Electrical and Electronics Drafters Salary
In Pittsburgh, PA, electrical and electronics drafters earn $65,880 at the median, or about $31.67 an hour. The range runs from $51K at the entry level to $97K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 94.67), which stretches that salary to about $69,589 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,299/month, or 29.4% of estimated take-home pay.
So what does $66K get you in Pittsburgh?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Pittsburgh’s Regional Price Parity (94.67). 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 Pittsburgh
Pay for electrical and electronics drafters in Pittsburgh runs about 14% below the U.S. median of $77K. Rent runs $1,299/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 29.6% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Regional Price Parity sits at 94.67 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 5% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for electrical and electronics drafters in metros near Pittsburgh, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington | $71K | $69K |
| Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton | $73K | $73K |
| Harrisburg-Carlisle | $77K | $78K |
| Scranton--Wilkes-Barre | $100K | $107K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Pittsburgh, PA
Entry-level electrical and electronics drafters (10th percentile) start around $51K. Mid-career wages sit at $66K. Top earners bring in $97K or more, a $46K 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
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Pittsburgh numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a electrical and electronics drafter afford a 2BR apartment alone in Pittsburgh?
Yes — at the median salary of $66K, rent takes 29.6% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,299/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for electrical and electronics drafters in Pittsburgh?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new electrical and electronics drafters typically earn — is $51K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $3,069/month. At HUD’s $1,299/month FMR, rent would take 42% 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 Pittsburgh?
Local pay runs 14% below the national median — $66K here vs. $77K nationally. Cost of living is 5% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does Pittsburgh compare to the national average for electrical and electronics drafters?
Pittsburgh pays $66K median vs. the U.S. average of $77K — that’s -14%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 94.67), the purchasing-power equivalent is $70K — below the national median.
How much do electrical and electronics drafters make in Pittsburgh, PA?
The median is $65,880 a year, that works out to about $32 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $51,150, and experienced electrical and electronics drafters can clear $96,910. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $66K enough to live in Pittsburgh?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $4,392/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,299/month, which eats 29.6% 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 Pittsburgh?
Pittsburgh has a Regional Price Parity of 94.67 (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 $69,589 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.