Design Drafter Salaries in California
How Much Does a Design Drafter Make in California?
Updated March 01, 2025
As of March 01, 2025,
the average annual pay of Design Drafter in California is $108,690.
While Salary.com is seeing that Design Drafter salary in CA can go up to $128,292
or down to $86,384, but most earn between $97,014 and $118,951.
Salary ranges can vary widely depending on many important factors,
including education, certifications, additional skills, and your experience levels.
With more online, real-time compensation data than any other website, Salary.com helps you determine your exact pay target.
Related Job Titles to Design Drafter
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Similar Job Salaries to Design Drafter by Company
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| Company | average base salary in (usd) | range |
|---|---|---|
|
347 Group
Design Drafter
|
$81,595/yr
|
RANGE: $73,159 - $90,031
|
|
Viavi Solutions
Design/Drafter
|
$81,521/yr
|
RANGE: $73,093 - $89,950
|
|
Enterprise Automation, A Tetra Tech Company
Experienced Drafter - Electrical Design
|
$81,595/yr
|
RANGE: $73,159 - $90,031
|
|
Applicantz
Computer Aided Design Drafter
|
$86,508/yr
|
RANGE: $77,678 - $95,339
|
|
The Mice Groups, Inc.
Computer Aided Design Drafter
|
$86,636/yr
|
RANGE: $78,001 - $95,272
|
|
DAHLIN Architecture | Planning | Interiors
Designer/Drafter - Interior Design
|
$80,560/yr
|
RANGE: $71,769 - $89,351
|
|
Babcock Power
Sr. Design Drafter Job at Babcock Power in Cerritos
|
$109,504/yr
|
RANGE: $99,301 - $119,707
|
Top 10 Highest Paying Cities For Design Drafter Jobs in California
It is important to understand how location impacts your career prospects in the United States.
There are some cities where a Design Drafter can find a job easily with a greater salary paid then achieve a higher standard of living.
Below is the top cities list for Design Drafter job salaries in California.
Some cities can pay higher salaries for Design Drafter jobs, which can indicate that there is a large demand for Design Drafter positions in this city.
The following table shows top 10 cities where the Design Drafter salary is higher than other cities in California.
San Jose takes first place in this list, followed by Santa Clara, Fremont.
The Design Drafter salary is $123,669 in San Jose,
which is higher than the national average. There are 76 cities' Design Drafter salary higher than national average in California.
The average salary for a Design Drafter in California is $108,690,
but we found that the city with the highest salary for Design Drafter jobs is San Jose, CA, and it is higher than Santa Clara.
Design Drafter jobs in San Jose can have the opportunity to earn higher salaries than in other cities in California.
| CITY | ANNUAL SALARY | MONTHLY PAY | WEEKLY PAY | HOURLY WAGE |
| San Jose | $123,669 | $10,306 | $2,378 | $59 |
| Santa Clara | $123,669 | $10,306 | $2,378 | $59 |
| Fremont | $123,472 | $10,289 | $2,374 | $59 |
| San Francisco | $123,176 | $10,265 | $2,369 | $59 |
| Daly City | $123,176 | $10,265 | $2,369 | $59 |
| Berkeley | $120,220 | $10,018 | $2,312 | $58 |
| Oakland | $120,220 | $10,018 | $2,312 | $58 |
| Hayward | $120,023 | $10,002 | $2,308 | $58 |
| Antioch | $113,519 | $9,460 | $2,183 | $55 |
| Vallejo | $110,858 | $9,238 | $2,132 | $53 |
What Does a Design Drafter Do?
Civil drafters prepare technical designs and topographical maps for local, state and federal government projects that include sewers, bridges and highways.
Updated November 07, 2021
To ensure success as a design drafter, you should be able to use design principles to create technical drawings that bring the engineer's or architect's ideas to life.
Updated December 21, 2021
To ensure success as an AutoCAD drafter, you should have extensive experience working with AutoCAD software, advanced design skills, and a keen eye for detail.
Updated December 18, 2021
However, computer-aided design (CAD) and building information modeling (BIM) technologies allow engineers and architects to perform many tasks that used to be done by drafters, which is expected to temper demand for all drafters.
Updated December 15, 2021
Drafters use computer software and manual sketches to convert the designs, plans, and layouts of engineers and architects into a set of technical drawings.
Updated December 05, 2021
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Explore JobArchitectFrequently Asked Questions About a Design Drafter Salaries
What is the average of a Design Drafter in California?
The Design Drafter salary range is from $97,014 to $118,951, and the average Design Drafter salary is $108,690/year in California.
The Design Drafter's salary will change in different locations.
Which location pays the highest Design Drafter salary in the United States?
The Design Drafter salary in San Jose, CA is $123,669
which is the highest in the US.
What kinds of reasons will influence the Design Drafter's salary?
Besides the location, employees' education degree, related skills, and work experience also will influence the salary.
Try to improve your skills and experience to get a higher salary for the position of Design Drafter.
What is the growth rate of the Design Drafter's salary?
If you are thinking of becoming a Design Drafter or planning the next step in your career, find the detailed salary report of a Design Drafter.
