1996 Compensation Survey

The American Design Drafting Association published its 1996 Compensation Survey of design drafting professionals. This is a broad survey that looks exclusively at design and drafting professionals. The survey was conducted during the winter of 1996-1997. A total of 95 companies responded to the survey. Collectively, these companies employed 3,863 persons in the occupational categories covered within the design drafting profession.

The survey was administered on a per-company rather than an individual basis. Each company completed only one questionnaire. Thus, one questionnaire represented the design/drafting personnel in that company. When averages were computed, each questionnaire carried equal weight in the average regardless of whether it represented one drafter or fifty. The averages, therefore, present a much better picture of how an average company compensates a drafter than what the average drafter earns. These values represent more industrial centered wages, but the survey includes lower income states as well as California. Certainly the Redding area, will be lower.

Compensation Survey Summary Table

Position Classification	Median of Average Weekly Compensation 1996	Weekly Compensation 2000 Projected 00-01
Apprentice Drafter	$ 333	$ 393
Drafter I	$ 400	$ 468
Drafter II	$ 488	$ 570
Drafter III	$ 555	$ 650
Drafter IV	$ 625	$ 730
Drafter V	$ 750	$ 880
Drafter VI	$ 874	$ 1,025 = $53,300/yr
Designer I	$ 470	$ 550
Designer II	$ 594	$ 695
Designer III	$ 687	$ 805
Designer IV	$ 749	$ 876
Designer V	$ 952 = $49,000/yr	$ 1,114 = $58,000

A good AA degree CAD Drafter should start as Drafter II and advance the next steps quickly. The apprentice drafter has little post high school education and less potential to advance. Higher levels require professional growth. Often when partway through these series a designer may switch to a related job with a different title and greater compensation. Examples are supervisor, checker, and enumerable specialties.