Architectural Drafter H-1B salaries — 434 certified filings (FY2016–FY2026)
- 8
- Filings · FY2025
- $60k
- Median base · FY2025
- $50k–$69k
- Middle 50% · FY2025
- Gehry Partners LLP
- Top sponsor · 17 all-time
Architectural Drafter: 434 certified H-1B LCAs since FY2016. In FY2025 the median base salary was $60k across 8 filings, with the middle 50% of offers between $50k and $69k. The biggest sponsors are Gehry Partners LLP, Goody Clancy Associates, Christner; most filings are in New York, NY.
How much does a Architectural Drafter make on an H-1B?
Certified base salary by fiscal year: each box is the p25–p75 range, the heavy line the median, the whiskers reach p10–p90. $60k median in FY2025. Base pay only — hover a year for its figures.
How has Architectural Drafter sponsorship changed?
81 certified filings in FY2016 → 12 in FY2026. The change column is each year against the one before.
| Fiscal year | Filings | vs prior FY | Median base |
|---|---|---|---|
| FY2026 | 12 | +50% | $75k |
| FY2025 | 8 | −38% | $60k |
| FY2024 | 13 | +44% | $66k |
| FY2023 | 9 | −53% | $63k |
| FY2022 | 19 | −5% | $55k |
| FY2021 | 20 | −44% | $58k |
| FY2020 | 36 | −39% | $54k |
| FY2019 | 59 | −29% | $48k |
| FY2018 | 83 | −12% | $50k |
| FY2017 | 94 | +16% | $45k |
| FY2016 | 81 | — | $44k |
Which companies sponsor H-1B Architectural Drafters?
The employers with the most certified filings, all years, with their median base salary. Open any employer for its full profile.
| # | Employer | Filings | Median base |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Gehry Partners LLP | 17 | $59k |
| 2 | Goody Clancy Associates | 5 | $50k |
| 3 | Christner | 5 | $48k |
| 4 | Mstsd | 5 | $44k |
| 5 | Samaha Associates P C | 5 | $58k |
| 6 | Space Light Structure Design | 5 | $44k |
| 7 | Urban Energy Works | 4 | $35k |
| 8 | Goring and Straja Architects | 4 | $52k |
| 9 | Mkw Associates | 4 | $40k |
| 10 | Praxis3 | 4 | $75k |
Where are H-1B Architectural Drafter jobs located?
Worksite cities with the most certified filings for this title, all years.
| # | City | Filings | Median base |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New York, NY | 56 | $49k |
| 2 | Los Angeles, CA | 38 | $56k |
| 3 | Brooklyn, NY | 22 | $48k |
| 4 | San Francisco, CA | 13 | $52k |
| 5 | Atlanta, GA | 12 | $54k |
| 6 | Boston, MA | 12 | $50k |
| 7 | Chicago, IL | 9 | $46k |
| 8 | Houston, TX | 8 | $42k |
| 9 | Berkeley, CA | 7 | $65k |
| 10 | Washington, DC | 7 | $50k |
Common questions about Architectural Drafter H-1B salaries
- What is the median H-1B salary for a Architectural Drafter?
- The median certified H-1B base salary for Architectural Drafter is $60k (FY2025), from 8 filings. Across all years the middle 50% earn between $42k and $57k.
- Which companies sponsor the most H-1B Architectural Drafters?
- The top H-1B sponsors for Architectural Drafter are Gehry Partners LLP, Goody Clancy Associates, Christner.
- Where are most H-1B Architectural Drafter jobs located?
- The top worksite locations for H-1B Architectural Drafter roles are New York, NY, Los Angeles, CA, Brooklyn, NY.
- Does a certified LCA mean Architectural Drafter H-1B visas were approved?
- No. A Labor Condition Application (LCA) is the Department of Labor attestation an employer must have certified before filing an H-1B petition with USCIS. It records the job, worksite and offered wage, but not whether the petition was filed, selected in the lottery, or approved. Filing counts measure intent to sponsor, not headcount.
- What salary do these figures show?
- The base annual wage offered on the certified LCA, converted to a yearly amount. Bonus, equity, overtime and benefits are not included, so total compensation is typically higher. Figures are medians and percentiles over certified filings; wages above $5,000,000 a year are excluded as data-entry errors.
- What does the fiscal year mean here?
- Years are U.S. government fiscal years, October to September: FY2025 runs from October 1, 2024 to September 30, 2025. This matches how the Department of Labor publishes the disclosure files. The most recent year may be partial until its final quarter is released.
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Source: U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Foreign Labor Certification — certified LCA disclosure data through June 2026 (FY2016–FY2026). An LCA is not an approved visa; pay figures are base salary and exclude bonus and equity. Methodology →