Drafters, All Other Salary
The median pay for a drafters, all other in Illinois is $53,300/year ($25.62/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $44K at the entry level to $94K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 93.85), which stretches that salary to about $56,793 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,407/month, about 40.2% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Illinois. Jump to a metro for precise data:
Where the paycheck goes
What $53K actually covers in Illinois, month by month
About drafters, all others
Sponsored links, AffordMap may earn a commission at no cost to you. Learn more
What this looks like in Illinois
Pay for drafters, all other in Illinois runs about 16% below the U.S. median of $64K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,407/month, which is 40% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Regional Price Parity sits at 93.85 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 6% 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 drafters, all other.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Illinois
Entry-level drafters, all others (10th percentile) start around $44K. Mid-career wages sit at $53K. Top earners bring in $94K or more, a $50K spread from bottom to top.
Drafters, All Other salary by metro in Illinois
1 metro area with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin | $53K | +0% | 120 |
Compare to other states
Track drafters, all other salary changes
BLS updates this data annually. We'll email you when Illinois numbers change.
Related careers in Engineering
Quick answers
The stuff people actually ask about this job
Can a drafters, all other afford a 2BR apartment alone in Illinois?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $53K, rent takes 40% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,407/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,100/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for drafters, all others in Illinois?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new drafters, all others typically earn — is $44K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,961/month. At HUD’s $1,407/month FMR, rent would take 48% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is drafters, all other a high-paying job in Illinois?
Local pay runs 16% below the national median — $53K here vs. $64K nationally. Cost of living is 6% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does Illinois compare to the national average for drafters, all others?
Illinois pays $53K median vs. the U.S. average of $64K — that’s -16%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 93.85), the purchasing-power equivalent is $57K — below the national median.
How much do drafters, all others make in Illinois?
The median is $53,300 a year, that works out to about $26 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $44,420, and experienced drafters, all others can clear $94,270. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $53K enough to live in Illinois?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,519/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,407/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 drafters, all other salary go in Illinois?
Illinois has a Regional Price Parity of 93.85 (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 drafters, all other salary is worth about $56,793 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do drafters, all others 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.