beaumont, TX $85,929

Lorain, OH $85,911

Toledo, OH $85,876

Binghamton, NY $85,831

Rock Hill, SC $85,822

Rockford, IL $85,778

Fargo, ND $85,733

Elyria, OH $85,733

Flagstaff, AZ $85,671

Fort Lauderdale, FL $85,617

Miami, FL $85,564

Duluth, MN $85,421

Bangor, ME $85,306

Cedar Rapids, IA $85,208

Louisville, KY $85,163

Grand Rapids, MI $85,145

Hialeah, FL $85,136

Casper, WY $85,012

Scranton, PA $84,905

New Orleans, LA $84,878

Virginia Beach, VA $84,869

Akron, OH $84,825

Peoria, IL $84,709

Sarasota, FL $84,691

Green Bay, WI $84,629

Baton Rouge, LA $84,584

Charleston, SC $84,567

Nashville, TN $84,540

Jamestown, NY $84,522

Davenport, IA $84,522

Tucson, AZ $84,477

Cheyenne, WY $84,451

Saint Petersburg, FL $84,424

Tampa, FL $84,406

Omaha, NE $84,388

Port Arthur, TX $84,353

Evansville, IN $84,353

Bradenton, FL $84,317

Santa Fe, NM $84,157

Orlando, FL $84,068

Clearwater, FL $83,970

Canton, OH $83,783

La Crosse, WI $83,783

Grand Forks, ND $83,756

Albuquerque, NM $83,729

Tulsa, OK $83,729

Newport News, VA $83,721

High Point, NC $83,694

Ogden, UT $83,658

Corpus Christi, TX $83,587

Laramie, WY $83,533

Norfolk, VA $83,533

Rock Island, IL $83,480

Saginaw, MI $83,462

Jacksonville, FL $83,453

Salisbury, NC $83,436

Memphis, TN $83,418

Moline, IL $83,373

Fort Myers, FL $83,346

Waterloo, IA $83,231

Spartanburg, SC $83,142

Lincoln, NE $83,097

Fort Wayne, IN $83,079

Birmingham, AL $82,981

Cedar Falls, IA $82,964

Provo, UT $82,955

Springfield, OH $82,946

San Antonio, TX $82,928

Greensboro, NC $82,892

South Bend, IN $82,883

Winston Salem, NC $82,874

Boise, ID $82,848

Savannah, GA $82,785

Muskegon, MI $82,625

Lima, OH $82,518

Lake Charles, LA $82,483

Anderson, IN $82,465

Lexington, KY $82,438

Augusta, GA $82,411

Greenville, SC $82,411

Wichita, KS $82,331

Tuscaloosa, AL $82,331

Columbia, SC $82,251

Bloomington, IN $82,028

Roanoke, VA $81,975

Asheville, NC $81,859

Knoxville, TN $81,708

Shreveport, LA $81,699

Wilmington, NC $81,583

Frankfort, KY $81,414

Oklahoma City, OK $81,352

Chillicothe, OH $81,316

Longview, TX $81,307

Topeka, KS $81,280

Mobile, AL $81,147

Terre Haute, IN $81,111

Erie, PA $81,102

Altoona, PA $81,058

Melbourne, FL $81,031

Amarillo, TX $80,995

Killeen, TX $80,969

Fayetteville, AR $80,897

Sioux Falls, SD $80,835

Chattanooga, TN $80,782

Idaho Falls, ID $80,773

Gainesville, FL $80,586

Portsmouth, OH $80,541

Little Rock, AR $80,523

Lynchburg, VA $80,523

Lafayette, LA $80,488

Youngstown, OH $80,488

Temple, TX $80,452

Daytona Beach, FL $80,434

Clarksville, TN $80,425

Pensacola, FL $80,417

Hopkinsville, KY $80,149

Charleston, WV $80,141

Florence, SC $80,096

Sioux City, IA $80,043

Macon, GA $79,784

Tallahassee, FL $79,775

Fayetteville, NC $79,758

Waco, TX $79,740

Wichita Falls, TX $79,740

Pine Bluff, AR $79,704

Vincennes, IN $79,535

Lubbock, TX $79,499

Great Falls, MT $79,446

Alamogordo, NM $79,437

Abilene, TX $79,366

Rapid City, SD $79,250

Monroe, LA $79,250

Albany, GA $79,197

Huntington, WV $79,188

Jackson, MS $79,179

Greenville, MS $79,170

Parkersburg, WV $79,081

Montgomery, AL $79,063

Johnstown, PA $79,045

Springfield, MO $78,974

Biloxi, MS $78,929

Sumter, SC $78,742

Columbus, GA $78,733

Twin Falls, ID $78,680

Pascagoula, MS $78,564

Kingsport, TN $78,333

Gulfport, MS $78,306

Alexandria, LA $78,012

Fort Smith, AR $77,789

El Paso, TX $77,549

Helena, MT $77,433

Las Cruces, NM $77,148

Harlingen, TX $76,899

Pocatello, ID $76,819

Florence, AL $76,792

Brownsville, TX $76,774

Dothan, AL $76,632

Mcallen, TX $76,587

Columbus, MS $75,928

Altus, OK $75,519

Lawton, OK $75,349

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	$96,179	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 March 01, 2026

$80,265

Average $89,055/year

$96,184

$6,689

Average $7,421/month

$8,015

$1,544

Average $1,713/week

$1,850

$39

Average $43/hour

$46

	Annual Salary	Monthly Pay	Weekly Pay	Hourly Wage
75th Percentile	$96,184	$8,015	$1,850	$46
Average	$89,055	$7,421	$1,713	$43
25th Percentile	$80,265	$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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Healthcare

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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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