Architectural and Civil Drafters Salary
The median pay for a architectural and civil drafters in El Paso, TX is $54,840/year ($26.36/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $37K at the entry level to $80K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 89.91), which stretches that salary to about $60,994 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $973/month, or 25.5% of estimated take-home pay.
So what does $55K get you in El Paso?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by El Paso’s Regional Price Parity (89.91). 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 El Paso
Pay for architectural and civil drafters in El Paso runs about 17% below the U.S. median of $66K. Rent runs $973/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 25.3% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Regional Price Parity sits at 89.91 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 10% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for architectural and civil drafters in metros near El Paso, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands | $63K | $64K |
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington | $67K | $65K |
| Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos | $74K | $76K |
| San Antonio-New Braunfels | $59K | $62K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, El Paso, TX
Entry-level architectural and civil drafters (10th percentile) start around $37K. Mid-career wages sit at $55K. Top earners bring in $80K or more, a $43K 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 quarterly. We'll email you when El Paso numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a architectural and civil drafter afford a 2BR apartment alone in El Paso?
Yes — at the median salary of $55K, rent takes 25.3% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $973/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for architectural and civil drafters in El Paso?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new architectural and civil drafters typically earn — is $37K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,210/month. At HUD’s $973/month FMR, rent would take 44% 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 El Paso?
Local pay runs 17% below the national median — $55K here vs. $66K nationally. Cost of living is 10% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does El Paso compare to the national average for architectural and civil drafters?
El Paso pays $55K median vs. the U.S. average of $66K — that’s -17%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 89.91), the purchasing-power equivalent is $61K — below the national median.
How much do architectural and civil drafters make in El Paso, TX?
The median is $54,840 a year, that works out to about $26 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $36,830, and experienced architectural and civil drafters can clear $79,810. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $55K enough to live in El Paso?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,842/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $973/month, which eats 25.3% 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 El Paso?
El Paso has a Regional Price Parity of 89.91 (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 $60,994 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.