SalariesWhat the occupation covers
Prepare detailed working diagrams of machinery and mechanical devices, including dimensions, fastening methods, and other engineering information.
Official definition from the Standard Occupational Classification, code 17-3013.
The pay range
Pay differs a lot inside one occupation, with experience, employer and place. The table shows where the lines fall.
| Share of workers | A year | A month* | A week* | An hour |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lowest 10% earn less than | $48,360 | $4,030 | $930 | $23.25 |
| Lowest 25% earn less than | $58,080 | $4,840 | $1,117 | $27.93 |
| Median (half earn less, half more) | $71,550 | $5,962 | $1,376 | $34.40 |
| Top 25% earn more than | $86,120 | $7,177 | $1,656 | $41.41 |
| Top 10% earn more than | $106,580 | $8,882 | $2,050 | $51.24 |
* Month and week are the yearly figure divided by 12 and by 52, worked out here for convenience. BLS publishes the yearly and hourly figures.
How it compares
The median for all occupations in the United States was $50,980 a year. The median for Mechanical Drafters is $71,550, which is 40% higher. Among the 36 occupations of the field Architecture and Engineering, it ranks number 29 by median pay. With 39,960 jobs, it makes up about 2.6 of every 10,000 jobs in the country.
Mechanical Drafters pay by state
The highest median pay was in New Mexico ($89,940), Colorado ($85,280) and New Jersey ($83,380). The lowest was in South Dakota ($52,610), Puerto Rico ($53,470) and Alabama ($53,600). The most jobs were in Texas (4,630), California (3,640) and Pennsylvania (2,330). The occupation is most concentrated in Maine, where its share of all jobs is 3.8 times the national share.
No state matches.
| State | Jobs | Median a year | Average a year | Median an hour |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| New Mexico | 90 | $89,940 | $98,460 | $43.24 |
| Colorado | 580 | $85,280 | $93,270 | $41.00 |
| New Jersey | 690 | $83,380 | $86,540 | $40.09 |
| California | 3,640 | $82,510 | $86,750 | $39.67 |
| Texas | 4,630 | $79,380 | $80,450 | $38.16 |
| Louisiana | 420 | $77,730 | $86,680 | $37.37 |
| North Dakota | 100 | $77,570 | $77,950 | $37.29 |
| Washington | 1,690 | $76,820 | $87,150 | $36.93 |
| Maryland | 360 | $76,740 | $81,200 | $36.89 |
| New York | 1,940 | $76,490 | $79,250 | $36.78 |
| Maine | 620 | $76,360 | $68,780 | $36.71 |
| Nevada | 250 | $75,830 | $78,230 | $36.46 |
| Massachusetts | 620 | $75,490 | $79,060 | $36.29 |
| Oregon | 410 | $74,000 | $80,870 | $35.58 |
| Minnesota | 1,220 | $73,090 | $73,850 | $35.14 |
| Vermont | 70 | $73,040 | $76,120 | $35.12 |
| Michigan | 2,030 | $72,280 | $75,920 | $34.75 |
| Ohio | 1,790 | $70,580 | $71,460 | $33.93 |
| Utah | 490 | $70,000 | $72,730 | $33.65 |
| Virginia | 630 | $69,630 | $71,730 | $33.48 |
| Rhode Island | 100 | $69,290 | $70,850 | $33.31 |
| Kentucky | 510 | $68,880 | $70,230 | $33.12 |
| Connecticut | 450 | $68,830 | $71,180 | $33.09 |
| Florida | 1,540 | $68,050 | $70,180 | $32.72 |
| Arizona | 630 | $67,410 | $72,030 | $32.41 |
| Georgia | 820 | $66,670 | $74,150 | $32.06 |
| Missouri | 870 | $66,350 | $73,680 | $31.90 |
| Kansas | 540 | $65,250 | $71,170 | $31.37 |
| West Virginia | 140 | $65,100 | $70,340 | $31.30 |
| Wisconsin | 1,630 | $63,770 | $67,960 | $30.66 |
| South Carolina | 640 | $63,740 | $72,080 | $30.64 |
| Pennsylvania | 2,330 | $63,480 | $70,250 | $30.52 |
| Oklahoma | 650 | $63,440 | $66,330 | $30.50 |
| Tennessee | 740 | $63,390 | $68,100 | $30.48 |
| Iowa | 630 | $63,330 | $66,820 | $30.45 |
| Illinois | 450 | $63,320 | $71,290 | $30.44 |
| Indiana | 1,300 | $62,820 | $65,210 | $30.20 |
| Nebraska | 530 | $61,170 | $64,230 | $29.41 |
| Wyoming | 60 | $61,070 | $65,450 | $29.36 |
| Mississippi | 260 | $60,460 | $66,140 | $29.07 |
| Arkansas | 250 | $59,960 | $64,200 | $28.83 |
| Idaho | 330 | $59,050 | $68,050 | $28.39 |
| North Carolina | 1,350 | $59,050 | $62,030 | $28.39 |
| Delaware | 160 | $57,110 | $61,690 | $27.46 |
| New Hampshire | not published | $55,390 | $61,240 | $26.63 |
| Alabama | 440 | $53,600 | $61,230 | $25.77 |
| Puerto Rico | 320 | $53,470 | $57,610 | $25.71 |
| South Dakota | 100 | $52,610 | $56,030 | $25.29 |
| Alaska | 50 | not published | not published | not published |
Sorted by median pay, highest first. "Not published" means BLS did not release that figure for the state, usually because too few employers were surveyed. "$239,200 or more" is the highest value BLS reports in the state tables.
Similar occupations by pay
- Surveyors$75,440 a year
- Mechanical Engineering Technologists and Technicians$74,510 a year
- Electro-Mechanical and Mechatronics Technologists and Technicians$73,900 a year
- Calibration Technologists and Technicians$67,820 a year
- Architectural and Civil Drafters$66,150 a year
- Industrial Engineering Technologists and Technicians$66,120 a year
Common questions
How much do Mechanical Drafters earn in the United States?
The median pay was $71,550 a year in May 2025, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. The lowest-paid 10% earned less than $48,360 and the highest-paid 10% more than $106,580.
How many people work as Mechanical Drafters?
About 39,960 jobs in the United States in May 2025, not counting the self-employed.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Checked in November 2026. Figures are for employees, before tax, and leave out overtime pay and benefits. They are official statistics, not advice or a pay offer; see bls.gov/oes for the original tables.