Freelance Cad Designer Salary in the United States
How much does a Freelance Cad Designer make in the United States?
As of September 01, 2026, the average salary for a Freelance Cad Designer in the United States is $58,600 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $28.
However, a Freelance Cad Designer's salary can vary significantly. Here’s a look at the typical salary range:
Top Earners (90th percentile): $71,148
Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $51,347 to $65,168
Key Factors That Influence Freelance Cad Designer Salaries
A Freelance Cad Designer's salary isn't a fixed number. It's shaped by several important factors.
Below, we'll explore how geographic location, education
and company size
can directly affect your earning potential.
How Do Freelance Cad Designer 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 Freelance Cad Designers. For example, consider the average annual salaries in these key locations:
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: $73,913
San Francisco: $73,103
Oakland: $71,563
San Jose, CA$73,913
San Francisco, CA$73,103
Oakland, CA$71,563
New York, NY$67,472
Paramus, NJ$66,651
Queens Village, NY$66,648
Passaic, NJ$66,593
Bergenfield, NJ$66,588
Stamford, CT$66,459
Huntington, NY$66,435
Newark, NJ$66,002
Bridgeport, CT$65,878
Vallejo, CA$65,761
New Brunswick, NJ$65,738
Petaluma, CA$65,703
Middlesex, NJ$65,591
Somerset, NJ$65,550
Santa Cruz, CA$65,474
Boston, MA$65,117
Monterey, CA$64,911
Seattle, WA$64,777
Santa Rosa, CA$64,765
Los Angeles, CA$64,747
Juneau, AK$64,595
Washington, DC$64,531
Orange, CA$64,322
Santa Ana, CA$64,167
Long Beach, CA$64,109
Anaheim, CA$64,097
Anchorage, AK$64,068
Santa Maria, CA$63,892
Everett, WA$63,880
Danbury, CT$63,674
Bremerton, WA$63,593
Tacoma, WA$63,382
New Suffolk, NY$63,381
Sacramento, CA$63,365
Santa Barbara, CA$63,300
Trenton, NJ$63,236
San Diego, CA$63,236
Brockton, MA$63,171
Fairbanks, AK$63,028
Lompoc, CA$62,878
Lowell, MA$62,831
Ventura, CA$62,820
Nashua, NH$62,808
Stockton, CA$62,802
Modesto, CA$62,374
Poughkeepsie, NY$62,245
Olympia, WA$62,134
Kennewick, WA$62,134
New Haven, CT$62,110
Lawrence, MA$61,899
Hartford, CT$61,841
Riverside, CA$61,829
New Bedford, MA$61,771
Richland, WA$61,771
Bakersfield, CA$61,689
San Bernardino, CA$61,665
New Britain, CT$61,659
Atlantic City, NJ$61,659
New London, CT$61,636
Norwich, CT$61,618
Portsmouth, NH$61,606
Boulder, CO$61,482
Portland, OR$61,401
Worcester, MA$61,396
Minneapolis, MN$61,214
Philadelphia, PA$61,132
Honolulu, HI$60,938
Saint Paul, MN$60,910
Vineland, NJ$60,897
Providence, RI$60,727
Chicago, IL$60,558
Bellingham, WA$60,487
Springfield, MA$60,440
Baltimore, MD$60,423
Chico, CA$60,276
Pittsfield, MA$60,118
Manchester, NH$60,007
Spokane, WA$59,749
Denver, CO$59,743
Albany, NY$59,468
Troy, NY$59,444
Nassau, NY$59,381
Schenectady, NY$59,321
Wilmington, DE$59,274
Burlington, VT$59,192
Salem, OR$59,169
Portland, ME$58,987
Yakima, WA$58,928
Rochester, MN$58,747
Reno, NV$58,718
Fresno, CA$58,718
Milwaukee, WI$58,665
Detroit, MI$58,606
Ann Arbor, MI$58,596
Allentown, PA$58,589
Colorado Springs, CO$58,489
Syracuse, NY$58,460
Carson City, NV$58,460
Houston, TX$58,378
Eugene, OR$58,348
Gary, IN$58,278
Springfield, OR$58,231
Bismarck, ND$58,219
Galveston, TX$58,178
Medford, OR$58,090
Fort Collins, CO$58,067
Concord, NH$58,038
Austin, TX$58,020
Mesa, AZ$57,897
Reading, PA$57,891
Phoenix, AZ$57,885
Dallas, TX$57,868
Saint Cloud, MN$57,812
Madison, WI$57,733
Utica, NY$57,575
Rochester, NY$57,481
Des Moines, IA$57,475
Raleigh, NC$57,469
Atlanta, GA$57,381
Battle Creek, MI$57,364
Salt Lake City, UT$57,346
Lancaster, PA$57,258
Harrisburg, PA$57,176
Kansas City, MO$57,118
Champaign, IL$57,106
Kansas City, KS$57,106
Fort Worth, TX$57,100
Columbus, OH$57,090
Boca Raton, FL$57,077
Pittsburgh, PA$57,053
Richmond, VA$57,030
Indianapolis, IN$57,018
Cleveland, OH$57,012
Las Vegas, NV$56,942
Cincinnati, OH$56,942
Petersburg, VA$56,854
Huntsville, AL$56,766
Lansing, MI$56,727
Lebanon, PA$56,719
Pueblo, CO$56,713
Appleton, WI$56,696
Buffalo, NY$56,672
Dayton, OH$56,655
Racine, WI$56,643
Charlotte, NC$56,637
Saint Louis, MO$56,620
York, PA$56,584
Elkhart, IN$56,584
Gastonia, NC$56,573
Billings, MT$56,559
Beaumont, TX$56,543
Lorain, OH$56,532
Benton Harbor, MI$56,520
Toledo, OH$56,508
Binghamton, NY$56,479
Rock Hill, SC$56,473
Rockford, IL$56,444
Springfield, IL$56,420
Elyria, OH$56,415
Fargo, ND$56,415
Flagstaff, AZ$56,373
Fort Lauderdale, FL$56,338
Duluth, MN$56,303
Miami, FL$56,303
Cheyenne, WY$56,262
Grand Forks, ND$56,262
Bangor, ME$56,133
Cedar Rapids, IA$56,069
Durham, NC$56,044
Louisville, KY$56,039
Grand Rapids, MI$56,028
Hialeah, FL$56,022
Casper, WY$55,940
Scranton, PA$55,870
New Orleans, LA$55,852
Virginia Beach, VA$55,846
Akron, OH$55,817
Peoria, IL$55,741
Sarasota, FL$55,729
Nashville, TN$55,688
Omaha, NE$55,688
Green Bay, WI$55,688
Baton Rouge, LA$55,659
Charleston, SC$55,647
Jamestown, NY$55,618
Davenport, IA$55,618
Tucson, AZ$55,588
Saint Petersburg, FL$55,553
Tampa, FL$55,541
Evansville, IN$55,506
Port Arthur, TX$55,506
Bradenton, FL$55,483
Santa Fe, NM$55,377
Orlando, FL$55,272
Clearwater, FL$55,254
Canton, OH$55,131
La Crosse, WI$55,131
Albuquerque, NM$55,096
Newport News, VA$55,090
High Point, NC$55,073
Ogden, UT$55,049
Corpus Christi, TX$55,002
Norfolk, VA$54,967
Laramie, WY$54,967
Rock Island, IL$54,932
Saginaw, MI$54,920
Jacksonville, FL$54,914
Salisbury, NC$54,903
Boise, ID$54,891
Moline, IL$54,862
Fort Myers, FL$54,844
Memphis, TN$54,832
Tulsa, OK$54,803
Waterloo, IA$54,768
Spartanburg, SC$54,709
Lincoln, NE$54,680
Fort Wayne, IN$54,668
Provo, UT$54,662
Cedar Falls, IA$54,592
San Antonio, TX$54,569
Greensboro, NC$54,545
South Bend, IN$54,539
Savannah, GA$54,475
Muskegon, MI$54,451
Birmingham, AL$54,446
Winston Salem, NC$54,417
Lake Charles, LA$54,276
Anderson, IN$54,264
Lexington, KY$54,246
Augusta, GA$54,229
Greenville, SC$54,229
Lima, OH$54,182
Wichita, KS$54,176
Tuscaloosa, AL$54,176
Columbia, SC$54,123
Springfield, OH$54,112
Asheville, NC$54,018
Bloomington, IN$53,977
Knoxville, TN$53,766
Shreveport, LA$53,760
Wilmington, NC$53,684
Roanoke, VA$53,684
Topeka, KS$53,578
Frankfort, KY$53,572
Oklahoma City, OK$53,531
Chillicothe, OH$53,508
Longview, TX$53,502
Melbourne, FL$53,496
Sioux Falls, SD$53,402
Mobile, AL$53,397
Terre Haute, IN$53,373
Altoona, PA$53,338
Amarillo, TX$53,297
Killeen, TX$53,279
Fayetteville, AR$53,233
Chattanooga, TN$53,215
Sioux City, IA$53,162
Idaho Falls, ID$53,150
Lynchburg, VA$53,104
Gainesville, FL$53,027
Portsmouth, OH$52,998
Little Rock, AR$52,986
Lafayette, LA$52,963
Youngstown, OH$52,963
Daytona Beach, FL$52,928
Clarksville, TN$52,922
Pensacola, FL$52,916
Temple, TX$52,912
Hopkinsville, KY$52,740
Erie, PA$52,729
Florence, SC$52,705
Charleston, WV$52,611
Great Falls, MT$52,582
Macon, GA$52,500
Tallahassee, FL$52,494
Fayetteville, NC$52,482
Waco, TX$52,471
Helena, MT$52,430
Pine Bluff, AR$52,407
Vincennes, IN$52,336
Lubbock, TX$52,312
Alamogordo, NM$52,277
Twin Falls, ID$52,225
Rapid City, SD$52,207
Jackson, MS$52,102
Huntington, WV$52,097
Greenville, MS$52,096
Parkersburg, WV$52,036
Montgomery, AL$52,025
Wichita Falls, TX$51,967
Springfield, MO$51,967
Biloxi, MS$51,937
Monroe, LA$51,879
Johnstown, PA$51,838
Sumter, SC$51,814
Columbus, GA$51,809
Pascagoula, MS$51,697
Abilene, TX$51,697
Kingsport, TN$51,545
Albany, GA$51,545
Gulfport, MS$51,527
Alexandria, LA$51,334
Fort Smith, AR$51,187
El Paso, TX$51,029
Las Cruces, NM$50,765
Harlingen, TX$50,617
Pocatello, ID$50,607
Florence, AL$50,531
Brownsville, TX$50,519
Mcallen, TX$50,396
Dothan, AL$50,314
Columbus, MS$49,966
Altus, OK$49,693
Lawton, OK$49,582
Pierre, SD$49,371
What Skills Can Increase a Freelance Cad Designer's Salary?
Demanded Skills for the Role:
Troubleshooting (Mentioned in 7.01% 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.
Schematic (Mentioned in 3.03% Job Postings): A schematic, or schematic diagram, is a representation of the elements of a system using abstract, graphic symbols rather than realistic pictures.
Land Surveying (Mentioned in 1.77% Job Postings): Gathering details through observations, measurements in the field, and data analysis to identify existing conditions and boundaries of a property.
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 Freelance Cad Designer's salary.
Project Management: Can increase your salary by up to 8%.
Design Engineering: Can increase your salary by up to 7%.
Time Management: Can increase your salary by up to 6%.
Freelance Cad Designer Salary by Industry: Top Paying Sectors
For Freelance Cad Designer 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 Software & Networking and Energy & Utilities
sectors offer the strongest compensation, at 25% above the average.
In contrast, Freelance Cad Designer positions in Transportation or Hospitality & Leisure typically offer lower base pay,
as these industries often view Freelance Cad Designer as a support function rather than a direct revenue driver.
The top paying industries for a Freelance Cad Designer
Industry Sector
Average Annual Salary
Average Hourly Rate
Pay vs.Avg
Software & Networking
$73,250
$35.0
25%
Energy & Utilities
$70,320
$34.0
20%
Financial Services
$70,320
$34.0
20%
Insurance
$67,390
$32.0
15%
Pharmaceuticals
$67,390
$32.0
15%
How Education impacts a Freelance Cad Designer's Salary?
Your level of education can impact your salary potential.
While many Freelance Cad Designers 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 Freelance Cad Designer with a No Diploma is between
$56,770
and $60,254).
Understanding how a Freelance Cad Designer'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.
Hourly
Monthly
Weekly
Yearly
Table View
Last Updated on September 01, 2026
$51,347
Average$58,600/year
$65,168
$4,279
Average$4,883/month
$5,431
$987
Average$1,127/week
$1,253
$25
Average$28/hour
$31
Annual Salary
Monthly Pay
Weekly Pay
Hourly Wage
75th Percentile
$65,168
$5,431
$1,253
$31
Average
$58,600
$4,883
$1,127
$28
25th Percentile
$51,347
$4,279
$987
$25
Salaries of Jobs related to Freelance Cad Designer
Salaries for a Freelance Cad Designer can change over time,
reflecting shifts in market demand and the overall economy.
The median salary decreased from $53,785 in 2023
to around $53,324 in 2025,
reflecting changes in demand, location, experience, and the wider economy.
For a detailed analysis of Freelance Cad Designer salary trends,
.
Average Annual Salary of Freelance Cad Designer Over Time
$???
$53,785
$53,706
$53,324
$???
$???
2022
2023
2024
2025
2026
2027
Year
Average Annual Salary
2022
View More
2023
$53,785
2024
$53,706
2025
$53,324
2026
View More
2027
View More
Most common benefits for Freelance Cad Designer
Social Security
401 (k)
Disability
Healthcare
Pension
Time Off (days)
Common company salaries for Freelance Cad Designer
Here are companies hiring for Freelance Cad Designer and their salaries, click below for more details.
C$128,509/per year
C R Bard IncBiotechnologythe United States
H$124,697/per year
Henry Schein CanadaBiotechnologythe United States
N$123,899/per year
Nordex IncBiotechnologythe United States
N$120,416/per year
Nipro CorpBiotechnologythe United States
E$115,870/per year
EnovisBiotechnologythe United States
A$114,553/per year
Advanced Research Projects Agency - EnergyBiotechnologythe United States
M$112,110/per year
MiniMed IncBiotechnologythe United States
L$111,500/per year
Labcorp Drug DevelopmentBiotechnologythe United States
L$110,229/per year
Life Technologies CorpBiotechnologythe United States
Z$106,224/per year
Zimmer BiometBiotechnologythe United States
P$103,077/per year
Promontory TherapeuticsBiotechnologythe United States
S$102,181/per year
Steris PLCBiotechnologythe United States
G$97,274/per year
Gavin Conferences Pty LtdBiotechnologythe United States
E$94,764/per year
Endeavor BioMedicinesBiotechnologythe United States
R$94,402/per year
Replay Holdings LLCBiotechnologythe United States
P$94,235/per year
Pleno IncBiotechnologythe United States
S$93,666/per year
Simulaids IncBiotechnologythe United States
N$88,880/per year
NOIRLab/CASBiotechnologythe United States
O$86,468/per year
Onward TechnologyBiotechnologythe United States
L$84,895/per year
LED Medical Diagnostics IncBiotechnologythe United States
E$84,682/per year
Eyeco LtdBiotechnologythe United States
P$84,523/per year
PaerosolBiotechnologythe United States
I$83,525/per year
IONIQ Sciences IncBiotechnologythe United States
S$82,815/per year
Stateside PPEBiotechnologythe United States
D$82,041/per year
Digi BioBiotechnologythe United States
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FAQ about Freelance Cad Designer
1. What industry pays the highest salary for Freelance Cad Designer?
The Software & Networking industry offers the highest average compensation for Freelance Cad Designer roles,
with salaries approximately 25% above the market median.
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.
