Architectural and Civil Drafters pay in California

In California, the median pay for architectural and civil drafters is $36.79 an hour ($76,520 a year). About 11,400 people work in this job there.

$36.79Median hourly pay

$62,220–$96,300Middle half of workers, yearly

11,400People in this job in California

That is 16% higher than the U.S. median ($66,150). California ranks 3rd of 50 states and territories for this job’s median pay.

Pay range for architectural and civil drafters in California

Earns more than	Hourly	Yearly
10% of workers	$23.97	$49,850
25% of workers	$29.91	$62,220
Half of workers (median)	$36.79	$76,520
75% of workers	$46.30	$96,300
90% of workers	$55.09	$114,600

Architectural and Civil Drafters pay in California metro areas

Metro area	Median yearly pay	People in this job
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara	$82,820	610
San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont	$81,130	1,750
Santa Rosa-Petaluma	$80,040	150
San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad	$78,340	1,130
Chico	$77,850	70
Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom	$76,950	850
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim	$76,630	3,890
Napa	$76,000	60
Vallejo	$75,460	70
Santa Maria-Santa Barbara	$73,930	180
Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura	$73,700	200
San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles	$71,860	160
Stockton-Lodi	$70,800	120
Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario	$70,580	840
Visalia	$68,470	90
Santa Cruz-Watsonville	$67,930	40
Bakersfield-Delano	$66,930	150
Salinas	$66,470	80
Modesto	$65,230	110
Fresno	$64,280	260
Redding	$63,410	40

California unemployment rate: 5.1% (August 2026), U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Education, experience and outlook for architectural and civil drafters

Typical education to start: Associate's degree (BLS)
Job outlook: +5.2% over ten years, faster than average · about 9,100 openings a year (BLS)

Related jobs in California

Job	Median yearly pay
Electrical and Electronic Engineering Technologists and Technicians	$86,090
Engineering Technologists and Technicians, Except Drafters, All Other	$80,480
Civil Engineering Technologists and Technicians	$83,490
Industrial Engineering Technologists and Technicians	$79,070
Mechanical Engineering Technologists and Technicians	$87,390
Mechanical Drafters	$82,510
Surveying and Mapping Technicians	$78,110
Electrical and Electronics Drafters	$78,310

Other job titles for this job

Bim SpecialistArchitectural Cad DrafterArchitectural Cad TechnicianArchitectural DrafterArchitectural DraftsmanArchitectural TechnicianArchitectural TechArchitectural TechnologistArchitecture DesignerArchitecture DrafterArchitecture TechnicianArchitecture Tech

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Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 estimates. Figures are for wage and salary workers and do not include the self-employed. The median is the middle wage: half earn more, half earn less. Other job titles: 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. JAI Bot has modified this information; USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications.