Electrical and Electronics Drafters Salary
In Chattanooga, TN-GA, electrical and electronics drafters earn $79,830 at the median, or about $38.38 an hour. The range runs from $65K at the entry level to $132K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 91.46), which stretches that salary to about $87,284 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,390/month, or 25.1% of estimated take-home pay.
So what does $80K get you in Chattanooga?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Chattanooga’s Regional Price Parity (91.46). 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 electrical and electronics drafters
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What this looks like in Chattanooga
Electrical and electronics drafters pay in Chattanooga tracks closely to the national median, $80K locally vs. $77K nationwide, a 4% difference. Rent runs $1,390/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 25.8% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Regional Price Parity sits at 91.46 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 9% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Pay and costs are both near average, leaving limited margin for savings at the median wage.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for electrical and electronics drafters in metros near Chattanooga, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin | $80K | $83K |
| Knoxville | $74K | $80K |
| Memphis | $76K | $82K |
| Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia | $79K | $81K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Chattanooga, TN-GA
Entry-level electrical and electronics drafters (10th percentile) start around $65K. Mid-career wages sit at $80K. Top earners bring in $132K or more, a $66K spread from bottom to top.
Electrical and Electronics Drafters pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Electrical and Electronics Drafters salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| New Hampshire | $102K | +33% | 220 |
| New Mexico | $101K | +32% | 390 |
| Massachusetts | $87K | +14% | 470 |
| North Carolina | $82K | +7% | 430 |
| Idaho | $82K | +6% | 100 |
| Ohio | $81K | +5% | 510 |
| Texas | $81K | +5% | 1,840 |
| Georgia | $81K | +5% | 470 |
| Indiana | $80K | +4% | 360 |
| Utah | $79K | +3% | 290 |
| Colorado | $79K | +3% | 750 |
| Kentucky | $79K | +3% | 80 |
| California | $78K | +2% | 2,730 |
| Oregon | $78K | +2% | 330 |
| New York | $78K | +1% | 850 |
| New Jersey | $78K | +1% | 240 |
| Minnesota | $77K | +1% | 250 |
| Tennessee | $77K | +0% | 340 |
| Missouri | $77K | -0% | 420 |
| South Carolina | $76K | -1% | 290 |
| Maryland | $76K | -2% | 380 |
| Wisconsin | $76K | -2% | 470 |
| Maine | $75K | -2% | 110 |
| Iowa | $74K | -3% | 180 |
| Michigan | $74K | -4% | 380 |
| Arizona | $73K | -5% | 570 |
| Florida | $73K | -5% | 660 |
| Pennsylvania | $73K | -5% | 500 |
| Washington | $72K | -6% | 390 |
| Nevada | $71K | -7% | 250 |
| Oklahoma | $70K | -10% | 290 |
| Illinois | $68K | -11% | 150 |
| Hawaii | $68K | -11% | 80 |
| Connecticut | $67K | -13% | 430 |
| Wyoming | $65K | -16% | 40 |
| Virginia | $65K | -16% | 280 |
| Delaware | $63K | -17% | 60 |
| Louisiana | $63K | -19% | 150 |
| Kansas | $61K | -21% | 210 |
| Nebraska | $60K | -23% | 190 |
| Mississippi | $59K | -24% | 110 |
| Alabama | $52K | -33% | 300 |
| South Dakota | $51K | -34% | 40 |
Showing 1–10 of 43 states with published data
BLS does not publish data for every state when sample sizes are too small
Track electrical and electronics drafters salary changes
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Frequently asked questions
Can a electrical and electronics drafter afford a 2BR apartment alone in Chattanooga?
Yes — at the median salary of $80K, rent takes 25.8% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,390/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for electrical and electronics drafters in Chattanooga?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new electrical and electronics drafters typically earn — is $65K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $3,926/month. At HUD’s $1,390/month FMR, rent would take 35% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is electrical and electronics drafter a high-paying job in Chattanooga?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $80K locally vs. $77K nationally, a 4% difference.
How does Chattanooga compare to the national average for electrical and electronics drafters?
Chattanooga pays $80K median vs. the U.S. average of $77K — that’s +4%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 91.46), the purchasing-power equivalent is $87K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do electrical and electronics drafters make in Chattanooga, TN-GA?
The median is $79,830 a year, that works out to about $38 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $65,440, and experienced electrical and electronics drafters can clear $131,670. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $80K enough to live in Chattanooga?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $5,379/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,390/month, which eats 25.8% of your paycheck. That's under the 30% guideline most financial planners use, so the numbers work.
How far does a electrical and electronics drafters salary go in Chattanooga?
Chattanooga has a Regional Price Parity of 91.46 (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 electrical and electronics drafters salary is worth about $87,284 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do electrical and electronics 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.