Career profile · 17-3019
Drafters, All Other
All drafters not listed separately.
What the work can involve
Use the full O*NET occupation profile to investigate tasks and work activities for this role.
Selected core tasks from O*NET 31.0. Responsibilities vary by employer, specialization and experience.
Training subjects to investigate
The federal education-to-occupation crosswalk connects this role to the subjects below. These links do not endorse a school or guarantee that any particular award qualifies a graduate for the job.
- Surveying Technology/Surveying88 institutions →
- Drafting and Design Technology/Technician, General291 institutions →
- CAD/CADD Drafting and/or Design Technology/Technician230 institutions →
- 3-D Modeling and Design Technology/Technician13 institutions →
- Drafting/Design Engineering Technologies/Technicians, Other13 institutions →
Pay & employment outlook
Salary estimates for drafters, all other
The median divides workers into two equally sized groups by pay. It is not a starting salary, a school’s graduate outcome or a promise of employment. Lower percentiles are not automatically new graduates.
National outlook: 2025–2035
- Typical education for entry
- Associate's degree
- Related work experience
- None
- Typical on-the-job training
- None
BLS national employment projections, 2025–2035. Openings include people leaving occupations or the labor force; these are not advertised vacancies. Education categories describe typical entry, not legal eligibility or a guarantee that any specific program is sufficient.
Compare wages across 41 state/DC estimates
| State | Annual median | Hourly median | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $47,320 | $22.75 | 50 |
| Arizona | $70,070 | $33.69 | 430 |
| Arkansas | $48,020 | $23.09 | 100 |
| California | $73,390 | $35.28 | 1,750 |
| Colorado | $67,320 | $32.36 | 280 |
| Connecticut | $66,620 | $32.03 | 140 |
| Florida | $59,970 | $28.83 | 670 |
| Georgia | $62,400 | $30.00 | 550 |
| Idaho | $56,430 | $27.13 | 60 |
| Illinois | $53,300 | $25.62 | 190 |
| Indiana | $58,600 | $28.17 | 50 |
| Iowa | $60,750 | $29.21 | 230 |
| Kansas | $66,040 | $31.75 | 50 |
| Kentucky | $57,930 | $27.85 | 50 |
| Louisiana | $68,470 | $32.92 | 1,200 |
| Maine | $55,460 | $26.66 | 40 |
| Maryland | $55,640 | $26.75 | 160 |
| Massachusetts | $72,100 | $34.66 | 170 |
| Michigan | $67,750 | $32.57 | 360 |
| Minnesota | $63,220 | $30.39 | 170 |
| Mississippi | $67,730 | $32.56 | 70 |
| Missouri | $61,990 | $29.80 | 400 |
| Montana | $63,200 | $30.39 | 280 |
| Nebraska | $58,640 | $28.19 | 110 |
| Nevada | $62,400 | $30.00 | 180 |
| New Hampshire | $70,710 | $34.00 | 70 |
| New Jersey | $77,840 | $37.42 | 350 |
| New York | $72,190 | $34.71 | 610 |
| North Carolina | $59,500 | $28.61 | 320 |
| Ohio | $57,610 | $27.70 | 260 |
| Oklahoma | $49,920 | $24.00 | 40 |
| Oregon | $58,790 | $28.27 | 660 |
| Pennsylvania | $54,240 | $26.08 | 250 |
| South Carolina | $61,250 | $29.45 | 60 |
| Tennessee | Not published | Not published | 320 |
| Texas | $59,990 | $28.84 | 2,450 |
| Utah | $69,420 | $33.38 | 170 |
| Vermont | $59,930 | $28.81 | 90 |
| Virginia | $67,220 | $32.32 | 170 |
| Washington | $72,800 | $35.00 | 520 |
| Wisconsin | $73,040 | $35.12 | 200 |
Metropolitan and nonmetropolitan wages
Search the 92 published local-area estimates for this occupation. Metropolitan areas can cross state lines; a city’s postal name is not necessarily the statistical area’s name.
Sources: BLS May 2025 OEWS public downloads and 2025–2035 employment projections, retrieved September 9, 2026. Unpublished estimates stay unavailable. “+” means BLS’s upper reporting threshold ($239,200 annually or $115 hourly). Wages exclude self-employment and nonwage benefits. How to interpret these figures.
Compare the route and prepare for work
Questions to test the fit
- What does an entry-level working day look like, and how does it differ from the experienced role described here?
- Which tasks, work environments and schedules would I enjoy or find difficult?
- What education, supervised practice and credentials do local employers actually request?
- Can I speak with someone in the occupation or arrange a suitable workplace visit?
- How does the complete training cost compare with my realistic budget and available routes?
Related occupations to compare
- Architectural and Civil Drafters→
- Cartographers and Photogrammetrists→
- Electrical and Electronics Drafters→
- Geodetic Surveyors→
- Mechanical Drafters→
- Surveying and Mapping Technicians→
- Surveyors→
Related through shared training-subject mappings. Entry requirements can differ substantially.
Sources and attribution
This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA), used under CC BY 4.0. Trade School Guides selects and organizes the material and adds explanatory guidance. USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed or tested these modifications. Occupation code: 17-3019.00.
Training connections: CIP 2020–SOC 2018 crosswalk. Snapshot: September 8, 2026. See the methodology.