SOC 17-3019 · May 2025 · BLS OEWS
Drafters, All Other — Olympia
Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater, WA · 1 metro areas compared
The median wage for Drafters, All Other in Olympia, WA is $60,600 per year, close to the national median of $63,520 for the same occupation.
Wage distribution · annual
Shaded band holds the middle 50% of earners
The next ten years
Projected to decline
- Change in jobs, 2024 to 2034
- -6.9%
- Openings per year
- 1,300
- Typical entry-level education
- Associate's degree
Includes jobs opened by workers leaving the occupation, not only new positions.
6.5% of people in this occupation work for themselves.
Projections are published nationally only. This is the outlook for the occupation across the United States, not a measurement for Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater, WA.
Projections are based on 2024 employment and run to 2034. The wages above are from the May 2025 survey, a separate BLS programme on a different release cycle, so the two are not two views of one dataset.
Salary overview
The median wage for Drafters, All Other in Olympia, WA is $60,600 per year, close to the national median of $63,520 for the same occupation. Pay ranges from under $48,530 at the tenth percentile to more than $101,000 at the ninetieth, with the interquartile range running from $60,600 to $69,120.
Employment stands at 40, or 0.3 jobs per thousand held locally. Seattle leads the state's metro areas for this occupation, at $72,990. Set against every other occupation measured in the same area, it ranks 202nd of 345 by median pay.
Percentile breakdown
| Percentile | Annual | vs US median |
|---|---|---|
| 10th | $48,530 | −23.6% |
| 25th | $60,600 | −4.6% |
| Median (50th) | $60,600 | −4.6% |
| 75th | $69,120 | +8.8% |
| 90th | $101,000 | +59.0% |
| Mean | $68,420 | +7.7% |
Other metro areas in Washington
| # | Metro area | Median | Jobs | Relative |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Seattle | $72,990 | 330 |
What the pay is worth locally
Prices in Olympia run 3.7% above the national average, so the median of $60,600 buys what $58,438 would elsewhere in the country. Measured that way the gap against the national median narrows to 8.0% below the national median in real terms.
Published median
$60,600as reported by BLSLocal price level
103.7US average = 100 · BEA 2024Adjusted for local prices
$58,438US average = 100 · BEA 2024Why the state that pays most is usually not where pay goes furthest
Key takeaways
- Median pay is $60,600 a year, 4.6% below the national median.
- Published pay spans $48,530 to $101,000 between the tenth and ninetieth percentiles.
- The area has 40 jobs in this occupation.
- The highest-paying metro area covered is Seattle, at $72,990.
Frequently asked questions
What is the median wage for Drafters, All Other in Olympia, WA?
The median annual wage is $60,600, or $29.14 per hour, as of May 2025. Half of the workers in this occupation earn more than that and half earn less.
Is that higher than the national average?
The national median for this occupation is $63,520, so pay in Olympia, WA is 4.6% lower. These figures are medians, not averages: half of workers fall on each side.
What do the top earners make?
The top tenth of this occupation in Olympia, WA earns more than $101,000 per year. The ninetieth percentile is the highest figure the survey publishes.
What is the starting range?
The tenth percentile wage is $48,530 per year. The survey measures wages actually paid rather than experience level, so this reflects the lowest-paid tenth rather than entry-level pay specifically.
Which area nearby pays the most?
The highest median for this occupation among the metro areas covered is in Seattle, at $72,990 per year.
How many jobs are there in this occupation here?
The survey estimates 40 jobs in this occupation in Olympia, WA. Self-employed workers are not included.
Source and methodology
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 Wages are for wage-and-salary workers; self-employed workers are not included. Salary Explorer is an independent project. It is not affiliated with, or endorsed by, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics or any government agency. Full methodology.
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