Architectural and Civil Drafter salary
From 544 certified H-1B filings (FY2025–FY2026). Base salary only.
- Occupation code 17-3011: Architectural and Civil Drafters
- Also filed as: Architectural Drafter
At a glance
- Mostly Level II (mid-level). 37% of Architectural and Civil Drafter filings are Level II, compared with 42% across all H-1B filings.
- Top filer: Payette Associates. 19 filings (3% of the total), median $77,000.
- Median up 29% since FY2020. From $56,160 in FY2020 to $72,301 in FY2026 (Q1–Q3). Nominal, not adjusted for inflation.
Architectural and Civil Drafter H-1B salary overview
Employers filed 544 certified H-1B Labor Condition Applications for Architectural and Civil Drafter jobs in FY2025–FY2026 (occupation code 17-3011, Architectural and Civil Drafters). The median base salary is $71,899, 41% below the median for all H-1B filings ($122,699), and half of the filings fall between $63,773 and $80,000. The most common wage level is Level II (mid-level), at 37% of filings. New York, NY has the most filings (117), and Payette Associates is the employer that files the most (19).
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Percentiles from certified H-1B filings, base salary only. Metro areas with at least 10 filings.
Top employers for Architectural and Civil Drafter
Employers with the most Architectural and Civil Drafter filings. Bar: share of all Architectural and Civil Drafter filings. Figure: median base salary.
Pay by level
Entry-level · 19% of filings
Mid-level · 37% of filings
Senior · 27% of filings
Expert · 18% of filings
Show the table
By experience level
| Wage level | Median | Filings |
|---|---|---|
| Level I · Entry | $60,000 | 101 |
| Level II · Qualified | $68,000 | 201 |
| Level III · Experienced | $76,045 | 144 |
| Level IV · Fully competent | $89,752 | 97 |
Median shown when a level has at least 10 filings.
Architectural and Civil Drafter pay by city
Median base salary in each metro area. Rent: HUD Fair Market Rent, FY2027.
Show all 10 metro areas
| Metro area | Median | Filings |
|---|---|---|
| New York, NY | $75,000 | 117 |
| Los Angeles, CA | $72,218 | 64 |
| Boston, MA | $75,000 | 51 |
| San Francisco, CA | $79,976 | 31 |
| Atlanta, GA | $76,149 | 27 |
| Chicago, IL | $70,000 | 21 |
| Dallas, TX | $67,400 | 16 |
| Phoenix, AZ | $65,437 | 15 |
| San Jose, CA | $78,354 | 14 |
| Washington, DC | $75,124 | 10 |
Metro areas with at least 10 filings for this occupation.
What a Architectural and Civil Drafter does
Prepare detailed drawings of architectural and structural features of buildings or drawings and topographical relief maps used in civil engineering projects, such as highways, bridges, and public works. Use knowledge of building materials, engineering practices, and mathematics to complete drawings.
Typical tasks
- Produce drawings, using computer-assisted drafting systems (CAD) or drafting machines, or by hand, using compasses, dividers, protractors, triangles, and other drafting devices.
- Analyze building codes, by-laws, space and site requirements, and other technical documents and reports to determine their effect on architectural designs.
- Draw rough and detailed scale plans for foundations, buildings, and structures, based on preliminary concepts, sketches, engineering calculations, specification sheets, and other data.
- Coordinate structural, electrical, and mechanical designs and determine a method of presentation to graphically represent building plans.
- Explain drawings to production or construction teams and provide adjustments as necessary.
- Obtain and assemble data to complete architectural designs, visiting job sites to compile measurements as necessary.
Preparation
Job Zone Three: Medium Preparation Needed. Most occupations in this zone require training in vocational schools, related on-the-job experience, or an associate's degree.
O*NET occupation: Architectural and Civil Drafters (17-3011.00). This section includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA), used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA.
H-1B pay vs. all U.S. workers
Across all U.S. workers in this occupation (Architectural and Civil Drafters), the median annual wage was $66,150 in May 2025, with 103,700 people employed. The median H-1B base salary in FY2025–FY2026 is $71,899, 9% higher.
| H-1B filings | All U.S. workers (BLS, May 2025) | |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $56,160 | $46,260 |
| 25th percentile | $63,773 | $55,650 |
| Median | $71,899 | $66,150 |
| 75th percentile | $80,000 | $80,870 |
| 90th percentile | $90,350 | $99,710 |
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS). BLS wages cover all wage and salary workers and include some incentive pay; H-1B figures are the base salary offered on certified LCAs. The two sources cover different periods. BLS reports wages of $239,200 or more as a single top value.
Salary details
Salary range
| Percentile | Salary |
|---|---|
| 10th | $56,160 |
| 25th | $63,773 |
| 50th (median) | $71,899 |
| 75th | $80,000 |
| 90th | $90,350 |
Salary by year
Median salary
Filings per year
Show as table
| Fiscal year | Median | P25 | P75 | Filings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2020 | $56,160 | $50,274 | $63,000 | 589 |
| FY2021 | $57,824 | $52,000 | $65,021 | 391 |
| FY2022 | $62,000 | $54,371 | $70,000 | 413 |
| FY2023 | $66,500 | $59,750 | $75,000 | 271 |
| FY2024 | $66,700 | $58,000 | $75,319 | 259 |
| FY2025 | $70,500 | $60,008 | $80,000 | 291 |
| FY2026 | $72,301 | $65,000 | $80,000 | 253 |
Questions
How much does an H-1B Architectural and Civil Drafter make?
The median base salary in certified H-1B filings for Architectural and Civil Drafter jobs is $71,899 (544 filings, FY2025–FY2026). Half of the filings are between $63,773 and $80,000.
What does an entry-level Architectural and Civil Drafter earn on an H-1B?
Level I (entry-level) filings have a median of $60,000. Level I accounts for 19% of Architectural and Civil Drafter filings.
Which employers file the most H-1B applications for Architectural and Civil Drafters?
Payette Associates (19), Design Workshop (16) and Woolpert (11) filed the most Architectural and Civil Drafter LCAs in FY2025–FY2026.
Do H-1B Architectural and Civil Drafters earn more than other U.S. workers in the same job?
The H-1B median base salary ($71,899) is 9% higher than the median wage of all U.S. workers in this occupation ($66,150, BLS May 2025). The sources measure pay differently, so treat this as a rough comparison.