Mechanical drafters salary
| Measure | Annual | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $48,360 | $23.25 |
| Median (50th percentile) | $71,550 | $34.40 |
| Mean (average) | $75,060 | $36.09 |
| 90th percentile | $106,580 | $51.24 |
These wages describe everyone employed in the occupation, from new entrants to experienced workers. They are not starting salaries and not earnings of graduates from any particular program. Verified data
Mechanical drafters pay by state and metro area
Table: median wage and employment for all 49 states and territories
| State | Median | 10th pct | 90th pct | Employment | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $53,600 | $39,630 | $89,600 | 440 | 0.81 |
| Alaska | Data unavailable | 50 | 0.55 | ||
| Arizona | $67,410 | $46,360 | $104,870 | 630 | 0.76 |
| Arkansas | $59,960 | $48,850 | $81,010 | 250 | 0.74 |
| California | $82,510 | $50,200 | $128,160 | 3,640 | 0.78 |
| Colorado | $85,280 | $57,700 | $127,880 | 580 | 0.78 |
| Connecticut | $68,830 | $42,530 | $103,380 | 450 | 1.02 |
| Delaware | $57,110 | $49,000 | $84,750 | 160 | 1.26 |
| Florida | $68,050 | $45,760 | $100,400 | 1,540 | 0.6 |
| Georgia | $66,670 | $49,920 | $107,140 | 820 | 0.65 |
| Idaho | $59,050 | $46,190 | $104,100 | 330 | 1.49 |
| Illinois | $63,320 | $56,710 | $94,930 | 450 | 0.29 |
| Indiana | $62,820 | $45,470 | $88,470 | 1,300 | 1.58 |
| Iowa | $63,330 | $46,760 | $95,370 | 630 | 1.58 |
| Kansas | $65,250 | $45,870 | $100,380 | 540 | 1.47 |
| Kentucky | $68,880 | $50,530 | $96,020 | 510 | 1 |
| Louisiana | $77,730 | $44,460 | $142,240 | 420 | 0.85 |
| Maine | $76,360 | $52,170 | $76,360 | 620 | 3.75 |
| Maryland | $76,740 | $51,890 | $123,090 | 360 | 0.51 |
| Massachusetts | $75,490 | $52,660 | $108,020 | 620 | 0.67 |
| Michigan | $72,280 | $47,100 | $112,170 | 2,030 | 1.8 |
| Minnesota | $73,090 | $52,380 | $100,080 | 1,220 | 1.61 |
| Mississippi | $60,460 | $38,520 | $105,120 | 260 | 0.88 |
| Missouri | $66,350 | $49,750 | $108,120 | 870 | 1.15 |
| Nebraska | $61,170 | $43,150 | $92,160 | 530 | 2.01 |
| Nevada | $75,830 | $43,010 | $123,050 | 250 | 0.64 |
| New Hampshire | $55,390 | $39,990 | $87,070 | ||
| New Jersey | $83,380 | $55,890 | $121,250 | 690 | 0.62 |
| New Mexico | $89,940 | $52,840 | $131,340 | 90 | 0.4 |
| New York | $76,490 | $51,990 | $109,530 | 1,940 | 0.78 |
| North Carolina | $59,050 | $45,490 | $84,560 | 1,350 | 1.06 |
| North Dakota | $77,570 | $56,380 | $121,580 | 100 | 0.86 |
| Ohio | $70,580 | $49,400 | $98,740 | 1,790 | 1.26 |
| Oklahoma | $63,440 | $42,130 | $92,040 | 650 | 1.49 |
| Oregon | $74,000 | $53,950 | $122,470 | 410 | 0.81 |
| Pennsylvania | $63,480 | $47,700 | $95,130 | 2,330 | 1.5 |
| Puerto Rico | $53,470 | $33,860 | $99,400 | 320 | 1.32 |
| Rhode Island | $69,290 | $42,070 | $96,830 | 100 | 0.76 |
| South Carolina | $63,740 | $52,550 | $109,840 | 640 | 1.09 |
| South Dakota | $52,610 | $41,760 | $68,620 | 100 | 0.87 |
| Tennessee | $63,390 | $47,440 | $96,210 | 740 | 0.88 |
| Texas | $79,380 | $52,000 | $106,080 | 4,630 | 1.28 |
| Utah | $70,000 | $47,840 | $101,020 | 490 | 1.09 |
| Vermont | $73,040 | $51,700 | $105,980 | 70 | 0.84 |
| Virginia | $69,630 | $47,840 | $94,800 | 630 | 0.6 |
| Washington | $76,820 | $53,500 | $137,690 | 1,690 | 1.85 |
| West Virginia | $65,100 | $51,270 | $99,540 | 140 | 0.76 |
| Wisconsin | $63,770 | $48,010 | $92,260 | 1,630 | 2.15 |
| Wyoming | $61,070 | $49,850 | $92,570 | 60 | 0.81 |
A location quotient above 1 means the occupation is more concentrated in that state than in the nation overall.
Metro areas with the most jobs
Highest paying metro areas
Job outlook for mechanical drafters
- Average annual openings, 2025 to 2035: 2,900. Openings include new jobs plus replacement needs when workers retire or leave the occupation. Official projection
- Share of workers who are self-employed (2025): 5.1%.
- Read the official BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook profile.
These are official BLS projections. ConnectPrep does not alter them or present its own forecasts as official statistics.
Education and training for mechanical drafters
- Typical entry education
- Associate's degree
- Related work experience
- None
- On-the-job training
- None
- O*NET Job Zone
- Job Zone Three: Medium Preparation Needed
Highest education of people working in this occupation
O*NET describes this preparation level as: Most occupations in this zone require training in vocational schools, related on-the-job experience, or an associate's degree.
Degrees and programs that lead to this career
Programs officially mapped to this occupation in the NCES and BLS CIP to SOC crosswalk. A mapping means the program commonly prepares students for the occupation, not that every graduate works in it. Official crosswalk
- Aeronautical/Aerospace Engineering Technology/Technician CIP 15.0801
- Automotive Engineering Technology/Technician CIP 15.0803
- Mechanical/Mechanical Engineering Technology/Technician CIP 15.0805
- Drafting and Design Technology/Technician, General CIP 15.1301
- CAD/CADD Drafting and/or Design Technology/Technician CIP 15.1302
- Mechanical Drafting and Mechanical Drafting CAD/CADD CIP 15.1306
- 3-D Modeling and Design Technology/Technician CIP 15.1307
Skills, knowledge, and daily work
Most important skills
Most important knowledge areas
Typical tasks
- Produce three-dimensional models, using computer-aided design (CAD) software.
- Develop detailed design drawings and specifications for mechanical equipment, dies, tools, and controls, using computer-assisted drafting (CAD) equipment.
- Check dimensions of materials to be used and assign numbers to the materials.
- Design scale or full-size blueprints of specialty items, such as furniture and automobile body or chassis components.
- Lay out and draw schematic, orthographic, or angle views to depict functional relationships of components, assemblies, systems, and machines.
- Create bills of materials.
- Modify and revise designs to correct operating deficiencies or to reduce production problems.
- Review and analyze specifications, sketches, drawings, ideas, and related data to assess factors affecting component designs and the procedures and instructions to be followed.
Technology skills
- Autodesk AutoCAD (in demand)
- Autodesk Revit (in demand)
- Bentley MicroStation (in demand)
- Dassault Systemes SolidWorks (in demand)
- Microsoft Excel (in demand)
- Microsoft Office software (in demand)
- Microsoft Outlook (in demand)
- Microsoft PowerPoint (in demand)
- Microsoft Word (in demand)
- Autodesk Inventor (in demand)
- Autodesk Navisworks (in demand)
- NavisWorks Jetstream (in demand)
- Adobe After Effects (hot technology)
- Autodesk AutoCAD Civil 3D (hot technology)
- ESRI ArcGIS software (hot technology)
- Extensible markup language XML (hot technology)
Transferable skills for career changers: Operations Analysis, Complex Problem Solving, Judgment and Decision Making, Time Management, Coordination, Quality Control Analysis.
Common job titles: CAD Designer (Computer Aided Design Designer), CAD Operator (Computer Aided Design Operator), CAM Specialist (Computer Aided Manufacturing Specialist), Design Drafter, Die Designer, Drafter, Drafting Technician (Drafting Tech), Mechanical Designer, Tool Design Drafter, Tooling Designer.
Is it worth it? Model the cost of getting there
Use the ROI calculator to compare the cost of the education this career usually requires against staying on your current path. It starts from the official wage distribution above, and you can change every assumption.
Frequently asked questions
How much do mechanical drafters make?
The national median annual wage for mechanical drafters was $71,550 in May 2025, according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program. The lowest paid 10 percent earned less than $48,360 and the highest paid 10 percent earned more than $106,580. These figures cover all workers in the occupation, not only new entrants.
What education do mechanical drafters need?
BLS lists associate's degree as the typical education needed to enter this occupation, with none of related work experience and none on-the-job training typically needed to become competent.
Is mechanical drafters a growing career?
BLS projects employment of mechanical drafters to change -6.0% from 2025 to 2035, compared with +3.5% for all occupations. About 2,900 openings are projected each year on average, including openings from workers who retire or change occupations.
Which states pay mechanical drafters the most?
By median annual wage in May 2025, the highest paying states were New Mexico ($89,940), Colorado ($85,280), New Jersey ($83,380). Pay differences partly reflect differences in living costs.