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Electrical designer: pay, job outlook and how to become one

Updated October 28, 2026. Based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and O*NET data. Published by Humblebee.

$76,870median pay per year, or $36.96 an hour, May 2025[2]
  1. $50,040lowest 10% earn less
  2. $61,43025th percentile
  3. $76,870median
  4. $96,73075th percentile
  5. $120,290top 10% earn more
Middle half of workers in the inner band[4]Median for all US jobs, $50,980[5]

Electrical and electronics drafters, the BLS category whose workers report job titles such as electrical designer[1], earned a median of $76,870 a year in May 2025[2]. BLS projects employment to fall 3.4% from 2025 to 2035[3].

Job growth, 2025–35
-3.4%[3]
Openings per year
1,400[6]
Typical entry education
Associate's degree[7]

How much do electrical designers make?

The median wage for electrical and electronics drafters was $76,870 a year, or $36.96 an hour[2]. Half of workers earned more and half earned less. The mean (average) was $81,280 a year, or $39.08 an hour[8]. For comparison, the median for all occupations was $50,980[5].

The range is wide. The lowest-paid 10% earned less than $50,040 a year, and the 90th percentile was $120,290[4]. A percentile is a boundary, and BLS publishes percentile wages rather than a starting salary[9].

Percentile Annual wage Hourly wage
10th[4][10] $50,040 $24.06
25th[4][10] $61,430 $29.53
Median[2] $76,870 $36.96
75th[4][10] $96,730 $46.50
90th[4][10] $120,290 $57.83

These figures cover wage and salary workers, part time and full time. They leave out the self-employed, bonuses that are not tied to production, and the cost of benefits[11].

Pay by state and city

Among the 43 states with published data, New Hampshire had the highest median wage at $102,070, followed by New Mexico at $101,330 and Massachusetts at $87,290[12].

The most jobs were in California (2,730), Texas (1,840) and New York (850)[13].

Among metro areas with at least 100 jobs, San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA had the highest median at $115,530[14]. Manchester-Nashua, NH ($102,810) and Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT ($100,420) came next[14]. The Los Angeles area had the most jobs at 860, then Dallas-Fort Worth at 720[15].

Show median pay in 43 states
StateMedian per yearJobs
New Hampshire[12]$102,070220
New Mexico$101,330390
Massachusetts$87,290470
North Carolina$81,960430
Idaho$81,590100
Ohio$80,840510
Georgia$80,620470
Texas$80,6201,840
Indiana$80,100360
Utah$79,360290
Colorado$79,300750
Kentucky$79,05080
California$78,3102,730
Oregon$78,170330
New York$77,830850
New Jersey$77,600240
Minnesota$77,330250
Tennessee$77,180340
Missouri$76,690420
South Carolina$76,440290
Maryland$75,680380
Wisconsin$75,650470
Maine$75,100110
Iowa$74,470180
Michigan$73,860380
Arizona$73,080570
Florida$73,010660
Pennsylvania$72,720500
Washington$72,250390
Nevada$71,310250
Oklahoma$69,520290
Illinois$68,310150
Hawaii$68,05080
Connecticut$66,980430
Wyoming$64,69040
Virginia$64,650280
Delaware$63,46060
Louisiana$62,550150
Kansas$60,730210
Nebraska$59,570190
Mississippi$58,780110
Alabama$51,650300
South Dakota$50,84040

How to become an electrical designer

In an O*NET survey of 69 workers, 40% said a bachelor's degree was required, 24% said an associate's degree, and 21% said a post-secondary certificate[19]. Because the survey is small, treat these as survey answers, not a count of all workers.

Certification is not mandatory. It can show knowledge of nationally recognized practices[20]. Drafters need to use CAD software[21] and handle math such as angles and costs[22]. High school students can prepare with classes in math, science, computer technology and design[23].

What electrical designers do

O*NET describes the work as preparing wiring diagrams, circuit board assembly diagrams and layout drawings for making, installing or repairing electrical equipment[24]. Typical tasks include:

Workers report job titles such as Electrical Drafter, Printed Circuit Board Designer and Drafting Technician[1].

Where they work

The Occupational Outlook Handbook says drafters spend much of their time at computers in an office, and some visit jobsites to work with architects and engineers[26]. Full-time work is typical, and some drafters work more than 40 hours a week[27]. Across the wider drafter group, architectural, engineering and related services is the largest employer, at 49% of jobs[28]. About 5% of electrical and electronics drafters were self-employed in 2025[29].

Job outlook

BLS projects employment to decline 3.4% from 2025 to 2035[3], from about 18,900 jobs to 18,200[3]. These counts include self-employed workers[3]. Employment in all occupations is projected to grow 3.5% over the same period[30].

Jobs still come open. BLS projects about 1,400 openings a year[6]. These include jobs left by people who stop working or switch occupations, not only new jobs[6]. Each year, 3.3% of workers leave the labor force and 4.4% move to a different occupation[31].

BLS names software as a factor. Programs let drafters finish work faster, so the occupation's share of employment shrinks[32]. For comparison, mechanical drafters are projected to decline 6%, while architectural and civil drafters are projected to grow 5.2%[33].

Is it a good fit?

The facts point to a job with pay above the all-occupation median[2][5] and an entry path built around a 2-year degree[7][18]. The tradeoff is the outlook. Employment is projected to fall while all occupations grow[3][30], though about 1,400 openings a year are still expected[6]. The work suits people who are comfortable with CAD software, math and careful detail[34][22][21].

Related occupations from O*NET, with BLS median pay and projected growth[33].

Frequently asked questions

How much does an electrical designer make an hour?
The median for electrical and electronics drafters was $36.96 an hour in May 2025, and the mean was $39.08[2][8].
What degree do you need to be an electrical designer?
BLS lists an associate's degree as the typical entry education[7]. In an O*NET survey of 69 workers, 40% said a bachelor's degree was required[19].
How long does it take to become an electrical designer?
For drafters generally, an associate's degree takes about 2 years of full-time study[18]. Certificate and diploma programs usually take less time[18].
Is electrical drafting in demand?
BLS projects a 3.4% decline in jobs from 2025 to 2035, against 3.5% growth for all occupations[3][30]. About 1,400 openings a year are still projected[6].
What is the highest paying state for electrical designers?
New Hampshire, with a median of $102,070, followed by New Mexico at $101,330[12].

Facts and sources

  1. O*NET 17-3012.00 sample job titles reported by workers: Computer-Aided Design Operator, Designer, Drafter, Drafting Technician (Drafting Tech), Electrical Designer, Electrical Drafter, Layout Designer, Printed Circuit Board Designer (PCB Designer). O*NET OnLine
  2. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median wage for Electrical and Electronics Drafters in the US was $76,870 per year and $36.96 per hour. Half of workers earned more and half earned less. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  3. BLS Employment Projections: employment of Electrical and Electronics Drafters is projected to decline 3.4% from 2025 to 2035, from about 18,900 to 18,200 jobs (a change of -600). These counts include self-employed workers. BLS Employment Projections
  4. BLS OEWS, May 2025, annual wage percentiles for Electrical and Electronics Drafters: 10th percentile $50,040, 25th percentile $61,430, 75th percentile $96,730, 90th percentile $120,290. The 10th percentile means 10% of workers earned less. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  5. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median annual wage for all occupations in the US was $50,980. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  6. BLS Employment Projections: about 1,400 openings for Electrical and Electronics Drafters are projected each year, on average, from 2025 to 2035. Openings include jobs that open when workers retire or move to other occupations, not only new jobs. BLS Employment Projections
  7. BLS Employment Projections, typical path into Electrical and Electronics Drafters: education needed for entry: Associate's degree; work experience in a related occupation: None; typical on-the-job training: None. BLS Employment Projections
  8. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the mean (average) wage for Electrical and Electronics Drafters was $81,280 per year and $39.08 per hour. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  9. BLS OEWS FAQ: a percentile wage is a boundary. The median (50th percentile) separates the highest-paid 50% from the lowest-paid 50% of workers in the occupation. OEWS publishes percentile wages, not a starting salary. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  10. BLS OEWS, May 2025, hourly wage percentiles for Electrical and Electronics Drafters: 10th percentile $24.06, 25th percentile $29.53, 75th percentile $46.50, 90th percentile $57.83. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  11. BLS OEWS FAQ: OEWS covers part-time and full-time workers paid a wage or salary. It does not cover the self-employed, owners and partners in unincorporated firms, household workers or unpaid family workers. OEWS wages do not include nonproduction bonuses or employer costs of benefits such as health insurance or retirement contributions. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  12. Median annual wage for Electrical and Electronics Drafters in every state with published data, May 2025 (table on this page). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  13. BLS OEWS, May 2025, states with the most Electrical and Electronics Drafters jobs: California 2,730; Texas 1,840; New York 850; Colorado 750; Florida 660. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  14. BLS OEWS, May 2025, metro areas with the highest median annual wage for Electrical and Electronics Drafters (areas with at least 100 jobs): San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA $115,530; Manchester-Nashua, NH $102,810; Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT $100,420; Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA $87,010; Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH $86,140; Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX $84,680; San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA $84,680; Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA $84,090. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  15. BLS OEWS, May 2025, metro areas with the most Electrical and Electronics Drafters jobs: Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA 860 (median $77,630); Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX 720 (median $83,100); New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ 580 (median $77,830); Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO 560 (median $79,530); Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ 480 (median $68,710); San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA 480 (median $115,530). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  16. Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  17. The BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook profile "Drafters" covers Electrical and Electronics Drafters together with other related occupations, so its text describes the wider group. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  18. Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Education. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  19. O*NET 17-3012.00 survey of workers (69 respondents), education level they say is required: Bachelor's Degree 40%, Associate's Degree or other 2-year degree 24%, Post-Secondary Certificate 21%, Some College Courses 7%, High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED) 6% (levels under 5% not listed). O*NET OnLine
  20. Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Licenses, Certifications, and Registrations. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  21. Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Important Qualities. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  22. Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Important Qualities. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  23. Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Education. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  24. O*NET description of Electrical and Electronics Drafters. O*NET OnLine
  25. O*NET task list for Electrical and Electronics Drafters. O*NET OnLine
  26. Occupational Outlook Handbook, Work Environment. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  27. Occupational Outlook Handbook, Work Environment: Work Schedules. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  28. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook, largest employers of drafters in 2025: Architectural, engineering, and related services 49%. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  29. BLS Employment Projections: 5% of Electrical and Electronics Drafters were self-employed in 2025. BLS Employment Projections
  30. BLS Employment Projections: employment in all occupations is projected to grow 3.5% from 2025 to 2035. BLS Employment Projections
  31. BLS Employment Projections, 2025-35 annual average for Electrical and Electronics Drafters: 3.3% of workers leave the labor force each year and 4.4% move to a different occupation. BLS Employment Projections
  32. BLS Employment Projections, factor affecting employment of Electrical and Electronics Drafters: Productivity change - share decreases as software capabilities allow drafters to perform work more rapidly. BLS Employment Projections
  33. Related occupations (O*NET) with BLS pay, growth and entry education. O*NET OnLine
  34. Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Important Qualities. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook

Notes are for reading the data only. They are not facts and cannot be cited: use the wage_scope and percentile_meaning facts instead. OEWS employment (jobs in May 2025) and Employment Projections employment (2025, includes self-employed) are different measures and can differ. O*NET education shares come from a small survey of workers in the occupation, not from all workers. The Occupational Outlook Handbook text covers a wider group of occupations than this page.

This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. CareerFacts has modified all or some of this information. USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications.