Electrical and Electronics Drafters Salary
In Illinois, electrical and electronics drafters earn $68,310 at the median, or about $32.84 an hour. The range runs from $54K at the entry level to $100K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 93.85), which stretches that salary to about $72,786 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,407/month, about 31.3% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Illinois. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $68K get you in Illinois?
About electrical and electronics drafters
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What this looks like in Illinois
Pay for electrical and electronics drafters in Illinois runs about 11% below the U.S. median of $77K. Rent runs $1,407/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 31.8% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. 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. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Illinois
Entry-level electrical and electronics drafters (10th percentile) start around $54K. Mid-career wages sit at $68K. Top earners bring in $100K or more, a $46K spread from bottom to top.
Electrical and Electronics Drafters 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 | $70K | +2% | 140 |
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Track electrical and electronics drafters salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Illinois numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a electrical and electronics drafter afford a 2BR apartment alone in Illinois?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $68K, rent takes 31.8% 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 $1,300/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for electrical and electronics drafters in Illinois?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new electrical and electronics drafters typically earn — is $54K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $3,210/month. At HUD’s $1,407/month FMR, rent would take 44% 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 Illinois?
Local pay runs 11% below the national median — $68K here vs. $77K 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 electrical and electronics drafters?
Illinois pays $68K median vs. the U.S. average of $77K — that’s -11%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 93.85), the purchasing-power equivalent is $73K — below the national median.
How much do electrical and electronics drafters make in Illinois?
The median is $68,310 a year, that works out to about $33 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $53,500, and experienced electrical and electronics drafters can clear $99,610. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $68K enough to live in Illinois?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $4,422/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,407/month, which eats 31.8% 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 electrical and electronics drafters 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 electrical and electronics drafters salary is worth about $72,786 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.