How much does a Construction Drafter make in the United States?
As of July 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): $102,669
Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $80,268 to $96,181
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): $74,055
Mid-Level (2-4 years): $89,665
Senior-Level (5-8 years): $115,882
Expert (over 8 years): $135,776
Levels
Salary
CAD Draft... Level Construction Drafter
$65,045
CAD Draft... Level Construction Drafter
$74,055
Construct... Level Construction Drafter
$89,665
CAD Draft... Level Construction Drafter
$115,882
CAD Draft... Level Construction Drafter
$135,776
$65,0450 yr
$74,055< 2 yrs
$89,6652-4 yrs
$115,8825-8 yrs
$135,776> 8 yrs
View as Table
View as Graph
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%
Get Latest Data
Construction Drafter Salary by Industry: Top Paying Sectors
For Construction Drafter 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, Construction Drafter positions in Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit or Construction typically offer lower base pay,
as these industries often view Construction Drafter as a support function rather than a direct revenue driver.
The top paying industries for a Construction Drafter
Industry Sector
Average Annual Salary
Average Hourly Rate
Pay vs.Avg
Transportation
$115,772
$56.0
30%
Energy & Utilities
$97,961
$47.0
10%
Financial Services
$97,961
$47.0
10%
Software & Networking
$96,180
$46.0
8%
Biotechnology
$93,508
$45.0
5%
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 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
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.
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
Social Security
401(k)
Disability
Healthcare
Pension
Time Off (days)
For Employers
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Compensation Planning
Common company salaries for Construction Drafter
Here are companies hiring for Construction Drafter 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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