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Electrical Drafter salary in Australia
The median full-time salary for an electrical drafter is $88,400 per annum, before tax, up $18,700 since 2018.
What you earn depends on the sector and how the drafting work is billed. Drafters in utilities and government often sit under an enterprise agreement with defined increments, while consultancy and contract roles are negotiated individually. Fluency in a particular package, such as Revit MEP or AutoCAD Electrical, is often what moves you into a higher band.
Roles that pay more than electrical drafter
The largest typical pay rise is $55,200 a year, moving into Mechatronics Engineer.
- Mechatronics Engineer+$55,200/yr
- Electrical Engineer+$44,400/yr
- Electrical Engineering Technician+$3,100/yr
How to negotiate a higher electrical drafter salary
- Know the market rate before you ask. The median full-time electrical drafter salary is $88,400; use that, not a guess, as your anchor, and adjust for your experience and employer.
- Lead with what's scarce, not just tenure. Skills like CAD and technical drawing and Reading plans and specifications tend to command a premium over general electrical drafter experience, name them specifically when you ask.
- Bring a real alternative to the table. Mechatronics Engineer pays a typical $55,200 a year more and draws on similar skills, even mentioning you're weighing it up is a legitimate data point in a pay conversation.
- Time it deliberately. Reviews, the end of a project you delivered, or taking on responsibility beyond your job description are stronger moments to ask than an arbitrary date on the calendar.
- Ask for a number, not a raise. "Based on the market rate and [specific contribution], I'd like to move to X" gets a clearer answer than "I think I deserve more."
Electrical Drafter salary questions
How much do electrical drafters earn in Australia?
The median full-time salary for an electrical drafter is $88,400 a year before tax. Seniority, specialisation, sector and the award or agreement you're employed under all move it.
Is electrical drafter pay rising or falling?
The median electrical drafter salary is up $18,700 since 2018. Figures from 2025 onward on this page are a projection, not a measured result.
What pays more than electrical drafter?
Mechatronics Engineer pays a typical $55,200 a year more and draws on similar skills to electrical drafter.