Architectural and Civil Drafter salary in Boston, MA
Based on 51 certified H-1B filings in the Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH metro area, FY2025–FY2026. Includes Cambridge, Somerville, Belmont, Lexington, Newton.
Also listed as: Architectural Drafter
Salary range
| Percentile | Salary |
|---|---|
| 10th | $61,000 |
| 25th | $65,771 |
| 50th (median) | $75,000 |
| 75th | $80,296 |
| 90th | $87,000 |
Salary by year
Median salary
Filings per year
Show as table
| Fiscal year | Median | P25 | P75 | Filings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2020 | $55,330 | $50,675 | $61,520 | 36 |
| FY2021 | $57,500 | $53,186 | $62,500 | 25 |
| FY2022 | $62,250 | $55,000 | $70,000 | 34 |
| FY2023 | $67,863 | $59,500 | $76,308 | 28 |
| FY2024 | $66,693 | $57,310 | $71,000 | 26 |
| FY2025 | $74,440 | $68,550 | $80,445 | 26 |
| FY2026 | $75,000 | $65,541 | $76,960 | 25 |
Cost of living
Boston's median Architectural and Civil Drafter salary of $75,000 is worth about $69,300 at national average prices.
Source: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024 (U.S. = 100; Boston = 108.3).
Compared with all workers here
All Architectural and Civil Drafters in the Boston, MA area earned a median of $79,310 in May 2025 (2,150 employed). The H-1B median here is $75,000, 5% lower.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS metropolitan area estimates. BLS wages include some incentive pay; H-1B figures are base salary.
Top employers filing
| Employer | Median | Filings |
|---|---|---|
| Payette Associates | $77,000 | 19 |
| Utile | too few | 5 |
| Howeler & Yoon Architecture | too few | 4 |
| Balance Architects | too few | 3 |
| Context | too few | 2 |
| Design Distill | too few | 2 |
| Turkel Design | too few | 2 |
Employers with at least 2 filings here. Median shown at 10+ filings.
By experience level
| Wage level | Median | Filings |
|---|---|---|
| Entry-level · Level I | – | 0 |
| Mid-level · Level II | $68,580 | 26 |
| Senior · Level III | $76,000 | 17 |
| Expert · Level IV | too few | 3 |
Median shown when a level has at least 10 filings.
Minimum H-1B salary by level
| Wage level | Prevailing wage (most common) | Median offered salary | Filings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mid-level · Level II | $65,541 | $68,580 | 26 |
| Senior · Level III | $70,200 | $76,000 | 17 |
The prevailing wage is the minimum an employer must pay for this job and area. Amounts vary by county within a metro and by wage source.