What is the Salary of a Drafting Engineer?
Drafting engineers, also called drafters, use their engineering skills to draw up the outlines for various architectural, electrical and mechanical projects. Read on to learn the salaries of different types of drafting engineers.
Career Options
Drafting engineers use drawings, sketches and computer-aided design and drafting (CADD) programs to produce the blueprints needed to construct buildings and products. If you choose to enter this field, you can become a civil and architectural drafter, an electrical and electronics drafter or a mechanical drafter. Your salary will vary depending on which specialization you choose.
<h3 id="section---ImportantFactsAboutDraftingEngineers"> Important Facts About Drafting Engineers</h3><p></p><table border="1"><tr><td> Required Education </td><td> Associate's degree</td></tr>
<tr><td> Professional Certification </td><td> Available through the American Design Drafting Association (ADDA)</td></tr>
<tr><td> Key Skills </td><td> Attention to detail, critical and technical thinking, interpersonal, mathematical foundation, time management</td></tr>
<tr><td> Similar Occupations </td><td> Architects, civil engineering technicians, electrical and electronics engineering technicians, industrial designers, landscape architects, mechanical engineers, surveyors</td></tr>
</table><h3 id="section---ArchitecturalAndCivilDrafters"> Architectural and Civil Drafters</h3><p>A civil or architectural drafter aids in the creation of a number of civil engineering projects. If you enter this career, you can help construct roads, bridges, houses and city buildings. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) stated that these professionals earned an average wage of $60,620 in May 2021 (<i>www.bls.gov</i>). The bottom ten percent of architectural and civil drafters earned $37,370 or less per year, while the top ten percent of professionals made $80,560 or more a year.
</p><h3 id="section---SalaryByIndustry"> Salary by Industry</h3><p>Most architectural and civil drafters were employed by architectural or engineering services and made an average yearly wage of $61,030 as of May 2021, according to BLS statistics. Building equipment contractors were also popular employers for drafters and paid them a higher average annual salary of $63,590.
</p><h3 id="section---SalaryByLocation"> Salary by Location</h3><p>The BLS reported that California, which offered an average wage of $66,140, had the highest architectural and civil drafter employment level in May 2021. The District of Columbia offered the highest average salary of $75,980. The lowest-paid workers earned between $33,550 and $53,810 on average. They worked in locations that included Idaho, Utah and South Dakota.
</p><h3 id="section---ElectricalAndElectronicsDrafters"> Electrical and Electronics Drafters</h3><p>If you become an electrical or electronics drafter, you'll help design the electrical wiring systems needed for buildings, devices or tools. According to BLS statistics from May 2021, the average salary for these professionals was $67,090. The bottom ten percent of electrical and electronics drafters made $38,120 or less per year, while the top ten percent of professionals earned $99,210 or more annually.
</p><h3 id="section---SalaryByIndustry-2"> Salary by Industry</h3><p>The BLS reported that most electrical and electronics drafters worked for architectural and engineering services and made a mean yearly wage of $62,430, as of May 2021. Building equipment contractors were also common employers, paying professionals an average salary of $65,690 per year.
</p><h3 id="section---SalaryByLocation-2"> Salary by Location</h3><p>California, which had the highest electrical and electronics drafter employment level in May 2021, offered professionals an average wage of $73,150, according to the BLS. District of Columbia, on the other hand, offered the highest average wage of $81,650. Kansas, Alabama, Louisiana and Tennessee were some of the states with the lowest average earnings, which ranged from $32,640-$59,070.
</p><h3 id="section---MechanicalDrafters">Mechanical Drafters</h3><p>Mechanical drafters help plan the production of various pieces of machinery, such as cars, tools and household products. If you're interested in this job, the BLS stated that the average salary was $62,650 in May 2021. The 10th-90th percentile salary range for mechanical drafters was $37,590-$95,860 per year.
</p><h3 id="section---SalaryByIndustry-3"> Salary by Industry</h3><p>As with the other drafting occupations, most mechanical drafters were employed by architectural or engineering services. The BLS reported that these workers made an average yearly salary of $60,360 as of May 2021. Many also worked in the architectural and structural metals manufacturing industry and earned a mean wage of $65,680 annually.
</p><h3 id="section---SalaryByLocation-3"> Salary by Location</h3><p>According to the BLS, California had the highest mechanical drafter employment level in May 2021 and offered these professionals an average wage of $71,550. Louisiana offered the highest average wage of $76,520. South Dakota, Idaho, and Nevada were included in the lowest-paying states, with average salaries ranging from $38,150-$56,840.</p>