Architectural and Civil Drafters Salary
The median pay for a architectural and civil drafters in Traverse City, MI is $52,050/year ($25.03/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $41K at the entry level to $76K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 93.37), which stretches that salary to about $55,746 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,224/month, about 35.8% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $52K get you in Traverse City?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Traverse City’s Regional Price Parity (93.37). 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 Traverse City
Pay for architectural and civil drafters in Traverse City runs about 21% below the U.S. median of $66K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,224/month, which is 35.3% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Regional Price Parity sits at 93.37 (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 Traverse City, 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, Traverse City, MI
Entry-level architectural and civil drafters (10th percentile) start around $41K. Mid-career wages sit at $52K. Top earners bring in $76K or more, a $35K 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 Traverse City numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a architectural and civil drafter afford a 2BR apartment alone in Traverse City?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $52K, rent takes 35.3% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,224/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 Traverse City?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new architectural and civil drafters typically earn — is $41K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,436/month. At HUD’s $1,224/month FMR, rent would take 50% 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 Traverse City?
Local pay runs 21% below the national median — $52K here vs. $66K nationally. Cost of living is 7% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does Traverse City compare to the national average for architectural and civil drafters?
Traverse City pays $52K median vs. the U.S. average of $66K — that’s -21%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 93.37), the purchasing-power equivalent is $56K — below the national median.
How much do architectural and civil drafters make in Traverse City, MI?
The median is $52,050 a year, that works out to about $25 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $40,600, and experienced architectural and civil drafters can clear $75,600. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $52K enough to live in Traverse City?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,471/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,224/month, which eats 35.3% 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 Traverse City?
Traverse City has a Regional Price Parity of 93.37 (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 $55,746 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.