Architectural and Civil Drafters Salary
The median pay for a architectural and civil drafters in Lake Charles, LA is $79,540/year ($38.24/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $46K at the entry level to $182K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 85.85), which stretches that salary to about $92,650 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,217/month, or 23.3% of estimated take-home pay.
So what does $80K get you in Lake Charles?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Lake Charles’s Regional Price Parity (85.85). 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 Lake Charles
Lake Charles sits well above the national pay line for architectural and civil drafters, local pay runs about 20% higher than the U.S. median of $66K. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,217/month, 23.7% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Regional Price Parity sits at 85.85 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 14% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Combined with manageable housing costs, Lake Charles offers a genuinely strong financial position for architectural and civil drafterss at the median.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for architectural and civil drafters in metros near Lake Charles, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Baton Rouge | $70K | $77K |
| Lafayette | $50K | $57K |
| Houma-Bayou Cane-Thibodaux | $59K | $69K |
| Shreveport-Bossier City | $57K | $67K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Lake Charles, LA
Entry-level architectural and civil drafters (10th percentile) start around $46K. Mid-career wages sit at $80K. Top earners bring in $182K or more, a $136K 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 Lake Charles numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a architectural and civil drafter afford a 2BR apartment alone in Lake Charles?
Yes — at the median salary of $80K, rent takes 23.7% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,217/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for architectural and civil drafters in Lake Charles?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new architectural and civil drafters typically earn — is $46K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,761/month. At HUD’s $1,217/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 Lake Charles?
Local pay is 20% above the national median — $80K here vs. $66K nationally.
How does Lake Charles compare to the national average for architectural and civil drafters?
Lake Charles pays $80K median vs. the U.S. average of $66K — that’s +20%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 85.85), the purchasing-power equivalent is $93K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do architectural and civil drafters make in Lake Charles, LA?
The median is $79,540 a year, that works out to about $38 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $46,020, and experienced architectural and civil drafters can clear $182,330. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $80K enough to live in Lake Charles?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $5,129/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,217/month, which eats 23.7% 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 Lake Charles?
Lake Charles has a Regional Price Parity of 85.85 (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 $92,650 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.