Architectural and Civil Drafters Salary
The median pay for a architectural and civil drafters in Columbia, MO is $57,410/year ($27.6/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $39K at the entry level to $78K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 89.44), which stretches that salary to about $64,188 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $962/month, or 25.5% of estimated take-home pay.
Where the paycheck goes
What $57K actually covers in Columbia, month by month
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Columbia’s Regional Price Parity (89.44). Rent from HUD Fair Market Rents. Taxes estimated for single filer, standard deduction. * Healthcare is the employee-paid share only (premiums + out-of-pocket). Actual costs vary by coverage type: employer-sponsored, ACA marketplace, or uninsured.
About architectural and civil drafters
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What this looks like in Columbia
Pay for architectural and civil drafters in Columbia runs about 13% below the U.S. median of $66K. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $962/month, 25% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Regional Price Parity sits at 89.44 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 11% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Lower pay, lower costs, Columbia can be a reasonable trade-off for architectural and civil drafters who value affordability over top-dollar markets.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for architectural and civil drafters in metros near Columbia, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Kansas City | $64K | $69K |
| St. Louis | $62K | $66K |
| Springfield | $61K | $69K |
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin | $59K | $57K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Columbia, MO
Entry-level architectural and civil drafters (10th percentile) start around $39K. Mid-career wages sit at $57K. Top earners bring in $78K or more, a $39K spread from bottom to top.
Architectural and Civil Drafters pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Architectural and Civil Drafters salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| District of Columbia | $98K | +48% | 370 |
| Massachusetts | $77K | +16% | 2,660 |
| California | $77K | +16% | 11,400 |
| Colorado | $76K | +15% | 3,570 |
| Connecticut | $76K | +15% | 810 |
| New York | $76K | +15% | 7,380 |
| Maryland | $75K | +14% | 910 |
| Georgia | $75K | +13% | 3,970 |
| Oregon | $74K | +12% | 1,490 |
| Delaware | $73K | +10% | 290 |
| Washington | $73K | +10% | 2,530 |
| Rhode Island | $72K | +8% | 240 |
| Minnesota | $71K | +7% | 1,930 |
| Tennessee | $69K | +5% | 1,310 |
| Nevada | $67K | +1% | 1,100 |
| Maine | $66K | +0% | 440 |
| Montana | $66K | -1% | 600 |
| West Virginia | $66K | -1% | 330 |
| New Hampshire | $65K | -1% | 400 |
| Pennsylvania | $65K | -2% | 5,370 |
| Arizona | $65K | -2% | 2,120 |
| North Dakota | $65K | -2% | 380 |
| South Carolina | $65K | -2% | 1,170 |
| Utah | $64K | -3% | 1,820 |
| Iowa | $64K | -3% | 980 |
| Wyoming | $64K | -4% | 200 |
| Hawaii | $64K | -4% | 610 |
| Virginia | $63K | -4% | 2,600 |
| Texas | $63K | -4% | 11,710 |
| New Jersey | $63K | -5% | 2,280 |
| Wisconsin | $63K | -5% | 2,200 |
| North Carolina | $63K | -5% | 2,680 |
| Florida | $63K | -5% | 7,530 |
| Arkansas | $62K | -6% | 980 |
| Kansas | $62K | -6% | 630 |
| Oklahoma | $62K | -6% | 1,260 |
| Missouri | $62K | -6% | 2,270 |
| Idaho | $62K | -7% | 1,010 |
| Nebraska | $62K | -7% | 850 |
| Ohio | $61K | -7% | 2,860 |
| Louisiana | $61K | -8% | 1,040 |
| Vermont | $61K | -8% | 230 |
| Kentucky | $60K | -9% | 870 |
| Indiana | $60K | -9% | 2,240 |
| Mississippi | $60K | -9% | 330 |
| Michigan | $58K | -12% | 2,100 |
| Illinois | $58K | -12% | 1,310 |
| Alabama | $57K | -14% | 1,010 |
| South Dakota | $52K | -21% | 460 |
| New Mexico | $50K | -24% | 690 |
Showing 1–10 of 50 states with published data
BLS does not publish data for every state when sample sizes are too small
Track architectural and civil drafters salary changes
BLS updates this data annually. We'll email you when Columbia numbers change.
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Quick answers
The stuff people actually ask about this job
Can a architectural and civil drafter afford a 2BR apartment alone in Columbia?
Yes — at the median salary of $57K, rent takes 25% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $962/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for architectural and civil drafters in Columbia?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new architectural and civil drafters typically earn — is $39K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,662/month. At HUD’s $962/month FMR, rent would take 36% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is architectural and civil drafter a high-paying job in Columbia?
Local pay runs 13% below the national median — $57K here vs. $66K nationally. Cost of living is 11% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does Columbia compare to the national average for architectural and civil drafters?
Columbia pays $57K median vs. the U.S. average of $66K — that’s -13%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 89.44), the purchasing-power equivalent is $64K — below the national median.
How much do architectural and civil drafters make in Columbia, MO?
The median is $57,410 a year, that works out to about $28 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $38,500, and experienced architectural and civil drafters can clear $77,520. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $57K enough to live in Columbia?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,852/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $962/month, which eats 25% of your paycheck. That's under the 30% guideline most financial planners use, so the numbers work.
How far does a architectural and civil drafters salary go in Columbia?
Columbia has a Regional Price Parity of 89.44 (100 is the national average). That's below average, your money stretches further here than the raw salary number suggests. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median architectural and civil drafters salary is worth about $64,188 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do architectural and civil drafters get paid the most?
The table above ranks every state by median pay for this role. Keep in mind that the highest-paying states tend to have the highest costs of living, so the top salary doesn't always mean the most money in your pocket.