The salary of a CAD Drafter I in the United States varies depending on several factors, including experience, location, education level, marketing trend and company sizes.
As of April 01, 2025, the average annual salary for a CAD Drafter I in the United States is $66,172. Salary.com reports that pay typically ranges from $59,005 to $72,497, with most professionals earning between $52,480 and $78,256.
| Annual Salary |
Monthly Pay |
Weekly Pay |
Hourly Wage |
|
| 75th Percentile | $72,497 | $6,041 | $1,394 | $35 |
| Average | $66,172 | $5,514 | $1,273 | $32 |
| 25th Percentile | $59,005 | $4,917 | $1,135 | $28 |
An entry-level CAD Drafter I with less than 1 year of experience earns about $65,637. With 1-2 years of experience, the average salary increases to $66,361. For 2-4 years of experience, the pay typically rises to $67,777. Senior-level professionals with 5-8 years of experience earn around $68,060, and those with over 8 years of experience can expect an average of $68,249.
| Levels | Salary |
|---|---|
| Entry Level CAD Drafter I | $65,637 |
| Intermediate Level CAD Drafter I | $66,361 |
| Senior Level CAD Drafter I | $67,777 |
| Specialist Level CAD Drafter I | $68,060 |
| Expert Level CAD Drafter I | $68,249 |
| Entry Level | 1% |
| Mid Level | 0% |
| Senior Level | 2% |
| Top Level | 3% |
| Experienced | 3% |
Salaries in the United States differ widely between states due to factors like cost of living, local economies, and industry presence.
What Am I Worth?
Salaries in the United States can vary greatly between cities due to factors like cost of living, local economies, and industry presence.
As of April 01, 2025, our research reveals a significant shift in CAD Drafter I compensation over the past six years. For example, the median salary increased from $64,746 in 2023 to approximately $64,053 in 2024. (For a detailed analysis of CAD Drafter I salary trends, click here.)
Key factors like location, experience, industry demand, and economic growth significantly influence salary variations, making them important to consider.
Salary.com job board provides millions of CAD Drafter I information for you to search for. Click on search button below to see CAD Drafter I job openings or enter a new job title here.
Here are companies hiring for CAD Drafter I and their salaries, click below for more details.
| Core Compensation | ||||
| Core Compensation | Median | % of Total | ||
| Base Salary | $66,172 | 69.4% | ||
| Bonus | $0 | 0.0% | ||
| Value of Benefits | ||||
| Core Compensation | Median | % of Total | ||
| Social Security | $5,062 | 5.3% | ||
| 401K/403B | $2,779 | 2.9% | ||
| Disability | $1,323 | 1.4% | ||
| Healthcare | $8,352 | 8.8% | ||
| Pension | $3,573 | 3.7% | ||
| Time Off | $8,144 | 8.5% | ||
| Total Compensation | $95,407 | 100% | ||
| Degree Level | % of user with this level of education |
|---|---|
| No Diploma | 0.8% |
| High School | 24.3% |
| Associates | 51.7% |
| Bachelors | 21.3% |
| Masters | 1.7% |
| Doctorate | 0.2% |
What Am I Worth?
The average annual salary of CAD Drafter I is $66,172. In case you are finding an easy salary calculator, the average hourly pay of CAD Drafter I is $32; the average weekly pay of CAD Drafter I is $1,273; the average monthly pay of CAD Drafter I is $5,514.
A CAD Drafter I's earning potential can vary widely depending on several factors, including location, industry, experience, education, and the specific employer. According to the latest salary data by Salary.com, a CAD Drafter I earns the most in San Jose, CA, where the annual salary of a CAD Drafter I is $83,463.
The highest pay for CAD Drafter I is $78,256.
The lowest pay for CAD Drafter I is $52,480.
Utilizes computer-aided design (CAD) software and other techniques, standards, and tools to prepare technical drawings. Prepares computer-aided design (CAD) drafts, drawings, and schematics derived from a variety of specifications, layouts, blueprints, and sketches. Maintains deadlines, goals, and production standards set by the department. Coordinates and consults with engineers or designers to complete projects. Transforms initial rough product designs into working documents using CAD software. Collaborates with design originators to resolve discrepancies between original drawings and final CAD designs. Typically requires a bachelor's degree. Typically reports to a manager. Work is closely managed. Works on projects/matters of limited complexity in a support role. Typically requires 0-2 years of related experience.
Specify the abilities and skills that a person needs in order to carry out the specified job duties. Each competency has five to ten behavioral assertions that can be observed, each with a corresponding performance level (from one to five) that is required for a particular job.
Troubleshooting: Troubleshooting is a form of problem solving, often applied to repair failed products or processes on a machine or a system. It is a logical, systematic search for the source of a problem in order to solve it, and make the product or process operational again. Troubleshooting is needed to identify the symptoms. Determining the most likely cause is a process of elimination—eliminating potential causes of a problem. Finally, troubleshooting requires confirmation that the solution restores the product or process to its working state. In general, troubleshooting is the identification or diagnosis of "trouble" in the management flow of a system caused by a failure of some kind. The problem is initially described as symptoms of malfunction, and troubleshooting is the process of determining and remedying the causes of these symptoms. A system can be described in terms of its expected, desired or intended behavior (usually, for artificial systems, its purpose). Events or inputs to the system are expected to generate specific results or outputs. (For example, selecting the "print" option from various computer applications is intended to result in a hardcopy emerging from some specific device). Any unexpected or undesirable behavior is a symptom. Troubleshooting is the process of isolating the specific cause or causes of the symptom. Frequently the symptom is a failure of the product or process to produce any results. (Nothing was printed, for example). Corrective action can then be taken to prevent further failures of a similar kind.
Pneumatics: Pneumatics (pronounced new-MATT-ix) is an aspect of physics and engineering that is concerned with using the energy in compressed gas to make something move or work.
CAD Software: Computer-aided design is the use of computers to aid in the creation, modification, analysis, or optimization of a design.
Salary.com provides salary estimates, histograms, trends, and comparisons using data from employer job postings and third-party sources.
We offer detailed salary information across multiple percentiles for your reference. (Click here to learn Why the Salary Midpoint Formula Is Crucial for Achieving Pay Equity.)
With the most extensive online, real-time compensation data available, Salary.com helps you pinpoint your exact pay target.
