Architectural and Civil Drafter salary in San Jose, CA
Based on 14 certified H-1B filings in the San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA metro area, FY2025–FY2026. Includes Cupertino, Mountain View, Sunnyvale.
Also listed as: Architectural Drafter
Salary range
| Percentile | Salary |
|---|---|
| 10th | $76,706 |
| 25th | $78,354 |
| 50th (median) | $78,354 |
| 75th | $82,400 |
| 90th | $93,496 |
Salary by year
Median salary
Filings per year
Show as table
| Fiscal year | Median | P25 | P75 | Filings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2020 | $72,000 | $65,000 | $90,000 | 17 |
| FY2021 | $66,925 | $57,491 | $75,250 | 16 |
| FY2022 | – | – | – | 2 |
| FY2023 | $70,000 | $61,500 | $74,803 | 12 |
| FY2024 | – | – | – | 9 |
| FY2025 | – | – | – | 4 |
| FY2026 | $78,354 | $78,354 | $90,122 | 10 |
Cost of living
San Jose's median Architectural and Civil Drafter salary of $78,354 is worth about $71,000 at national average prices.
Source: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024 (U.S. = 100; San Jose = 110.4).
Compared with all workers here
All Architectural and Civil Drafters in the San Jose, CA area earned a median of $82,820 in May 2025 (610 employed). The H-1B median here is $78,354, 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Alignment Architects | too few | 6 |
| Apex Homes | too few | 2 |
| Mogul Stones | 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 | $78,354 | 10 |
| Senior · Level III | too few | 2 |
| Expert · Level IV | – | 0 |
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 | $78,354 | $78,354 | 10 |
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.