Best Cities for Architectural and Civil Drafterss

Cities ranked by purchasing power — where architectural and civil drafterss get the most value from their salary after accounting for cost of living. A score above 1.00 means better than national average.

How we calculate this: City Score = (Local Salary ÷ National Median) ÷ (Local Cost ÷ National Avg Cost). A score of 1.20 means 20% better purchasing power than average.

#	Location	Score	Raw Salary	Adjusted Salary	Rent/Income
1	District of ColumbiaState	1.29	$97,880	$85,634	26%
2	GeorgiaState	1.21	$74,940	$80,236	23%
3	West VirginiaState	1.18	$65,640	$77,957	15%
4	Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TNMetro	1.18	$75,010	$77,973	25%
5	Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GAMetro	1.16	$74,180	$76,632	26%
6	TennesseeState	1.14	$69,220	$75,650	22%
7	Pittsburgh, PAMetro	1.11	$68,160	$73,686	21%
8	ColoradoState	1.10	$76,370	$72,457	29%
9	ArkansasState	1.09	$62,420	$72,329	17%
10	DelawareState	1.09	$73,040	$72,317	22%
11	IowaState	1.09	$64,220	$71,996	18%
12	MinnesotaState	1.09	$70,680	$72,122	22%
13	OregonState	1.09	$74,000	$71,845	26%
14	Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WIMetro	1.09	$72,020	$72,382	25%
15	Rhode IslandState	1.08	$71,700	$71,343	25%
16	Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MDMetro	1.08	$75,810	$71,654	27%
17	ConnecticutState	1.07	$76,290	$70,901	25%
18	MassachusettsState	1.07	$76,990	$70,959	35%
19	MississippiState	1.07	$59,920	$70,660	18%
20	MissouriState	1.06	$61,940	$69,910	20%
21	North DakotaState	1.06	$64,720	$69,892	18%
22	OklahomaState	1.06	$62,140	$70,215	19%
23	South CarolinaState	1.06	$64,680	$70,304	23%
24	Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NHMetro	1.06	$79,310	$69,877	39%
25	Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WAMetro	1.06	$75,560	$70,093	28%
26	KansasState	1.05	$62,220	$69,133	20%
27	CaliforniaState	1.04	$76,520	$69,124	36%
28	MarylandState	1.04	$75,180	$68,846	27%
29	WyomingState	1.04	$63,730	$68,527	19%
30	Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TXMetro	1.04	$66,890	$68,817	28%
31	San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CAMetro	1.04	$82,820	$68,902	46%
32	KentuckyState	1.03	$60,120	$67,932	19%
33	MontanaState	1.03	$65,750	$68,205	21%
34	OhioState	1.03	$61,450	$67,976	20%
35	WashingtonState	1.03	$73,000	$68,034	31%
36	WisconsinState	1.03	$62,930	$68,180	21%
37	Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MIMetro	1.03	$62,330	$68,344	23%
38	Kansas City, MO-KSMetro	1.03	$63,520	$68,448	24%
39	LouisianaState	1.02	$61,010	$67,714	21%
40	NebraskaState	1.02	$61,550	$67,268	20%
41	New YorkState	1.02	$76,260	$67,787	29%
42	Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WVMetro	1.02	$76,020	$67,394	32%
43	NevadaState	1.01	$67,000	$66,866	26%
44	PennsylvaniaState	1.01	$64,800	$66,804	24%
45	Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SCMetro	1.01	$63,940	$66,743	28%
46	IndianaState	1.00	$60,000	$66,298	21%
47	MaineState	1.00	$66,200	$66,333	23%
48	North CarolinaState	1.00	$62,750	$66,472	25%
49	TexasState	1.00	$63,320	$66,234	26%
50	Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WAMetro	1.00	$75,830	$66,343	35%
51	Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FLMetro	1.00	$65,160	$66,152	32%
52	AlabamaState	0.99	$57,100	$65,557	20%
53	Columbus, OHMetro	0.99	$61,310	$65,572	25%
54	Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CAMetro	0.99	$76,630	$65,777	35%
55	Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MDMetro	0.98	$67,020	$64,754	29%
56	ArizonaState	0.97	$64,750	$64,172	28%
57	IdahoState	0.97	$61,840	$64,083	23%
58	UtahState	0.97	$64,290	$64,162	28%
59	San Antonio-New Braunfels, TXMetro	0.97	$58,750	$63,859	27%
60	MichiganState	0.96	$58,330	$63,196	23%
61	FloridaState	0.93	$62,640	$61,714	33%
62	New HampshireState	0.93	$65,300	$61,604	29%
63	VirginiaState	0.93	$63,450	$61,304	30%
64	IllinoisState	0.90	$58,240	$59,795	27%
65	VermontState	0.90	$61,000	$59,512	28%
66	HawaiiState	0.87	$63,510	$57,736	45%
67	New JerseyState	0.87	$62,960	$57,868	34%
68	South DakotaState	0.87	$52,470	$57,786	22%
69	Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FLMetro	0.86	$61,720	$56,885	40%
70	New MexicoState	0.83	$50,230	$54,598	25%

Data Sources: Salary: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (OEWS). Cost of Living: BEA Regional Price Parities (2024). Rent: HUD Fair Market Rents (FY2025).