The national median salary for drafters, all other is $63,520, with a salary spread of $55,960 from the 10th to 90th percentile -- a 88% range that reflects differences in experience, location, and industry. The mean salary of $68,250 is higher than the median, indicating that top earners pull the average upward. The highest-paying metro area is San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA, where the median reaches $90,850.
| City | Median | P25 | P75 | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| San Jose, CA | $90,850 | $72,090 | $101,060 | 80 |
| San Francisco, CA | $82,360 | $70,370 | $100,320 | 170 |
| New York, NY-NJ | $81,220 | $65,150 | $109,910 | 550 |
| Milwaukee, WI | $80,470 | $79,590 | $92,690 | -- |
| Detroit, MI | $79,960 | $61,720 | $91,900 | 180 |
| Sacramento, CA | $78,020 | $62,150 | $93,540 | 100 |
| Baton Rouge, LA | $77,020 | $59,820 | $100,930 | 320 |
| Virginia Beach, VA-NC | $76,330 | $57,870 | $82,880 | 50 |
| Fresno, CA | $75,150 | $61,800 | $97,640 | 40 |
| Providence, RI-MA | $75,090 | $66,030 | $82,320 | 40 |
| Boulder, CO | $74,630 | $61,870 | $102,800 | 60 |
| Alexandria, LA | $74,540 | $61,980 | $83,820 | 50 |
| Boston, MA-NH | $74,380 | $62,870 | $90,240 | 130 |
| San Diego, CA | $73,880 | $63,230 | $88,940 | 140 |
| Los Angeles, CA | $73,840 | $61,850 | $87,040 | 690 |
| Hartford, CT | $73,100 | $57,320 | $83,970 | 50 |
| Salt Lake City, UT | $73,080 | $53,670 | $86,100 | 80 |
| Seattle, WA | $72,990 | $63,200 | $85,120 | 330 |
| Missoula, MT | $72,520 | $59,450 | $75,950 | 30 |
| Lake Charles, LA | $71,690 | $50,780 | $119,190 | 60 |
| Phoenix, AZ | $70,320 | $52,640 | $85,750 | 330 |
| Tucson, AZ | $69,810 | $52,170 | $79,390 | 50 |
| Modesto, CA | $68,850 | $56,460 | $81,070 | 30 |
| Syracuse, NY | $68,500 | $56,070 | $74,920 | 30 |
| Memphis, TN-MS-AR | $68,020 | $59,820 | $88,120 | 30 |
| Nashville, TN | $67,770 | $54,240 | $79,040 | 50 |
| Oxnard, CA | $67,670 | $60,450 | $93,080 | 40 |
| Denver, CO | $67,320 | $61,470 | $80,670 | 150 |
| Richmond, VA | $66,710 | $59,510 | $78,500 | 30 |
| Grand Rapids, MI | $66,240 | $61,630 | $88,880 | 50 |
| Stockton, CA | $66,010 | $56,160 | $79,850 | 40 |
| New Orleans, LA | $65,870 | $52,290 | $82,800 | 180 |
| Austin, TX | $64,490 | $53,370 | $76,800 | 240 |
| Billings, MT | $64,490 | $51,380 | $76,950 | 40 |
| Riverside, CA | $64,330 | $59,380 | $77,480 | 160 |
| Ogden, UT | $63,780 | $49,490 | $83,610 | 30 |
| Minneapolis, MN-WI | $63,540 | $55,480 | $83,530 | 110 |
| Raleigh, NC | $63,330 | $49,220 | $73,790 | 40 |
| Bozeman, MT | $63,200 | $63,200 | $77,380 | 100 |
| Des Moines, IA | $62,840 | $58,180 | $63,820 | 70 |
| Portland, OR-WA | $62,610 | $48,780 | $78,130 | 450 |
| Atlanta, GA | $62,500 | $48,150 | $82,300 | 380 |
| St. Louis, MO-IL | $62,500 | $50,100 | $75,420 | 130 |
| Kansas City, MO-KS | $62,410 | $51,520 | $79,040 | 130 |
| Las Vegas, NV | $62,400 | $58,990 | $73,730 | 150 |
| Buffalo, NY | $62,080 | $52,120 | $73,230 | 90 |
| Charlotte, NC-SC | $61,800 | $50,730 | $69,060 | 80 |
| Rochester, NY | $61,530 | $53,500 | $76,000 | 50 |
| Davenport, IA-IL | $61,360 | $61,360 | $61,440 | 40 |
| Slidell, LA | $61,260 | $60,630 | $79,710 | 100 |
| Dallas, TX | $61,200 | $49,050 | $76,520 | 700 |
| Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN | $60,950 | $53,050 | $61,910 | 40 |
| San Antonio, TX | $60,950 | $48,360 | $64,590 | 190 |
| Houston, TX | $60,820 | $47,120 | $76,840 | 690 |
| Jacksonville, FL | $60,600 | $51,410 | $74,830 | 50 |
| Olympia, WA | $60,600 | $60,600 | $69,120 | 40 |
| Miami, FL | $60,520 | $51,930 | $75,290 | 160 |
| San Juan, PR | $60,310 | $50,160 | $62,650 | 60 |
| Lafayette, LA | $60,270 | $47,220 | $90,990 | 130 |
| Houma, LA | $59,970 | $48,860 | $79,940 | 80 |
| Tampa, FL | $59,970 | $54,060 | $74,080 | 130 |
| Orlando, FL | $59,810 | $44,200 | $83,220 | 80 |
| North Port, FL | $59,520 | $40,630 | $76,680 | 30 |
| Washington, DC-VA-MD-WV | $59,300 | $47,390 | $91,720 | 150 |
| Longview, TX | $58,900 | $46,360 | $76,000 | 30 |
| Philadelphia, PA-NJ-DE-MD | $58,810 | $52,350 | $77,730 | 170 |
| Salem, OR | $58,800 | $48,030 | $64,380 | 40 |
| Cleveland, OH | $58,690 | $51,100 | $79,010 | 30 |
| Lincoln, NE | $58,690 | $28,080 | $59,790 | 40 |
| Omaha, NE-IA | $58,650 | $44,940 | $69,380 | 50 |
| Lubbock, TX | $58,430 | $45,280 | $60,320 | 40 |
| Baltimore, MD | $57,940 | $45,760 | $70,040 | 70 |
| El Paso, TX | $56,420 | $46,390 | $57,830 | 30 |
| Green Bay, WI | $56,280 | $54,290 | $67,060 | 40 |
| Columbus, OH | $55,630 | $43,310 | $66,250 | 70 |
| College Station, TX | $55,590 | $40,910 | $61,680 | 30 |
| Lancaster, PA | $55,560 | $47,840 | $64,180 | 30 |
| Chicago, IL-IN | $53,300 | $48,790 | $79,420 | 120 |
| Tyler, TX | $51,100 | $39,610 | $59,230 | 30 |
| Eugene, OR | $50,130 | $46,070 | $59,720 | 80 |
| Bakersfield, CA | $47,860 | $47,840 | $57,200 | -- |
| Chattanooga, TN-GA | $37,750 | $36,180 | $65,370 | 40 |
| Knoxville, TN | $34,620 | $21,190 | $61,040 | 140 |
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, May 2025 OEWS. This data reflects occupational employment and wage estimates and may not capture total compensation including equity, bonuses, or benefits.