Electrical and Electronics Drafters Salary
In Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA, electrical and electronics drafters earn $74,470 at the median, or about $35.81 an hour. The range runs from $47K at the entry level to $107K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 91.7), which stretches that salary to about $81,210 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,318/month, or 26.9% of estimated take-home pay.
So what does $74K get you in Des Moines-West Des Moines?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Des Moines-West Des Moines’s Regional Price Parity (91.7). 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 Des Moines-West Des Moines
Electrical and electronics drafters pay in Des Moines-West Des Moines tracks closely to the national median, $74K locally vs. $77K nationwide, a 3% difference. Rent runs $1,318/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 27.8% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Regional Price Parity sits at 91.7 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 8% 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 Des Moines-West Des Moines, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Cedar Rapids | $77K | $87K |
| Kansas City | $71K | $76K |
| Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington | $78K | $75K |
| Milwaukee-Waukesha | $74K | $76K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA
Entry-level electrical and electronics drafters (10th percentile) start around $47K. Mid-career wages sit at $74K. Top earners bring in $107K or more, a $61K 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
BLS does not publish data for every state when sample sizes are too small
Track electrical and electronics drafters salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Des Moines-West Des Moines numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a electrical and electronics drafter afford a 2BR apartment alone in Des Moines-West Des Moines?
Yes — at the median salary of $74K, rent takes 27.8% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,318/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for electrical and electronics drafters in Des Moines-West Des Moines?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new electrical and electronics drafters typically earn — is $47K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,798/month. At HUD’s $1,318/month FMR, rent would take 47% 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 Des Moines-West Des Moines?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $74K locally vs. $77K nationally, a 3% difference.
How does Des Moines-West Des Moines compare to the national average for electrical and electronics drafters?
Des Moines-West Des Moines pays $74K median vs. the U.S. average of $77K — that’s -3%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 91.7), the purchasing-power equivalent is $81K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do electrical and electronics drafters make in Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA?
The median is $74,470 a year, that works out to about $36 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $46,640, and experienced electrical and electronics drafters can clear $107,220. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $74K enough to live in Des Moines-West Des Moines?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $4,746/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,318/month, which eats 27.8% 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 Des Moines-West Des Moines?
Des Moines-West Des Moines has a Regional Price Parity of 91.7 (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 $81,210 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.