National Salary Info » Architectural and Civil Drafters

Highest Paying Industries for Architectural and Civil Drafters

The top 100 highest paying industries for architectural and civil drafters (ranked by average annual salary) are listed in Table 1. The entry level salary (as measured by the salary of the lowest 10% paid earners) and the number of employment in those industries are also shown. As shown in the table, with an average annual salary of $81,860, transportation and warehousing is the highest paying industry for architectural and civil drafters. It is followed by research and development in the physical, engineering, and life sciences industry (average annual salary $76,210). The salary and employment information is computed from data published by U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics in May 2015 [1]. For more information about salaries of architectural and civil drafters in a specific industry, use the links in the table.

Table 1. 100 Highest Paying Industries for Architectural and Civil Drafters

Rank	Industry	Average Salary i	Entry Level Salary i	# of Empl. i
1	Transportation and Warehousing	$81,860	$36,690	30
2	Research and Development in the Physical, Engineering, and Life Sciences	$76,210	$60,940	90
3	Scientific Research and Development Services	$75,270	$53,580	100
4	Natural Gas Distribution	$74,850	$46,250	140
5	Federal Executive Branch (OES Designation)	$67,320	$47,970	30
6	Utilities	$65,670	$42,830	350
7	Electric Power Generation, Transmission and Distribution	$62,100	$43,600	140
8	Power and Communication Line and Related Structures Construction	$61,260	$33,680	270
9	Transportation Equipment Manufacturing	$58,080	$35,900	100
10	Water, Sewage and Other Systems	$57,440	$28,830	60
11	Local Government, excluding schools and hospitals (OES Designation)	$57,260	$36,700	2,060
12	Local government, including schools and hospitals	$57,010	$36,410	2,150
13	Utility System Construction	$56,770	$33,720	480
14	Plumbing, Heating, and Air-Conditioning Contractors	$56,520	$38,270	930
15	Electrical Contractors and Other Wiring Installation Contractors	$55,600	$39,730	210
16	Federal, State, and Local Government (OES Designation)	$55,230	$36,130	2,820
17	Federal, State, and Local Government	$55,230	$36,130	2,820
18	Building Equipment Contractors	$55,190	$37,390	1,220
19	Wholesale Electronic Markets and Agents and Brokers	$54,980	$35,870	220
20	Activities Related to Real Estate	$54,910	$37,150	70
21	Other Fabricated Metal Product Manufacturing	$54,340	$39,900	50
22	Heavy and Civil Engineering Construction	$53,940	$33,420	810
23	Public sector -- Federal, state, and local government, including government owned schools and hospit	$53,910	$34,640	3,180
24	Drywall and Insulation Contractors	$53,650	$40,990	60
25	Other Heavy and Civil Engineering Construction	$53,640	$36,810	130
26	Computer Systems Design and Related Services	$53,510	$36,800	50
27	Roofing Contractors	$53,230	$35,480	50
28	Testing Laboratories	$52,860	$37,410	140
29	Educational Services - Privately owned	$52,480	$37,480	60
30	Colleges, universities, and professional schools - Privately owned	$52,400	$38,550	60
31	Nonresidential Building Construction	$52,300	$32,810	2,300
32	Management of Companies and Enterprises	$51,950	$33,250	640
33	Electrical Equipment, Appliance, and Component Manufacturing	$51,930	$34,090	30
34	Educational Services - Local government owned	$51,730	$32,250	80
35	Building Finishing Contractors	$51,600	$36,490	440
36	Health Care and Social Assistance	$51,590	$39,880	70
37	General Medical and Surgical Hospitals	$51,470	$39,740	50
38	Specialty Trade Contractors	$51,380	$34,280	2,880
39	Engineering Services	$51,210	$33,530	31,150
40	Other Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services	$51,040	$16,710	60
41	Management, Scientific, and Technical Consulting Services	$50,990	$33,830	1,010
42	Hospitals (including private, state, and local government hospitals)	$50,930	$39,930	60
43	Construction	$50,920	$32,380	8,270
44	Elementary and Secondary Schools - Local government owned	$50,900	$32,830	60
45	Machinery Manufacturing	$50,570	$36,130	140
46	Construction of Buildings	$50,180	$31,030	4,580
47	Elementary and Secondary Schools	$50,150	$32,890	70
48	Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services	$49,970	$32,880	70,950
49	Hospitals - Privately owned	$49,960	$37,810	30
50	Architectural, Engineering, and Related Services	$49,930	$32,840	69,020
51	General Medical and Surgical Hospitals - Privately owned	$49,500	$37,580	30
52	Real Estate and Rental and Leasing	$49,290	$33,370	140
53	Foundation, Structure, and Building Exterior Contractors	$49,100	$33,670	870
54	State Government, excluding schools and hospitals (OES Designation)	$48,980	$35,350	730
55	Real Estate	$48,910	$33,420	140
56	Specialized Design Services	$48,770	$35,890	710
57	Lessors of Real Estate	$48,700	$33,850	40
58	Boiler, Tank, and Shipping Container Manufacturing	$48,650	$22,530	50
59	Fabricated Metal Product Manufacturing	$48,340	$33,450	1,780
60	Highway, Street, and Bridge Construction	$48,320	$33,060	130
61	Architectural and Structural Metals Manufacturing	$47,930	$33,490	1,640
62	Residential Building Construction	$47,850	$29,230	2,280
63	State government, including schools and hospitals	$47,300	$30,930	1,000
64	Commercial and Service Industry Machinery Manufacturing	$47,300	$34,560	40
65	Primary Metal Manufacturing	$47,230	$38,270	40
66	Wholesale Trade	$46,920	$29,930	910
67	Other General Purpose Machinery Manufacturing	$46,320	$34,750	50
68	Manufacturing	$46,150	$32,470	4,470
69	Land Subdivision	$45,490	$30,910	70
70	Office Furniture (including Fixtures) Manufacturing	$45,190	$32,250	310
71	Metal and Mineral (except Petroleum) Merchant Wholesalers	$45,090	$31,990	60
72	Other Specialty Trade Contractors	$45,030	$30,580	350
73	Cement and Concrete Product Manufacturing	$44,870	$32,820	230
74	Veneer, Plywood, and Engineered Wood Product Manufacturing	$44,800	$31,520	700
75	Educational Services	$44,700	$26,950	390
76	Lumber and Other Construction Materials Merchant Wholesalers	$44,450	$28,190	320
77	Mining	$44,430	$30,430	90
78	Wood Product Manufacturing	$44,370	$31,570	1,390
79	Plastics and Rubber Products Manufacturing	$44,240	$32,280	60
80	Other Wood Product Manufacturing	$44,040	$31,690	680
81	Furniture and Related Product Manufacturing	$43,880	$31,790	490
82	Nonmetallic Mineral Product Manufacturing	$43,710	$32,090	370
83	Other Building Equipment Contractors	$43,680	$29,650	80
84	Merchant Wholesalers, Durable Goods	$43,610	$28,570	670
85	Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools	$43,500	$26,050	310
86	Plastics Product Manufacturing	$42,620	$31,920	60
87	Support Activities for Mining	$42,430	$29,340	n/a
88	Professional and Commercial Equipment and Supplies Merchant Wholesalers	$42,080	$31,350	120
89	Household and Institutional Furniture and Kitchen Cabinet Manufacturing	$41,370	$30,710	170
90	Wood Kitchen Cabinet and Countertop Manufacturing	$41,340	$30,600	170
91	Other Nonmetallic Mineral Product Manufacturing	$41,160	$31,850	120
92	Educational Services - State government owned	$40,910	$25,270	250
93	Colleges, universities, and professional schools - State government owned	$40,760	$25,190	250
94	Household Appliances and Electrical and Electronic Goods Merchant Wholesalers	$40,160	$23,810	40
95	Other Miscellaneous Manufacturing	$39,950	$29,080	50
96	Miscellaneous Manufacturing	$39,950	$29,080	50
97	Poured Concrete Foundation and Structure Contractors	$39,540	$23,260	50
98	Masonry Contractors	$38,890	$28,640	90
99	Retail Trade	$38,700	$28,260	670
100	Building Material and Supplies Dealers	$38,290	$28,100	650