Skip to content
AffordMap
Salary comparison

Electrical and Electronics Drafters vs. Civil Engineers: Who Earns More?

Civil Engineerss out-earn Electrical and Electronics Drafterss by $24K a year at the national median, per BLS OEWS May 2025. Electrical and Electronics Drafterss land at $76,870 and Civil Engineerss at $100,840. The education gap is real: electrical and electronics drafter programs typically require bachelor's degree, while civil engineer programs require bachelor's degree. Top-paying state for Electrical and Electronics Drafterss is New Hampshire ($102,070); for Civil Engineerss it's California ($122,500).

Electrical and Electronics Drafters
Civil Engineers
Median salary
$76,870
$100,840
Hourly rate
$36.96/hr
$48.48/hr
Entry level (10th %)
$50,040
$68,240
Senior level (90th %)
$120,290
$163,220
Education required
Bachelor's degree
Bachelor's degree
U.S. employment
17,920
367,840
Job growth (10-year)
N/A
5%
Category
Engineering
Engineering
Top-paying state
New Hampshire
California

Pay by state

States where both occupations have BLS data, sorted by Electrical and Electronics Drafters median pay.

State
Electrical and Electronics Drafters
Civil Engineers
New Mexico
$101,330
$103,900
Massachusetts
$87,290
$106,730
Colorado
$79,300
$101,420
Kentucky
$79,050
$100,930
California
$78,310
$122,500
Oregon
$78,170
$105,250
New York
$77,830
$103,760
New Jersey
$77,600
$104,660
Minnesota
$77,330
$101,480
South Carolina
$76,440
$101,600
Washington
$72,250
$110,000
Nevada
$71,310
$104,310
Connecticut
$66,980
$103,150
Louisiana
$62,550
$105,380
Nebraska
$59,570
$103,150

Source: BLS OEWS May 2025. Highlighted value is higher in each row.

Common questions

Who earns more, Electrical and Electronics Drafterss or Civil Engineerss?

Civil Engineerss earn more nationally. The median is $76,870 for Electrical and Electronics Drafterss versus $100,840 for Civil Engineerss, a difference of $24K. Per BLS OEWS May 2025.

Which has better job growth, Electrical and Electronics Drafters or Civil Engineers?

BLS Employment Projections data is not available for one or both occupations. Check the individual career pages for current outlook figures.

Which requires more education, Electrical and Electronics Drafters or Civil Engineers?

Electrical and Electronics Drafters typically requires bachelor's degree. Civil Engineers requires bachelor's degree. Education requirements vary by employer and state licensing board.

Where do Electrical and Electronics Drafterss get paid the most?

New Hampshire is the top-paying state for Electrical and Electronics Drafterss at $102,070/year, per BLS OEWS May 2025. Major metro areas within that state typically pay even more than the state average.

How does Electrical and Electronics Drafters vs. Civil Engineers pay differ by state?

The gap varies significantly by state. In New Mexico, Electrical and Electronics Drafterss earn $101,330 vs. $103,900 for Civil Engineerss. See the state comparison table on this page for the full picture.

Full Electrical and Electronics Drafters salary breakdownView →Full Civil Engineers salary breakdownView →Best cities for Electrical and Electronics Drafterss by take-home payExplore →Best cities for Civil Engineerss by take-home payExplore →How to become a electrical and electronics draftersGuide →How to become a civil engineersGuide →