Architectural and Civil Drafters Salary
The median pay for a architectural and civil drafters in Waco, TX is $57,650/year ($27.72/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $45K at the entry level to $87K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 92.55), which stretches that salary to about $62,291 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $973/month, or 24.3% of estimated take-home pay.
Where the paycheck goes
What $58K actually covers in Waco, month by month
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Waco’s Regional Price Parity (92.55). 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 Waco
Pay for architectural and civil drafters in Waco runs about 13% below the U.S. median of $66K. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $973/month, 24.1% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Regional Price Parity sits at 92.55 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 7% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Lower pay, lower costs, Waco can be a reasonable trade-off for architectural and civil drafters who value affordability over top-dollar markets.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for architectural and civil drafters in metros near Waco, 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, Waco, TX
Entry-level architectural and civil drafters (10th percentile) start around $45K. Mid-career wages sit at $58K. Top earners bring in $87K or more, a $43K 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 annually. We'll email you when Waco numbers change.
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Quick answers
The stuff people actually ask about this job
Can a architectural and civil drafter afford a 2BR apartment alone in Waco?
Yes — at the median salary of $58K, rent takes 24.1% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $973/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for architectural and civil drafters in Waco?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new architectural and civil drafters typically earn — is $45K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $3,176/month. At HUD’s $973/month FMR, rent would take 31% 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 Waco?
Local pay runs 13% below the national median — $58K here vs. $66K nationally. Cost of living is 7% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does Waco compare to the national average for architectural and civil drafters?
Waco pays $58K median vs. the U.S. average of $66K — that’s -13%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 92.55), the purchasing-power equivalent is $62K — below the national median.
How much do architectural and civil drafters make in Waco, TX?
The median is $57,650 a year, that works out to about $28 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $44,900, and experienced architectural and civil drafters can clear $87,400. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $58K enough to live in Waco?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $4,030/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $973/month, which eats 24.1% 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 Waco?
Waco has a Regional Price Parity of 92.55 (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 $62,291 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.