United States · Pay by job · Architecture and Engineering
Mechanical Drafter salary and take-home pay
The typical US mechanical drafter earns $71,550 a year, or $34.40 an hour (BLS, May 2025). In Texas, where the median for this job is $79,380, a single filer keeps about $64,674 a year after federal income tax, Social Security and Medicare.
BLS title: Mechanical Drafters (SOC 17-3013). Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS May 2025.
How much does a mechanical drafter earn?
| Percentile | Bar | A year | An hour |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | $48,360 | $23.25 | |
| 25th | $58,080 | $27.93 | |
| Median | $71,550 | $34.40 | |
| 75th | $86,120 | $41.41 | |
| 90th | $106,580 | $51.24 |
The middle half of people in this job earn $58,080 to $86,120 a year, and about 39,960 people do it across the US (BLS, May 2025).
Take-home pay tool
Mechanical Drafter · Texas · single · median
$64,673.83 a year after tax
$5,389.49 a month · $2,487.46 a paycheck (every two weeks)
| Pay before tax | $79,380.00 |
|---|---|
| Federal income tax | −$8,633.60 |
| Social Security and Medicare | −$6,072.57 |
| Texas tax and payroll contributions | none |
| Take-home pay | $64,673.83 |
Pay: the median for this job in Texas, $79,380 a year (BLS). One job, standard deduction, nothing taken before tax, the year’s tax spread over 26 paychecks.
What does a mechanical drafter take home at each pay point?
A single filer on the national figures, paid every two weeks, with nothing taken before tax:
| Pay a year | Texas | California | New York | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | $48,360 | $41,037 | $39,526 | $38,783 |
| 25th | $58,080 | $48,847 | $46,634 | $46,026 |
| Median | $71,550 | $59,165 | $55,846 | $55,558 |
| 75th | $86,120 | $69,415 | $64,676 | $64,959 |
| 90th | $106,580 | $83,809 | $76,901 | $78,118 |
Take-home after federal income tax, Social Security, Medicare and state tax for 2026. New York is outside New York City.
Where does a mechanical drafter keep the most after tax?
Our 19 states, ranked by take-home pay on each state’s own median for this job (single filer). Only these 19 states have take-home figures so far.
| Rank | State | Median pay | Take-home |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Texas | $79,380 | $64,674 |
| 2 | New Jersey | $83,380 | $63,826 |
| 3 | California | $82,510 | $62,519 |
| 4 | Nevada | $75,830 | $62,176 |
| 5 | Washington | $76,820 | $61,807 |
| 6 | New York | $76,490 | $58,746 |
| 7 | Ohio | $70,580 | $56,986 |
| 8 | Michigan | $72,280 | $56,858 |
| 9 | Florida | $68,050 | $56,703 |
| 10 | Virginia | $69,630 | $54,625 |
| 11 | Georgia | $66,670 | $53,154 |
| 12 | Tennessee | $63,390 | $53,114 |
| 13 | Wyoming | $61,070 | $51,250 |
| 14 | Pennsylvania | $63,480 | $51,193 |
| 15 | Illinois | $63,320 | $50,068 |
| 16 | North Carolina | $59,050 | $47,779 |
| 17 | New Hampshire | $55,390 | $46,686 |
| 18 | South Dakota | $52,610 | $44,452 |
Not ranked, because BLS released no median there: Alaska.
How much does a mechanical drafter earn in each state?
| State | Median pay | People in the job | Take-home (single) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $53,600 | 440 | not yet |
| Alaska | not released | 50 | – |
| Arizona | $67,410 | 630 | not yet |
| Arkansas | $59,960 | 250 | not yet |
| California | $82,510 | 3,640 | $62,519 (#3) |
| Colorado | $85,280 | 580 | not yet |
| Connecticut | $68,830 | 450 | not yet |
| Delaware | $57,110 | 160 | not yet |
| District of Columbia | not released | not released | not yet |
| Florida | $68,050 | 1,540 | $56,703 (#9) |
| Georgia | $66,670 | 820 | $53,154 (#11) |
| Hawaii | not released | not released | not yet |
| Idaho | $59,050 | 330 | not yet |
| Illinois | $63,320 | 450 | $50,068 (#15) |
| Indiana | $62,820 | 1,300 | not yet |
| Iowa | $63,330 | 630 | not yet |
| Kansas | $65,250 | 540 | not yet |
| Kentucky | $68,880 | 510 | not yet |
| Louisiana | $77,730 | 420 | not yet |
| Maine | $76,360 | 620 | not yet |
| Maryland | $76,740 | 360 | not yet |
| Massachusetts | $75,490 | 620 | not yet |
| Michigan | $72,280 | 2,030 | $56,858 (#8) |
| Minnesota | $73,090 | 1,220 | not yet |
| Mississippi | $60,460 | 260 | not yet |
| Missouri | $66,350 | 870 | not yet |
| Montana | not released | not released | not yet |
| Nebraska | $61,170 | 530 | not yet |
| Nevada | $75,830 | 250 | $62,176 (#4) |
| New Hampshire | $55,390 | not released | $46,686 (#17) |
| New Jersey | $83,380 | 690 | $63,826 (#2) |
| New Mexico | $89,940 | 90 | not yet |
| New York | $76,490 | 1,940 | $58,746 (#6) |
| North Carolina | $59,050 | 1,350 | $47,779 (#16) |
| North Dakota | $77,570 | 100 | not yet |
| Ohio | $70,580 | 1,790 | $56,986 (#7) |
| Oklahoma | $63,440 | 650 | not yet |
| Oregon | $74,000 | 410 | not yet |
| Pennsylvania | $63,480 | 2,330 | $51,193 (#14) |
| Rhode Island | $69,290 | 100 | not yet |
| South Carolina | $63,740 | 640 | not yet |
| South Dakota | $52,610 | 100 | $44,452 (#18) |
| Tennessee | $63,390 | 740 | $53,114 (#12) |
| Texas | $79,380 | 4,630 | $64,674 (#1) |
| Utah | $70,000 | 490 | not yet |
| Vermont | $73,040 | 70 | not yet |
| Virginia | $69,630 | 630 | $54,625 (#10) |
| Washington | $76,820 | 1,690 | $61,807 (#5) |
| West Virginia | $65,100 | 140 | not yet |
| Wisconsin | $63,770 | 1,630 | not yet |
| Wyoming | $61,070 | 60 | $51,250 (#13) |
Median yearly pay for this job in each state, from BLS. Take-home and its rank are for the 19 states with a take-home engine so far. Each linked state shows its highest-paying jobs after tax.
What is the job outlook for a mechanical drafter?
BLS expects jobs as a mechanical drafter to shrink 6% from 2025 to 2035, with about 2,900 openings a year (BLS Employment Projections 2025–35).
- Job growth, 2025 to 2035
- -6%
- Openings a year
- about 2,900
- Usual education
- Associate's degree
- Work experience
- None
- On-the-job training
- None
What do similar jobs pay?
The 10 architecture and engineering jobs closest in pay to a mechanical drafter:
- Other Engineering Technician median $78,350
- Electrical Engineering Technician median $78,190
- Electrical and Electronics Drafter median $76,870
- Surveyor median $75,440
- Mechanical Engineering Technician median $74,510
- Electro-Mechanical Technician median $73,900
- Calibration Technician median $67,820
- Architectural and Civil Drafter median $66,150
- Industrial Engineering Technician median $66,120
- Civil Engineering Technician median $64,950
Every job in the group: Architecture and Engineering jobs. Not sure which job suits you? Try the free career test.
What else can I work out?
- Your paycheck on $71,550, with any pay schedule, 401(k) or HSA.
- Hourly to salary: $34.40 an hour as a yearly salary.
- Your 2026 tax refund on $71,550, with the new deductions for tips and overtime.
Where do these figures come from?
Pay is the BLS estimate for all employers in May 2025 (the latest), and the outlook is from BLS Employment Projections 2025–35. Your own pay depends on your employer, area and experience. Take-home is our estimate for 2026: one job, the standard deduction, nothing taken before tax, from the same engine as our paycheck calculator.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS May 2025: Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics tables (BLS); Employment Projections tables (BLS). This site is independent and not part of the BLS.
Questions about mechanical drafter pay
How much does a mechanical drafter make an hour?
The median is $34.40 an hour (BLS, May 2025). The middle half earn $27.93 to $41.41, and the top 10% earn $51.24 or more.
Which state pays a mechanical drafter the most?
Among the 50 states and DC, New Mexico has the highest median for this job: $89,940 a year (BLS). After tax, of the 19 states we cover, Texas leaves the most: $64,674 a year for a single filer on its median of $79,380.
What is a mechanical drafter’s take-home pay?
On the national median of $71,550, a single filer keeps about $59,165 a year in Texas (no state income tax), $55,846 in California and $55,558 in New York outside New York City, after federal income tax, Social Security, Medicare and state tax. Pick your state in the tool above.
What education do you need to be a mechanical drafter?
BLS lists an associate's degree as the usual way in, with no work experience in a related job and no on-the-job training once hired.
Is the number of mechanical drafter jobs growing?
BLS expects jobs as a mechanical drafter to shrink 6% from 2025 to 2035, with about 2,900 openings a year (BLS Employment Projections 2025–35).