Architectural and Civil Drafters pay in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria

In Washington-Arlington-Alexandria (DC), the median pay for architectural and civil drafters is $36.55 an hour ($76,020 a year). About 1,610 people work in this job there.

$36.55Median hourly pay
$63,200–$92,820Middle half of workers, yearly
1,610People in this job in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria (DC)

That is 15% higher than the U.S. median ($66,150). It is 22% lower than the District of Columbia median ($97,880).

Pay range for architectural and civil drafters in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria (DC)

Earns more thanHourlyYearly
10% of workers$26.79$55,730
25% of workers$30.39$63,200
Half of workers (median)$36.55$76,020
75% of workers$44.63$92,820
90% of workers$55.77$116,000

Architectural and Civil Drafters pay in District of Columbia metro areas

Metro areaMedian yearly payPeople in this job
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria (this page)$76,0201,610

District of Columbia unemployment rate: 5.7% (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)
  • Related work experience most have: 1 to 2 years (O*NET)
  • Job outlook: +5.2% over ten years, faster than average · about 9,100 openings a year (BLS)

Related jobs in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria (DC)

JobMedian yearly pay
Civil Engineers$101,780
Architectural and Engineering Managers$185,220
Architects, Except Landscape and Naval$102,080
Electrical and Electronic Engineering Technologists and Technicians$84,090
Engineering Technologists and Technicians, Except Drafters, All Other$99,540

Other job titles for this job

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

Open architectural and civil drafters jobs on JAI Bot

No open jobs in this field right now. Search all jobs or set up a free job alert.

Hiring architectural and civil drafters? Use the free hiring guide for a job description and interview questions, then post the job on JAI Bot. Every job shows typical pay to job seekers.

Post a job freeFind jobsCheck pay for any job
Add this pay figure to your website (free)

Career sites, schools and workforce boards can show this typical pay on their own pages. Copy this code into your page:

<div data-jaibot-pay></div>
<script src="https://www.jaibot.ai/widget/pay/architectural-and-civil-drafters/district-of-columbia/washington-arlington-alexandria.js" async></script>

It updates by itself when new government figures come out.

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.