Average AutoCAD Drafter Salary in London, United Kingdom for 2026
In this article, we will look at the average AutoCAD Drafter salary for 2026 in London and how that compares to other countries and professions. We'll also look at interesting salary data points like median salary, 25th and 75th percentile salaries, salary amounts based on experience, bonus ranges and more!
The data in this article has been compiled using official government salary data, salary surveys, and other sources such as job postings which contain salary information.
All salary information is in the local currency, which is the British pound. To keep things simple, we are using the GBP currency code instead of the currency symbol £.
How Much Does an AutoCAD Drafter Make in London?
An AutoCAD Drafter working in London will typically earn around 43,500 GBP per year, and this can range from the lowest average salary of about 20,000 GBP to the highest average salary of 68,800 GBP.
These are average salaries for an AutoCAD Drafter in London and include benefits such as housing and transport. It's also possible for an AutoCAD Drafter to earn more or less than the average salaries shown above.
AutoCAD Drafter salaries will vary a lot based on your experience, location, skills, and gender. Keep reading below to research more data on each of these areas.
Distribution of AutoCAD Drafter Salaries in London
So we've looked at the average salaries an AutoCAD Drafter will earn in London. The next interesting data point is the distribution of salaries.
Salary ranges
We already know that an AutoCAD Drafter can earn between 20,000 GBP and 68,800 GBP on average in London. This is known as the range in statistics.
The difference between the maximum and minimum values is a good indicator of variability in salaries, and can be used by employers to figure out how much they can expect to pay, and for employees to know how much they can earn.
Median salary
The median salary for an AutoCAD Drafter in London is 47,600 GBP. This is the middle value in the distribution of salaries.
What this means is that approximately 50% of the population earn less than 47,600 GBP, and 50% of the population earn more than 47,600 GBP.
If you are earning more than the median salary, that's a good indicator that you are being paid well.
If you're not earning more than the median salary, your objective should be to increase your earnings to be at least as high as the median salary (which you can do by asking for a pay rise, looking for a better paying job, etc).
Percentiles
Percentiles are similar to the median salary, but instead of looking at the middle value, they look at the values in the top and bottom half of the distribution.
For the average AutoCAD Drafter salary in London, 25% of the population are earning less than 30,800 GBP while 75% of the population earn more than 30,800 GBP.
75% of the population earn less than 61,400 GBP, and 25% of the population earn more than 61,400 GBP.
Like the median salary, the 25th and 75th percentile salaries can be used to determine which quartile you fall into so that you know whether you are being paid well enough compared to others in your profession and location.
The difference between a median and an average salary
The median and average salary are both indicators you can use to see if you are being paid fairly based on the overall population.
- If your salary is higher than the average and the median salary, you are earning well compared to others.
- If your salary is lower than the average and the median salary, it could indicate you are not being paid well enough.
- If you are somewhere in between then it's tricky to determine if you are being paid well enough and you might need to research more closely.
AutoCAD Drafter Salary by Experience Level in London
The most important factor in determining your salary after the specific profession is the number of years experience you have. It stands to reason that more years of experience will result in a higher wage.
We have researched the average AutoCAD Drafter salary based on years of experience to give you an idea of how the average changes once you've worked for a certain amount of time.
- 0 - 2 Years Experience. An AutoCAD Drafter in London that has less than two years of experience can expect to earn somewhere in the region of 21,300 GBP.
- 2 - 5 Years Experience. With two to five years of experience the average AutoCAD Drafter salary would increase to 29,600 GBP.
- 5 - 10 Years Experience. From five to ten years of experience as an AutoCAD Drafter, the average salary would be 46,400 GBP.
- 10 - 15 Years Experience. Once you have more than ten years of experience the average salary reaches around 56,100 GBP.
- 15 - 20 Years Experience. An AutoCAD Drafter with 15 to 20 years of experience can earn an average of 61,400 GBP.
- 20+ Years Experience. For an AutoCAD Drafter with more than 20 years, the expected average salary increases to 64,900 GBP.
Average Salary by Experience Chart
| 0-2 Years | - | 21,300 GBP |
| 2-5 Years | +34% | 29,600 GBP |
| 5-10 Years | +48% | 46,400 GBP |
| 10-15 Years | +22% | 56,100 GBP |
| 15-20 Years | +9% | 61,400 GBP |
| 20+ Years | +8% | 64,900 GBP |
AutoCAD Drafter Salary by Education Level in London
As well as experience in a job, your education plays a big role in how much you can earn. A lot of higher paying positions require a high level of education, but how much can a degree increase your salary?
In our research we have compared the salaries of employees in the same job and career level with different levels of education to see how much more you can earn at each education level.
The salary you can earn based on your education is very specific to both your location and the career path you choose.
In our research, we looked at the average salary for an AutoCAD Drafter in London based on the education level of the employees in order to find out whether a better education level would increase your salary.
- Certificate or Diploma. An AutoCAD Drafter in London with a certificate or diploma education can earn an average salary of 25,800 GBP.
- Bachelor's Degree. An AutoCAD Drafter in London with a bachelor's degree education can earn an average salary of 49,700 GBP.
Average Salary by Education Chart
| Certificate or Diploma | - | 25,800 GBP |
| Bachelor's Degree | +93% | 49,700 GBP |
How Much is a Master's Degree or MBA Program?
The approximate cost of a master's degree or post-graduate program like an MBA in United Kingdom is around 29,600 to 88,700 GBP and takes two years to complete.
As you can see above, there are financial benefits from reaching master's degree level, but don't expect to see much of a salary increase until you have completed the degree.
It's common for people to pursue an MBA or other post-graduate program in order to switch to a a job that pays more. On average, you can expect to earn around 10% more when switching to a new company.
Whether you decide to pursue a master's degree depends on many factors. If you are able to afford it, the numbers suggest that the return on investment is worth it and you could recover the costs in a few years from the salary increase you would receive.
AutoCAD Drafter Salary Compared by Gender
In the modern age, we know that there should never be a pay gap between men and women. Unfortunately, in many professions, there is still a significant difference between the salaries earned by men when compared to the salary of women in the same job.
In London, a male autocad drafter will earn an average of 40,500 GBP, while a female autocad drafter will earn around 36,800 GBP.
This means that a male autocad drafter earns approximately 10% more than a female autocad drafter for performing the same job.
Average Salary by Gender Chart in London
| Male | - | 40,500 GBP |
| Female | -10% | 36,800 GBP |
AutoCAD Drafter Average Pay Raise in London
In many countries, an annual pay raise is often given to employees to reward their service with a salary increase.
From our research, we can see that the average pay raise for an AutoCAD Drafter in London is around 11% every 15 months.
The national average pay raise across all professions and industries in United Kingdom is around 9% every 15 months.
In this case, we can see that the number of months between the average pay raise is higher than the typical 12 months.
To make the data more meaningful, we can calculate what the approximate annual pay raise would be using a simple formula:
Annual Increase = ( Increase Rate ÷ Months ) × 12
So for this example, it would be:
Annual Increase = ( 11 ÷ 15 ) × 12 = 9%
What this means is that an AutoCAD Drafter in London can expect to receive an average pay raise of around 9% every 12 months.
Annual Pay Raise by Industry in London for 2026
In the chart below, you can see the average annual pay raise percentages for each of the major industries in United Kingdom.
You will see that companies in bigger and more lucrative industries tend to have the higher annual pay raises.
| Banking | - | 3% |
| Energy | - | 6% |
| Information Technology | - | 9% |
| Healthcare | - | 3% |
| Travel | - | 6% |
| Construction | - | 9% |
| Education | - | 3% |
AutoCAD Drafter Bonus and Incentive Rates in London
Another part of your overall compensation in a job is how much bonus you receive. Some job roles will be more likely to pay a bonus than others and also more likely to have higher bonus rates.
Generally speaking, jobs that are more involved with direct revenue generation will receive higher bonuses based on the performance towards revenue goals.
An AutoCAD Drafter is a low bonus based job, with 35% of employees reporting at least one bonus in the last 12 months.
65% reported that they had not received any bonuses in the previous 12 months.
For the employees that did receive a bonus in the previous 12 months, the reported bonuses ranged from 0% to 4%.
| Received Bonus | - | 35% |
| No Bonus | - | 65% |
What are the Types of Bonus?
There are a number of difference types of bonus you can receive in a job. Including:
- Individual performance bonus - This is a bonus that is awarded to an individual employee for general performance in the job. It's the most common type of bonus.
- Company performance bonus - This is a bonus that is awarded to a company employees to share profit with the staff.
- Goal based bonus - This is a bonus that is awarded to an individual employee (or a team) for achieving specific goals, objectives, or milestones.
- Holiday bonus - This type of bonus is usually paid around the holidays, often the end of the year, and is a token of appreciation for the hard work throughout the year.
Government vs Private Sector Salaries
Another commonly asked question is whether you get paid a higher salary working in the public (government) sector or the private sector.
Public sector employees in United Kingdom earn approximately 7% more than private sector employees in the same role.
| Public Sector | - | 72,700 GBP |
| Private Sector | -7% | 68,200 GBP |
Salaries for Jobs Similar to an AutoCAD Drafter
In the table below, we have salary information for jobs that are similar to an AutoCAD Drafter in London.
| Job Title | Category | Salary |
|---|---|---|
| Acoustics Engineer | Engineering | 62,500 GBP |
| Assembly Engineering Technician | Engineering | 50,000 GBP |
| Assistant Chief Engineer | Engineering | 68,100 GBP |
| Associate Engineer | Engineering | 55,500 GBP |
| Autocad Operator | Engineering | 40,700 GBP |
| Automation Engineer | Engineering | 67,000 GBP |
| Automation Engineer | Engineering | 69,100 GBP |
| Avionic System Support Engineer | Engineering | 60,100 GBP |
| BMS Engineer | Engineering | 61,700 GBP |
| Biochemical Engineer | Engineering | 60,700 GBP |
| Bridge and Lock Tender | Engineering | 33,000 GBP |
| Broadcast Engineer | Engineering | 61,600 GBP |
| CAD Design Engineer | Engineering | 69,400 GBP |
| CAD Designer | Engineering | 39,100 GBP |
| CAE Engineer | Engineering | 59,800 GBP |
| Ceramics Engineer | Engineering | 58,700 GBP |
| Chemical Engineer | Engineering | 63,500 GBP |
| Civil Drafter | Engineering | 39,100 GBP |
| Civil Engineer | Engineering | 68,900 GBP |
| Civil Site Engineer | Engineering | 65,400 GBP |
| Civil Technician | Engineering | 40,300 GBP |
| Commissioning Engineer | Engineering | 60,900 GBP |
| Communications Engineer | Engineering | 68,200 GBP |
| Condition Monitoring Engineer | Engineering | 54,300 GBP |
| Contract Associate Engineer | Engineering | 63,200 GBP |
| Contract Engineer | Engineering | 64,900 GBP |
| Control Systems Engineer | Engineering | 64,800 GBP |
| Controls Engineer | Engineering | 61,200 GBP |
| Controls Software Engineer | Engineering | 54,100 GBP |
| Corrosion Engineer | Engineering | 62,100 GBP |
| Design Engineer | Engineering | 69,700 GBP |
| Director of Engineering | Engineering | 123,800 GBP |
| Drafter | Engineering | 40,300 GBP |
| Drafting Manager | Engineering | 74,300 GBP |
| Drilling Engineer | Engineering | 60,700 GBP |
| Drilling Foreman | Engineering | 18,200 GBP |
| Electrical Draughtsman | Engineering | 32,200 GBP |
| Electrical Engineer | Engineering | 70,000 GBP |
| Electrical Engineering Manager | Engineering | 93,100 GBP |
| Electromechanical Engineering Technologist | Engineering | 69,700 GBP |
| Electromechanical Equipment Assembler | Engineering | 31,700 GBP |
| Energy Engineer | Engineering | 65,800 GBP |
| Engine Assembler | Engineering | 30,800 GBP |
| Engineer | Engineering | 64,900 GBP |
| Engineering Account Manager | Engineering | 74,500 GBP |
| Engineering Chief Designer | Engineering | 77,000 GBP |
| Engineering Consultant | Engineering | 86,100 GBP |
| Engineering Key Account Manager | Engineering | 90,600 GBP |
| Engineering Lab Technician | Engineering | 59,800 GBP |
| Engineering Manager | Engineering | 92,400 GBP |
| Engineering Planning Manager | Engineering | 93,200 GBP |
| Engineering Production Manager | Engineering | 114,900 GBP |
| Engineering Project Analyst | Engineering | 73,100 GBP |
| Engineering Project Coordinator | Engineering | 72,400 GBP |
| Engineering Project Director | Engineering | 128,200 GBP |
| Engineering Project Leader | Engineering | 80,400 GBP |
| Engineering Project Manager | Engineering | 84,600 GBP |
| Engineering Research and Development Manager | Engineering | 105,800 GBP |
| Engineering Safety Coordinator | Engineering | 50,500 GBP |
| Engineering Sales Manager | Engineering | 83,800 GBP |
| Engineering Technician | Engineering | 45,600 GBP |
| Engineering Technologist | Engineering | 49,400 GBP |
| Environmental Engineer | Engineering | 60,600 GBP |
| Equipment Engineer | Engineering | 59,500 GBP |
| Equipment Engineering Manager | Engineering | 86,100 GBP |
| Estimator | Engineering | 51,900 GBP |
| Fabrication Specialist | Engineering | 45,600 GBP |
| Fabricator | Engineering | 31,300 GBP |
| Facade Engineer | Engineering | 61,300 GBP |
| Fiber Analyst | Engineering | 38,100 GBP |
| Field Engineer | Engineering | 63,200 GBP |
| Field Engineering Manager | Engineering | 109,000 GBP |
| Fire Engineer | Engineering | 63,000 GBP |
| Fitter and Turner | Engineering | 21,200 GBP |
| Forestry Strategic Planner | Engineering | 76,000 GBP |
| Generation Engineer | Engineering | 67,500 GBP |
| Genetic Engineer | Engineering | 67,500 GBP |
| Geological Engineer | Engineering | 64,300 GBP |
| Geotechnical Engineer | Engineering | 68,200 GBP |
| HSE Professional | Engineering | 58,600 GBP |
| HVAC Engineer | Engineering | 66,400 GBP |
| HVAC Supervisor | Engineering | 62,100 GBP |
| Heavy Equipment Mechanic | Engineering | 34,000 GBP |
| Highway Engineer | Engineering | 59,800 GBP |
| Industrial Engineer | Engineering | 61,800 GBP |
| Industrial Engineering Technologist | Engineering | 63,900 GBP |
| Instrument Engineer | Engineering | 61,400 GBP |
| Instrument Technician | Engineering | 35,300 GBP |
| Instrumentation Designer | Engineering | 51,800 GBP |
| Instrumentation Engineer | Engineering | 65,100 GBP |
| Instrumentation Manager | Engineering | 64,300 GBP |
| Instrumentation and Control Engineer | Engineering | 61,400 GBP |
| Irrigation Engineer | Engineering | 64,600 GBP |
| Licensed Aircraft Engineer | Engineering | 67,800 GBP |
| Locomotive Engineer | Engineering | 61,800 GBP |
| Maintenance Engineer | Engineering | 58,500 GBP |
| Maintenance Fitter | Engineering | 23,200 GBP |
| Maintenance Manager | Engineering | 62,600 GBP |
| Manufacturing Engineer | Engineering | 62,100 GBP |
| Marine Engineer | Engineering | 65,900 GBP |
| Materials Engineer | Engineering | 58,600 GBP |
| Materials Researcher | Engineering | 58,200 GBP |
| Materials Technician | Engineering | 46,400 GBP |
| Mechanical Design Engineer | Engineering | 71,100 GBP |
| Mechanical Designer | Engineering | 51,800 GBP |
| Mechanical Engineer | Engineering | 67,400 GBP |
| Mechanical Engineering Manager | Engineering | 88,500 GBP |
| Mechanical Inspector | Engineering | 63,700 GBP |
| Mechanical and Electrical Engineer | Engineering | 68,900 GBP |
| Mechatronics Engineer | Engineering | 72,400 GBP |
| Mining Engineer | Engineering | 60,700 GBP |
| Oil and Petrochemical Engineer | Engineering | 65,800 GBP |
| Optical Engineer | Engineering | 60,900 GBP |
| Optical Instrument Assembler | Engineering | 32,200 GBP |
| PCB Assembler | Engineering | 23,800 GBP |
| Photonics Engineer | Engineering | 70,800 GBP |
| Photonics Technician | Engineering | 57,400 GBP |
| Pipeline Engineer | Engineering | 60,700 GBP |
| Piping Designer | Engineering | 34,000 GBP |
| Piping Engineer | Engineering | 57,400 GBP |
| Planning Engineer | Engineering | 65,900 GBP |
| Pressure Vessel Inspector | Engineering | 30,200 GBP |
| Principal Cost Engineer | Engineering | 67,400 GBP |
| Principal Engineer | Engineering | 63,200 GBP |
| Principal Support Engineer | Engineering | 63,900 GBP |
| Process Engineer | Engineering | 61,500 GBP |
| Process Operator | Engineering | 36,500 GBP |
| Product Development Engineer | Engineering | 66,400 GBP |
| Product Development Technician | Engineering | 49,000 GBP |
| Product Engineer | Engineering | 68,200 GBP |
| Product Safety Engineer | Engineering | 58,500 GBP |
| Production Engineer | Engineering | 63,700 GBP |
| Project Engineer | Engineering | 65,900 GBP |
| Proposal Manager | Engineering | 79,600 GBP |
| Purchasing Engineer | Engineering | 57,200 GBP |
| Quality Assurance Engineer | Engineering | 64,900 GBP |
| Rail Engineer | Engineering | 67,800 GBP |
| Regional Field Engineer | Engineering | 69,100 GBP |
| Robotics Engineer | Engineering | 75,400 GBP |
| Robotics Technician | Engineering | 51,100 GBP |
| Safety Engineer | Engineering | 62,600 GBP |
| Safety Inspector | Engineering | 45,600 GBP |
| Safety Manager | Engineering | 73,500 GBP |
| Safety Officer | Engineering | 32,200 GBP |
| Sales Engineer | Engineering | 66,400 GBP |
| Scheduling Engineer | Engineering | 60,700 GBP |
| Service Engineer | Engineering | 69,100 GBP |
| Solar Engineer | Engineering | 65,900 GBP |
| Staff Engineer | Engineering | 59,900 GBP |
| Static Equipment Engineer | Engineering | 60,700 GBP |
| Stationary Engineer | Engineering | 57,800 GBP |
| Stress Engineer | Engineering | 57,200 GBP |
| Structural Analysis Engineer | Engineering | 63,100 GBP |
| Structural Designer | Engineering | 52,300 GBP |
| Structural Engineer | Engineering | 64,500 GBP |
| Structural Technician | Engineering | 42,300 GBP |
| Supply Chain Specialist | Engineering | 64,600 GBP |
| Surveyor | Engineering | 47,400 GBP |
| Technical Affairs Officer | Engineering | 32,600 GBP |
| Technical Assistant | Engineering | 32,200 GBP |
| Technical Engineer | Engineering | 54,200 GBP |
| Technical Support Engineer | Engineering | 54,300 GBP |
| Tender Engineer | Engineering | 54,700 GBP |
| Test Development Engineer | Engineering | 63,400 GBP |
| Test Engineer | Engineering | 60,700 GBP |
| Transportation Engineer | Engineering | 58,800 GBP |
| Validation Engineer | Engineering | 58,800 GBP |
| Verification Engineer | Engineering | 60,100 GBP |
| Wastewater Engineer | Engineering | 63,000 GBP |
| Wind Energy Engineer | Engineering | 66,000 GBP |
| Wind Energy Operations Manager | Engineering | 87,400 GBP |
| Work Planner | Engineering | 45,000 GBP |
Salary Comparison by City
If you want to compare salaries with different cities in United Kingdom, you can use the links below to explore the data for each specific city we have researched.
| City | Average Salary |
|---|---|
| Aberdeen | 39,600 GBP |
| Abingdon | 35,300 GBP |
| Armagh | 39,100 GBP |
| Bangor | 34,000 GBP |
| Belfast | 42,000 GBP |
| Birmingham | 43,500 GBP |
| Bradford | 42,400 GBP |
| Brighton | 41,700 GBP |
| Bristol | 42,300 GBP |
| Cambridge | 37,300 GBP |
| Canterbury | 35,100 GBP |
| Cardiff | 41,400 GBP |
| Chester | 36,000 GBP |
| Coventry | 42,400 GBP |
| Derby | 41,700 GBP |
| Derry | 34,800 GBP |
| Dundee | 36,900 GBP |
| Durham | 34,300 GBP |
| Edinburgh | 40,300 GBP |
| Exeter | 36,700 GBP |
| Glasgow | 45,100 GBP |
| Gloucester | 37,300 GBP |
| Hartlepool | 34,900 GBP |
| Inverness | 35,100 GBP |
| Kingston upon Hull | 39,800 GBP |
| Kirkwall | 34,000 GBP |
| Leeds | 45,100 GBP |
| Leicester | 41,400 GBP |
| Lincoln | 36,400 GBP |
| Lisburn | 34,300 GBP |
| Liverpool | 42,300 GBP |
| Manchester | 42,800 GBP |
| Newcastle | 42,000 GBP |
| Newport | 36,900 GBP |
| Newry | 34,800 GBP |
| Norwich | 36,700 GBP |
| Nottingham | 39,800 GBP |
| Oxford | 39,100 GBP |
| Peterborough | 37,900 GBP |
| Plymouth | 38,000 GBP |
| Poole | 36,400 GBP |
| Portsmouth | 39,600 GBP |
| Ripon | 34,000 GBP |
| Salisbury | 33,800 GBP |
| Sheffield | 42,800 GBP |
| Somerset | 40,300 GBP |
| Southampton | 40,000 GBP |
| St Davids | 32,900 GBP |
| Stirling | 34,900 GBP |
| Stromness | 32,900 GBP |
| Strontian | 32,900 GBP |
| Swansea | 40,000 GBP |
| Truro | 35,300 GBP |
| Wakefield | 36,000 GBP |
| Wells | 34,000 GBP |
| Winchester | 33,800 GBP |
| Wolverhampton | 38,000 GBP |
| York | 37,900 GBP |
Salary Comparison by State
The table below includes links to the average salary for each state in United Kingdom.
| State | Average Salary |
|---|---|
| England | 73,200 GBP |
| Northern Ireland | 35,100 GBP |
| Scotland | 53,300 GBP |
| Wales | 34,900 GBP |
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