The national median salary for mechanical drafters is $71,550, with a salary spread of $58,220 from the 10th to 90th percentile -- a 81% range that reflects differences in experience, location, and industry. The mean salary of $75,060 is higher than the median, indicating that top earners pull the average upward. The highest-paying metro area is Boulder, CO, where the median reaches $102,710.
| City | Median | P25 | P75 | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Boulder, CO | $102,710 | $84,150 | $159,600 | 60 |
| San Francisco, CA | $98,310 | $81,210 | $119,420 | 390 |
| San Jose, CA | $97,450 | $77,320 | $118,980 | 240 |
| Seattle, WA | $94,470 | $67,220 | $133,420 | 1,020 |
| Albuquerque, NM | $94,140 | $89,940 | $128,400 | 50 |
| Denver, CO | $90,160 | $71,080 | $124,030 | 380 |
| Colorado Springs, CO | $87,860 | $70,720 | $117,240 | 30 |
| Beaumont, TX | $87,220 | $59,810 | $126,450 | 120 |
| Idaho Falls, ID | $86,420 | $60,730 | $104,100 | 60 |
| Midland, TX | $86,100 | $73,730 | $99,900 | 40 |
| Burlington, VT | $84,100 | $62,430 | $90,930 | 50 |
| New York, NY-NJ | $84,070 | $73,820 | $98,690 | 1,180 |
| San Diego, CA | $83,550 | $68,470 | $107,380 | 370 |
| Dallas, TX | $83,200 | $71,740 | $93,600 | 1,620 |
| Niles, MI | $82,960 | $62,320 | $82,960 | 50 |
| Wichita, KS | $82,590 | $59,740 | $100,080 | 190 |
| Trenton, NJ | $80,970 | $73,050 | $103,540 | 50 |
| Los Angeles, CA | $80,780 | $65,570 | $102,860 | 1,480 |
| Davenport, IA-IL | $80,550 | $59,460 | $94,770 | 50 |
| Portland, OR-WA | $80,510 | $61,090 | $100,930 | 410 |
| Santa Maria, CA | $79,180 | $64,060 | $101,780 | 30 |
| New Orleans, LA | $79,130 | $62,100 | $100,220 | 80 |
| Oxnard, CA | $78,990 | $62,210 | $99,870 | 90 |
| Houston, TX | $78,820 | $62,360 | $100,300 | 1,300 |
| Hartford, CT | $78,790 | $59,170 | $94,000 | 130 |
| Gulfport, MS | $78,640 | $61,510 | $105,120 | 90 |
| Baltimore, MD | $78,350 | $59,300 | $99,820 | 210 |
| Huntsville, AL | $78,250 | $53,600 | $100,970 | 90 |
| Boston, MA-NH | $78,210 | $62,060 | $98,040 | 410 |
| San Antonio, TX | $78,110 | $60,860 | $88,500 | 190 |
| Sacramento, CA | $77,790 | $63,050 | $99,530 | 180 |
| Baton Rouge, LA | $77,720 | $58,460 | $103,580 | 140 |
| Charleston, SC | $77,670 | $66,930 | $99,580 | 100 |
| Fargo, ND-MN | $77,520 | $63,660 | $82,360 | 40 |
| Virginia Beach, VA-NC | $77,500 | $56,440 | $93,600 | 160 |
| Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN | $77,250 | $64,290 | $86,240 | 300 |
| Austin, TX | $77,160 | $58,660 | $95,620 | 310 |
| Washington, DC-VA-MD-WV | $76,600 | $68,960 | $100,090 | 190 |
| Bakersfield, CA | $76,520 | $61,970 | $101,150 | 40 |
| Kiryas Joel, NY | $76,490 | $62,960 | $97,650 | 90 |
| Columbus, OH | $76,480 | $57,830 | $82,520 | 350 |
| Portland, ME | $76,360 | $61,470 | $76,360 | 570 |
| Kansas City, MO-KS | $76,340 | $58,470 | $96,420 | 390 |
| Stockton, CA | $76,170 | $62,500 | $96,380 | 40 |
| Las Vegas, NV | $75,830 | $57,430 | $94,260 | -- |
| Minneapolis, MN-WI | $75,770 | $65,510 | $82,310 | 830 |
| Riverside, CA | $75,610 | $61,410 | $96,870 | 350 |
| San Luis Obispo, CA | $75,560 | $66,340 | $100,120 | 30 |
| Des Moines, IA | $75,510 | $57,490 | $99,940 | 160 |
| Syracuse, NY | $75,510 | $62,470 | $98,350 | 130 |
| Atlanta, GA | $75,360 | $62,620 | $94,390 | 500 |
| Fond du Lac, WI | $75,240 | $62,170 | $102,020 | 50 |
| Grand Forks, ND-MN | $75,160 | $62,170 | $77,570 | 30 |
| Detroit, MI | $75,050 | $58,040 | $105,760 | 970 |
| Grand Rapids, MI | $74,490 | $63,870 | $98,680 | 360 |
| Philadelphia, PA-NJ-DE-MD | $74,100 | $60,130 | $90,550 | 730 |
| Omaha, NE-IA | $73,790 | $60,870 | $83,290 | 160 |
| Bellingham, WA | $73,680 | $59,040 | $91,610 | 80 |
| Sheboygan, WI | $73,440 | $57,420 | $94,410 | 60 |
| Miami, FL | $73,230 | $58,210 | $81,290 | 340 |
| Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN | $73,030 | $56,580 | $74,990 | 230 |
| New Haven, CT | $72,970 | $58,650 | $92,240 | 60 |
| Kalamazoo, MI | $72,940 | $53,830 | $79,460 | 60 |
| Chicago, IL-IN | $72,540 | $62,930 | $88,220 | 320 |
| Salt Lake City, UT | $72,510 | $58,790 | $84,220 | 190 |
| Albany, NY | $72,500 | $59,120 | $87,450 | 160 |
| Tampa, FL | $72,170 | $62,320 | $81,910 | 230 |
| Buffalo, NY | $71,920 | $59,080 | $82,440 | 200 |
| Ogden, UT | $71,860 | $55,640 | $84,940 | 130 |
| Longview, TX | $71,790 | $59,010 | $79,530 | 60 |
| Lexington, KY | $71,520 | $62,720 | $73,170 | 100 |
| St. Louis, MO-IL | $70,830 | $60,380 | $90,060 | 330 |
| Providence, RI-MA | $69,990 | $59,440 | $86,130 | 160 |
| Fresno, CA | $69,850 | $59,220 | $85,840 | 70 |
| Reading, PA | $69,840 | $57,850 | $80,200 | 60 |
| Rochester, NY | $69,750 | $59,560 | $78,680 | 220 |
| Richmond, VA | $69,630 | $64,240 | $78,980 | 100 |
| Pittsburgh, PA | $69,550 | $58,770 | $80,000 | 540 |
| Deltona, FL | $69,370 | $61,480 | $78,200 | 40 |
| Indianapolis, IN | $69,240 | $58,220 | $83,430 | 310 |
| Milwaukee, WI | $69,150 | $60,340 | $80,250 | 470 |
| Harrisburg, PA | $68,960 | $58,900 | $80,870 | 80 |
| Jacksonville, FL | $68,880 | $56,750 | $82,430 | 90 |
| Norwich, CT | $68,830 | $49,590 | $78,010 | 130 |
| Jackson, MI | $68,760 | $58,030 | $78,990 | 30 |
| Tulsa, OK | $68,640 | $56,430 | $78,280 | 280 |
| Ann Arbor, MI | $67,980 | $56,650 | $89,880 | 50 |
| Fayetteville, AR | $67,850 | $61,450 | $73,070 | 50 |
| Racine, WI | $67,750 | $60,160 | $78,110 | 40 |
| Elizabethtown, KY | $67,660 | $63,250 | $80,990 | 50 |
| Phoenix, AZ | $67,600 | $57,930 | $80,660 | 510 |
| Springfield, MA | $67,470 | $54,770 | $79,890 | 50 |
| Lakeland, FL | $67,380 | $53,090 | $78,110 | 50 |
| Mankato, MN | $67,250 | $54,890 | $74,490 | 50 |
| Augusta, GA-SC | $67,190 | $59,540 | $69,750 | 60 |
| Worcester, MA | $66,980 | $59,290 | $77,390 | 100 |
| Waterbury, CT | $66,710 | $56,110 | $91,510 | 60 |
| Roanoke, VA | $66,560 | $61,280 | $78,630 | 60 |
| Greenville, SC | $66,170 | $61,190 | $98,140 | 180 |
| Provo, UT | $66,090 | $56,430 | $76,890 | 70 |
| Modesto, CA | $66,060 | $62,060 | $79,510 | 40 |
| Mount Vernon, WA | $66,020 | $58,450 | $77,900 | 30 |
| Lansing, MI | $65,840 | $51,960 | $79,440 | 60 |
| Allentown, PA-NJ | $65,170 | $57,150 | $79,730 | 140 |
| Madison, WI | $64,990 | $61,300 | $76,560 | 180 |
| Fort Wayne, IN | $64,820 | $50,350 | $73,730 | 80 |
| Cleveland, OH | $64,770 | $55,640 | $77,970 | 210 |
| Knoxville, TN | $64,730 | $49,920 | $76,690 | 170 |
| Chattanooga, TN-GA | $64,510 | $51,930 | $78,730 | 60 |
| Springfield, MO | $64,330 | $48,780 | $76,840 | 90 |
| Appleton, WI | $64,320 | $58,220 | $81,140 | 80 |
| St. Cloud, MN | $64,000 | $63,240 | $74,300 | 70 |
| Bridgeport, CT | $63,980 | $41,260 | $84,300 | 50 |
| Cape Coral, FL | $63,790 | $52,150 | $79,730 | 40 |
| Canton, OH | $63,750 | $56,980 | $72,960 | 60 |
| Toledo, OH | $63,720 | $55,870 | $77,870 | 90 |
| Durham, NC | $63,680 | $52,530 | $83,510 | 50 |
| Dayton, OH | $63,580 | $53,050 | $75,060 | 100 |
| Palm Bay, FL | $63,470 | $58,470 | $91,010 | 80 |
| Oklahoma City, OK | $63,450 | $51,360 | $79,480 | 190 |
| Oshkosh, WI | $63,440 | $58,710 | $87,340 | 30 |
| Clarksville, TN-KY | $63,400 | $60,160 | $67,660 | 40 |
| Janesville, WI | $63,230 | $58,100 | $75,500 | 40 |
| Reno, NV | $63,180 | $42,640 | $94,970 | 70 |
| Orlando, FL | $63,140 | $50,630 | $78,600 | 230 |
| Akron, OH | $63,030 | $58,420 | $75,310 | 100 |
| Utica, NY | $62,910 | $53,500 | $77,180 | 40 |
| Charlotte, NC-SC | $62,890 | $52,880 | $75,380 | 400 |
| York, PA | $62,730 | $55,480 | $79,030 | 140 |
| La Crosse, WI-MN | $62,550 | $59,240 | $75,940 | 40 |
| Nashville, TN | $62,420 | $53,130 | $78,840 | 180 |
| Tucson, AZ | $62,140 | $46,360 | $81,450 | 50 |
| Salem, OR | $61,850 | $55,750 | $81,320 | 30 |
| Kenosha, WI | $61,800 | $58,410 | $75,680 | 30 |
| Columbus, IN | $61,730 | $57,310 | $74,570 | 40 |
| Manchester, NH | $61,670 | $54,080 | $73,590 | 40 |
| Green Bay, WI | $61,590 | $52,070 | $74,090 | 120 |
| Memphis, TN-MS-AR | $61,330 | $50,540 | $78,540 | 110 |
| Columbia, SC | $61,300 | $50,780 | $77,520 | 30 |
| Eau Claire, WI | $61,290 | $59,000 | $66,210 | 30 |
| Duluth, MN-WI | $61,270 | $50,150 | $64,110 | 60 |
| Lancaster, PA | $61,270 | $54,150 | $78,940 | 120 |
| Lafayette, LA | $61,240 | $54,450 | $95,240 | 50 |
| Raleigh, NC | $61,220 | $52,000 | $72,760 | 200 |
| Spokane, WA | $61,060 | $53,510 | $75,450 | 160 |
| Lynchburg, VA | $60,930 | $51,640 | $72,540 | 50 |
| Huntington, WV-KY-OH | $60,760 | $55,530 | $76,970 | 40 |
| North Port, FL | $60,680 | $55,460 | $78,580 | 80 |
| Jefferson City, MO | $60,550 | $51,290 | $65,280 | 40 |
| Panama City, FL | $60,260 | $54,060 | $66,940 | 30 |
| Glens Falls, NY | $60,130 | $54,090 | $73,570 | 40 |
| Little Rock, AR | $59,850 | $55,360 | $69,710 | 100 |
| Greensboro, NC | $59,660 | $51,020 | $73,520 | 140 |
| Chambersburg, PA | $59,550 | $49,410 | $73,180 | 40 |
| Florence, SC | $59,320 | $54,990 | $72,880 | 60 |
| Asheville, NC | $59,270 | $48,180 | $59,450 | 80 |
| Scranton, PA | $59,270 | $49,720 | $70,650 | 130 |
| Birmingham, AL | $59,260 | $47,200 | $76,920 | 70 |
| Lincoln, NE | $59,190 | $49,450 | $74,990 | 80 |
| Ocala, FL | $59,140 | $53,070 | $77,180 | 80 |
| Elkhart, IN | $58,880 | $47,750 | $70,550 | 140 |
| Amarillo, TX | $58,580 | $48,950 | $73,250 | 40 |
| Winston, NC | $58,560 | $47,080 | $62,220 | 70 |
| Eugene, OR | $58,090 | $53,240 | $72,580 | 30 |
| Erie, PA | $57,970 | $51,340 | $69,430 | 60 |
| Wausau, WI | $57,920 | $51,650 | $67,750 | 60 |
| Dubuque, IA | $57,440 | $56,580 | $59,740 | 50 |
| Cedar Rapids, IA | $57,430 | $54,020 | $74,950 | 50 |
| Evansville, IN | $57,060 | $45,900 | $70,880 | 40 |
| Boise City, ID | $56,860 | $48,900 | $93,470 | 130 |
| Yakima, WA | $55,510 | $52,000 | $76,730 | 30 |
| Muskegon, MI | $55,290 | $43,670 | $70,890 | 30 |
| Youngstown, OH | $55,160 | $50,550 | $59,990 | 60 |
| Sioux City, IA-NE-SD | $53,630 | $48,610 | $63,640 | 40 |
| Montgomery, AL | $50,420 | $42,790 | $70,070 | 30 |
| Wilmington, NC | $50,150 | $46,830 | $65,370 | -- |
| Mobile, AL | $49,210 | $44,680 | $67,140 | 50 |
| Hickory, NC | $47,570 | $46,210 | $57,480 | 40 |
| McAllen, TX | $47,400 | $47,080 | $74,030 | 40 |
| San Juan, PR | $43,680 | $43,680 | $57,790 | 210 |
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, May 2025 OEWS. This data reflects occupational employment and wage estimates and may not capture total compensation including equity, bonuses, or benefits.