Mechanical Drafters Salary in the United States
The median annual wage for mechanical drafters in the U.S. is $71,550 ($34.40 per hour), according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program, May 2025 estimates.
- Median annual wage
- $71,550
- Mean annual wage
- $75,060
- Median hourly wage
- $34.40
- Employment
- 39,960
39,960 employed
Wage percentiles
| Percentile | Annual wage | Hourly wage |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $48,360 | $23.25 |
| 25th percentile | $58,080 | $27.93 |
| Median (50th) | $71,550 | $34.40 |
| 75th percentile | $86,120 | $41.41 |
| 90th percentile | $106,580 | $51.24 |
Highest-paying states for mechanical drafters
| State | Median annual wage | Employment |
|---|---|---|
| New Mexico | $89,940 | 90 |
| Colorado | $85,280 | 580 |
| New Jersey | $83,380 | 690 |
| California | $82,510 | 3,640 |
| Texas | $79,380 | 4,630 |
| Louisiana | $77,730 | 420 |
| North Dakota | $77,570 | 100 |
| Washington | $76,820 | 1,690 |
| Maryland | $76,740 | 360 |
| New York | $76,490 | 1,940 |
Lowest-paying states
- South Dakota: $52,610 median annual wage
- Alabama: $53,600 median annual wage
- New Hampshire: $55,390 median annual wage
- Delaware: $57,110 median annual wage
- North Carolina: $59,050 median annual wage
About this occupation
Prepare detailed working diagrams of machinery and mechanical devices, including dimensions, fastening methods, and other engineering information.
Typical tasks
- Modify and revise designs to correct operating deficiencies or to reduce production problems.
- Design scale or full-size blueprints of specialty items, such as furniture and automobile body or chassis components.
- Coordinate with and consult other workers to design, lay out, or detail components and systems and to resolve design or other problems.
- Confer with customer representatives to review schematics and answer questions pertaining to installation of systems.
- Lay out, draw, and reproduce illustrations for reference manuals and technical publications to describe operation and maintenance of mechanical systems.
- Shade or color drawings to clarify and emphasize details and dimensions or eliminate background, using ink, crayon, airbrush, and overlays.
Education of the current workforce — typical entry: Associate's degree
| Education level | Share of workers |
|---|---|
| Less than high school diploma | 1.6% |
| High school diploma or equivalent | 12.1% |
| Some college, no degree | 26.4% |
| Associate's degree | 34.8% |
| Bachelor's degree | 20.3% |
| Master's degree | 4.0% |
| Doctoral or professional degree | 0.9% |
Occupation profile data from CareerOneStop, sponsored by the U.S. Department of Labor.
Related occupations
- Civil Engineers$100,840
- Industrial Engineers$102,440
- Mechanical Engineers$104,110
- Electrical Engineers$120,630
- Engineers, All Other$122,930
- Architects, Except Landscape and Naval$99,280
- Architectural and Civil Drafters$66,150
- Electronics Engineers, Except Computer$130,220
About this data
- Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics — data period May 2025, retrieved August 13, 2026.
- Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics — data period May 2025, retrieved August 13, 2026.
- CareerOneStop Occupation Profiles — data period 2026-08, retrieved August 14, 2026.
Figures are shown exactly as published by the source or derived by the documented formulas on our methodology page. Where a source suppresses an estimate, we show “—” rather than a substitute value.