Architectural and Civil Drafters Salary
The median pay for a architectural and civil drafters in Illinois is $58,240/year ($28/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $46K at the entry level to $88K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 93.85), which stretches that salary to about $62,056 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,407/month, about 36.8% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Illinois. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $58K get you in Illinois?
About architectural and civil drafters
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What this looks like in Illinois
Pay for architectural and civil drafters in Illinois runs about 12% below the U.S. median of $66K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,407/month, which is 36.7% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Regional Price Parity sits at 93.85 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 6% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. That combination, below-market pay with high housing costs, makes this a financially demanding market for architectural and civil drafterss.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Illinois
Entry-level architectural and civil drafters (10th percentile) start around $46K. Mid-career wages sit at $58K. Top earners bring in $88K or more, a $42K spread from bottom to top.
Architectural and Civil Drafters salary by metro in Illinois
4 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rockford | $63K | +9% | 60 |
| Peoria | $59K | +1% | 60 |
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin | $59K | +1% | 1,040 |
| Champaign-Urbana | $52K | -11% | 30 |
Compare to other states
Track architectural and civil drafters salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Illinois numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a architectural and civil drafter afford a 2BR apartment alone in Illinois?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $58K, rent takes 36.7% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,407/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,100/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for architectural and civil drafters in Illinois?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new architectural and civil drafters typically earn — is $46K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,746/month. At HUD’s $1,407/month FMR, rent would take 51% 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 Illinois?
Local pay runs 12% below the national median — $58K here vs. $66K nationally. Cost of living is 6% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does Illinois compare to the national average for architectural and civil drafters?
Illinois pays $58K median vs. the U.S. average of $66K — that’s -12%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 93.85), the purchasing-power equivalent is $62K — below the national median.
How much do architectural and civil drafters make in Illinois?
The median is $58,240 a year, that works out to about $28 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $45,760, and experienced architectural and civil drafters can clear $88,040. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $58K enough to live in Illinois?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,829/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,407/month, which eats 36.7% of your paycheck. That's above the 30% rule of thumb, housing will be a stretch at the median salary, though you can manage with roommates or a smaller place.
How far does a architectural and civil drafters salary go in Illinois?
Illinois has a Regional Price Parity of 93.85 (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 $62,056 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.