Architectural and Civil Drafters Salary
The median pay for a architectural and civil drafters in McAllen-Edinburg-Mission, TX is $47,790/year ($22.98/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $38K at the entry level to $79K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 85.89), which stretches that salary to about $55,641 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,060/month, about 30.8% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $48K get you in McAllen-Edinburg-Mission?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by McAllen-Edinburg-Mission’s Regional Price Parity (85.89). 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 McAllen-Edinburg-Mission
Pay for architectural and civil drafters in McAllen-Edinburg-Mission runs about 28% below the U.S. median of $66K. Rent runs $1,060/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 31.5% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Regional Price Parity sits at 85.89 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 14% 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 McAllen-Edinburg-Mission, 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, McAllen-Edinburg-Mission, TX
Entry-level architectural and civil drafters (10th percentile) start around $38K. Mid-career wages sit at $48K. Top earners bring in $79K or more, a $41K 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 McAllen-Edinburg-Mission numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a architectural and civil drafter afford a 2BR apartment alone in McAllen-Edinburg-Mission?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $48K, rent takes 31.5% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,060/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,000/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 McAllen-Edinburg-Mission?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new architectural and civil drafters typically earn — is $38K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,267/month. At HUD’s $1,060/month FMR, rent would take 47% 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 McAllen-Edinburg-Mission?
Local pay runs 28% below the national median — $48K here vs. $66K nationally. Cost of living is 14% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does McAllen-Edinburg-Mission compare to the national average for architectural and civil drafters?
McAllen-Edinburg-Mission pays $48K median vs. the U.S. average of $66K — that’s -28%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 85.89), the purchasing-power equivalent is $56K — below the national median.
How much do architectural and civil drafters make in McAllen-Edinburg-Mission, TX?
The median is $47,790 a year, that works out to about $23 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $37,780, and experienced architectural and civil drafters can clear $78,770. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $48K enough to live in McAllen-Edinburg-Mission?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,370/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,060/month, which eats 31.5% 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 McAllen-Edinburg-Mission?
McAllen-Edinburg-Mission has a Regional Price Parity of 85.89 (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 $55,641 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.