Architectural and Civil Drafters Salary
The median pay for a architectural and civil drafters in Muskegon-Norton Shores, MI is $48,880/year ($23.5/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 92.52), which stretches that salary to about $52,832 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,236/month, about 37.1% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $49K get you in Muskegon-Norton Shores?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Muskegon-Norton Shores’s Regional Price Parity (92.52). 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 Muskegon-Norton Shores
Pay for architectural and civil drafters in Muskegon-Norton Shores runs about 26% below the U.S. median of $66K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,236/month, which is 37.8% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Regional Price Parity sits at 92.52 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 7% 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.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for architectural and civil drafters in metros near Muskegon-Norton Shores, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Detroit-Warren-Dearborn | $62K | $62K |
| Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood | $61K | $64K |
| Ann Arbor | $59K | $59K |
| Lansing-East Lansing | $60K | $63K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Muskegon-Norton Shores, MI
Entry-level architectural and civil drafters (10th percentile) start around $39K. Mid-career wages sit at $49K. 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 quarterly. We'll email you when Muskegon-Norton Shores numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a architectural and civil drafter afford a 2BR apartment alone in Muskegon-Norton Shores?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $49K, rent takes 37.8% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,236/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 Muskegon-Norton Shores?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new architectural and civil drafters typically earn — is $39K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,311/month. At HUD’s $1,236/month FMR, rent would take 53% 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 Muskegon-Norton Shores?
Local pay runs 26% below the national median — $49K here vs. $66K nationally. Cost of living is 7% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does Muskegon-Norton Shores compare to the national average for architectural and civil drafters?
Muskegon-Norton Shores pays $49K median vs. the U.S. average of $66K — that’s -26%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 92.52), the purchasing-power equivalent is $53K — below the national median.
How much do architectural and civil drafters make in Muskegon-Norton Shores, MI?
The median is $48,880 a year, that works out to about $24 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $38,520, and experienced architectural and civil drafters can clear $77,640. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $49K enough to live in Muskegon-Norton Shores?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,270/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,236/month, which eats 37.8% 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 Muskegon-Norton Shores?
Muskegon-Norton Shores has a Regional Price Parity of 92.52 (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 $52,832 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.