Architectural and Civil Drafters Salary
The median pay for a architectural and civil drafters in Winchester, VA-WV is $59,860/year ($28.78/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $42K at the entry level to $77K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 96.45), that's roughly $62,063 in purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,573/month, about 40% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $60K get you in Winchester?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Winchester’s Regional Price Parity (96.45). 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
Sponsored links, AffordMap may earn a commission at no cost to you. Learn more
What this looks like in Winchester
Architectural and civil drafters pay in Winchester tracks closely to the national median, $60K locally vs. $66K nationwide, a 10% difference. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,573/month, which is 40% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost of living (RPP 96.45) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for architectural and civil drafters in metros near Winchester, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk | $62K | $63K |
| Richmond | $63K | $64K |
| Roanoke | $61K | $65K |
| Charlottesville | $62K | $63K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Winchester, VA-WV
Entry-level architectural and civil drafters (10th percentile) start around $42K. Mid-career wages sit at $60K. Top earners bring in $77K 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 Winchester numbers change.
Related careers in Engineering
Frequently asked questions
Can a architectural and civil drafter afford a 2BR apartment alone in Winchester?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $60K, rent takes 40% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,573/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,200/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 Winchester?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new architectural and civil drafters typically earn — is $42K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,539/month. At HUD’s $1,573/month FMR, rent would take 62% 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 Winchester?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $60K locally vs. $66K nationally, a 10% difference.
How does Winchester compare to the national average for architectural and civil drafters?
Winchester pays $60K median vs. the U.S. average of $66K — that’s -10%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 96.45), the purchasing-power equivalent is $62K — below the national median.
How much do architectural and civil drafters make in Winchester, VA-WV?
The median is $59,860 a year, that works out to about $29 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $42,320, and experienced architectural and civil drafters can clear $77,190. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $60K enough to live in Winchester?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,934/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,573/month, which eats 40% 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 Winchester?
Winchester has a Regional Price Parity of 96.45 (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 $62,063 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.