Occupational Employment and Wages, May 2011

17-3011 Architectural and Civil Drafters

Prepare detailed drawings of architectural and structural features of buildings or drawings and topographical relief maps used in civil engineering projects, such as highways, bridges, and public works. Use knowledge of building materials, engineering practices, and mathematics to complete drawings.


National estimates for this occupation
Industry profile for this occupation
Geographic profile for this occupation

National estimates for this occupation: Top

Employment estimate and mean wage estimates for this occupation:

Employment (1) Employment
RSE (3)
Mean hourly
wage
Mean annual
wage (2)
Wage RSE (3)
85,740 1.5 % $24.11 $50,160 0.5 %

Percentile wage estimates for this occupation:

Percentile 10% 25% 50%
(Median)
75% 90%
Hourly Wage $15.16 $18.47 $22.72 $28.60 $35.52
Annual Wage (2) $31,520 $38,430 $47,250 $59,480 $73,880


Industry profile for this occupation: Top

Industries with the highest published employment and wages for this occupation are provided. For a list of all industries with employment in this occupation, see the Create Customized Tables function.

Industries with the highest levels of employment in this occupation:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Architectural, Engineering, and Related Services 66,290 5.14 $23.98 $49,870
Local Government (OES Designation) 2,710 0.05 $27.82 $57,860
Nonresidential Building Construction 1,720 0.26 $24.39 $50,720
Residential Building Construction 1,520 0.26 $23.09 $48,020
Architectural and Structural Metals Manufacturing 1,460 0.45 $22.50 $46,810

Industries with the highest concentration of employment in this occupation:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Architectural, Engineering, and Related Services 66,290 5.14 $23.98 $49,870
Veneer, Plywood, and Engineered Wood Product Manufacturing 410 0.66 $20.37 $42,370
Specialized Design Services 640 0.56 $25.52 $53,080
Architectural and Structural Metals Manufacturing 1,460 0.45 $22.50 $46,810
Other Heavy and Civil Engineering Construction 270 0.28 $24.07 $50,070

Top paying industries for this occupation:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Aerospace Product and Parts Manufacturing 90 0.02 $35.44 $73,710
Scientific Research and Development Services 120 0.02 $31.59 $65,710
Federal Executive Branch (OES Designation) 30 (7) $30.88 $64,220
Activities Related to Real Estate 190 0.03 $30.38 $63,190
Electric Power Generation, Transmission and Distribution 100 0.03 $29.85 $62,090


Geographic profile for this occupation: Top

States and areas with the highest published employment, location quotients, and wages for this occupation are provided. For a list of all areas with employment in this occupation, see the Create Customized Tables function.





States with the highest employment level in this occupation:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
California 12,370 0.88 1.32 $26.76 $55,660
Texas 8,130 0.79 1.18 $23.22 $48,290
Florida 6,120 0.86 1.28 $22.59 $46,980
New York 5,790 0.69 1.03 $25.37 $52,780
Pennsylvania 4,430 0.80 1.19 $22.47 $46,740




States with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in this occupation:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Montana 540 1.27 1.90 $21.20 $44,090
Utah 1,280 1.10 1.65 $20.77 $43,210
Wyoming 250 0.92 1.37 $22.13 $46,030
California 12,370 0.88 1.32 $26.76 $55,660
Hawaii 500 0.86 1.29 $22.56 $46,930




Top paying States for this occupation:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Alaska 230 0.75 1.12 $33.89 $70,500
Massachusetts 2,190 0.69 1.04 $27.01 $56,180
District of Columbia 450 0.70 1.04 $26.86 $55,870
California 12,370 0.88 1.32 $26.76 $55,660
Connecticut 690 0.43 0.64 $26.62 $55,360





Metropolitan areas with the highest employment level in this occupation:

Metropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
New York-White Plains-Wayne, NY-NJ Metropolitan Division 3,880 0.77 1.15 $27.07 $56,300
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Glendale, CA Metropolitan Division 2,900 0.76 1.14 $25.98 $54,030
Houston-Sugar Land-Baytown, TX 2,390 0.94 1.40 $25.41 $52,840
Chicago-Joliet-Naperville, IL Metropolitan Division 1,990 0.56 0.83 $23.89 $49,690
Santa Ana-Anaheim-Irvine, CA Metropolitan Division 1,890 1.36 2.04 $27.53 $57,250
Dallas-Plano-Irving, TX Metropolitan Division 1,700 0.83 1.24 $25.06 $52,130
Boston-Cambridge-Quincy, MA NECTA Division 1,620 0.96 1.44 $28.21 $58,680
Philadelphia, PA Metropolitan Division 1,520 0.84 1.25 $23.81 $49,530
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV Metropolitan Division 1,350 0.58 0.87 $28.07 $58,390
Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI 1,220 0.71 1.07 $26.45 $55,010




Metropolitan areas with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in this occupation:

Metropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Ames, IA 100 2.48 3.71 $24.37 $50,690
Billings, MT 140 1.80 2.69 $22.26 $46,310
Cheyenne, WY 80 1.78 2.66 $22.20 $46,180
Santa Barbara-Santa Maria-Goleta, CA 280 1.66 2.48 $23.22 $48,300
Panama City-Lynn Haven-Panama City Beach, FL 110 1.55 2.32 $23.56 $49,010
Casper, WY 60 1.52 2.28 $25.63 $53,320
Pensacola-Ferry Pass-Brent, FL 210 1.42 2.12 $22.15 $46,070
Idaho Falls, ID 70 1.42 2.13 $22.57 $46,940
Kennewick-Pasco-Richland, WA 140 1.41 2.10 $26.45 $55,020
Santa Ana-Anaheim-Irvine, CA Metropolitan Division 1,890 1.36 2.04 $27.53 $57,250




Top paying metropolitan areas for this occupation:

Metropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Anchorage, AK 180 1.06 1.58 $36.46 $75,830
Springfield, IL 70 0.61 0.92 $31.06 $64,600
Charlotte-Gastonia-Rock Hill, NC-SC 970 1.17 1.75 $30.91 $64,300
Oakland-Fremont-Hayward, CA Metropolitan Division 1,050 1.10 1.65 $30.77 $63,990
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA 690 0.79 1.18 $30.74 $63,930
Chattanooga, TN-GA 150 0.68 1.01 $30.19 $62,800
Pascagoula, MS (8) (8) (8) $28.58 $59,440
Boston-Cambridge-Quincy, MA NECTA Division 1,620 0.96 1.44 $28.21 $58,680
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV Metropolitan Division 1,350 0.58 0.87 $28.07 $58,390
Reno-Sparks, NV 70 0.38 0.58 $27.96 $58,150

Nonmetropolitan areas with the highest employment in this occupation:

Nonmetropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
East Central Pennsylvania nonmetropolitan area 260 1.10 1.64 $22.17 $46,110
Southern Indiana nonmetropolitan area 170 1.06 1.58 $21.75 $45,250
Southwest Maine nonmetropolitan area 150 0.82 1.23 $20.81 $43,280
Western Montana nonmetropolitan area 150 2.18 3.27 $20.51 $42,650
Southwestern Montana nonmetropolitan area 120 1.04 1.56 $21.46 $44,650

Nonmetropolitan areas with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in this occupation:

Nonmetropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Nantucket Island and Martha's Vineyard nonmetropolitan area 40 3.06 4.58 $21.12 $43,940
Western Montana nonmetropolitan area 150 2.18 3.27 $20.51 $42,650
North Central Colorado nonmetropolitan area 120 1.64 2.45 $25.50 $53,030
Eastern Utah nonmetropolitan area 60 1.23 1.84 $20.17 $41,950
Northwestern Wyoming nonmetropolitan area 50 1.13 1.68 $19.58 $40,730

Top paying nonmetropolitan areas for this occupation:

Nonmetropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Mother Lode Region of California nonmetropolitan area 30 0.81 1.21 $31.76 $66,060
Other North Carolina nonmetropolitan area 60 0.22 0.33 $29.24 $60,820
East Central Illinois nonmetropolitan area 30 0.29 0.43 $25.57 $53,180
North Central Colorado nonmetropolitan area 120 1.64 2.45 $25.50 $53,030
South Georgia nonmetropolitan area 30 0.17 0.25 $24.95 $51,900


About May 2011 National, State, Metropolitan, and Nonmetropolitan Area Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

These estimates are calculated with data collected from employers in all industry sectors, all metropolitan and nonmetropolitan areas, and all states and the District of Columbia. The top employment and wage figures are provided above. The complete list is available in the downloadable XLS files.

The percentile wage estimate is the value of a wage below which a certain percent of workers fall. The median wage is the 50th percentile wage estimate--50 percent of workers earn less than the median and 50 percent of workers earn more than the median. More about percentile wages.


(1) Estimates for detailed occupations do not sum to the totals because the totals include occupations not shown separately. Estimates do not include self-employed workers.

(2) Annual wages have been calculated by multiplying the hourly mean wage by a "year-round, full-time" hours figure of 2,080 hours; for those occupations where there is not an hourly mean wage published, the annual wage has been directly calculated from the reported survey data.

(3) The relative standard error (RSE) is a measure of the reliability of a survey statistic. The smaller the relative standard error, the more precise the estimate.

(7) The value is less than .005 percent of industry employment.

(8) Estimate not released.

(9) The location quotient is the ratio of the area concentration of occupational employment to the national average concentration. A location quotient greater than one indicates the occupation has a higher share of employment than average, and a location quotient less than one indicates the occupation is less prevalent in the area than average.


Other OES estimates and related information:

May 2011 National Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2011 State Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2011 Metropolitan and Nonmetropolitan Area Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2011 National Industry-Specific Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

List of Occupations in SOC Code Number Order

List of Occupations in Alphabetical Order

Download May 2011 Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates in Zipped XLS files

Technical Notes

 

Last Modified Date: March 27, 2012