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Mechanical drafter: pay, job outlook and how to become one

Updated October 29, 2026. Based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and O*NET data. Published by Humblebee.

$71,550median pay per year, or $34.40 an hour, May 2025[2]
  1. $48,360lowest 10% earn less
  2. $58,08025th percentile
  3. $71,550median
  4. $86,12075th percentile
  5. $106,580top 10% earn more
Middle half of workers in the inner band[4]Median for all US jobs, $50,980[5]

Mechanical designer is a job title in the BLS category Mechanical Drafters[1], which had a median pay of $71,550 a year[2]. Employment in the category is projected to shrink 6% from 2025 to 2035[3].

Job growth, 2025–35
-6%[3]
Openings per year
2,900[6]
Typical entry education
Associate's degree[7]

How much do mechanical drafters make?

The median wage for Mechanical Drafters was $71,550 a year, or $34.40 an hour, in May 2025[2]. Half of workers earned more and half earned less. The average was $75,060 a year, or $36.09 an hour[8]. For comparison, the median for all occupations was $50,980[5].

Pay varies a lot across the range. The lowest-paid 10% earned less than $48,360 a year, and the highest-paid 10% earned more than $106,580[4]. A percentile is a boundary, and BLS publishes percentiles, not a starting salary[9].

Percentile Annual wage Hourly wage
10th[4][10] $48,360 $23.25
25th[4][10] $58,080 $27.93
Median[2] $71,550 $34.40
75th[4][10] $86,120 $41.41
90th[4][10] $106,580 $51.24

These figures cover wage and salary workers only. They leave out the self-employed and do not include bonuses or the cost of benefits[11].

Pay by state and city

New Mexico had the highest median pay at $89,940[12], but it rests on only 90 jobs[12]. Colorado came next at $85,280, then New Jersey at $83,380, California at $82,510 and Texas at $79,380[12].

Among metro areas with at least 100 jobs[13], San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont had the highest median at $98,310[13]. San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara followed at $97,450, then Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue at $94,470 and Denver-Aurora-Centennial at $90,160[13].

Texas had the most jobs at 4,630, followed by California at 3,640 and Pennsylvania at 2,330[14]. Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington led the metro areas with 1,620 jobs, ahead of Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim with 1,480 and Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands with 1,300[15].

Show median pay in 47 states
StateMedian per yearJobs
New Mexico[12]$89,94090
Colorado$85,280580
New Jersey$83,380690
California$82,5103,640
Texas$79,3804,630
Louisiana$77,730420
North Dakota$77,570100
Washington$76,8201,690
Maryland$76,740360
New York$76,4901,940
Maine$76,360620
Nevada$75,830250
Massachusetts$75,490620
Oregon$74,000410
Minnesota$73,0901,220
Vermont$73,04070
Michigan$72,2802,030
Ohio$70,5801,790
Utah$70,000490
Virginia$69,630630
Rhode Island$69,290100
Kentucky$68,880510
Connecticut$68,830450
Florida$68,0501,540
Arizona$67,410630
Georgia$66,670820
Missouri$66,350870
Kansas$65,250540
West Virginia$65,100140
Wisconsin$63,7701,630
South Carolina$63,740640
Pennsylvania$63,4802,330
Oklahoma$63,440650
Tennessee$63,390740
Iowa$63,330630
Illinois$63,320450
Indiana$62,8201,300
Nebraska$61,170530
Wyoming$61,07060
Mississippi$60,460260
Arkansas$59,960250
Idaho$59,050330
North Carolina$59,0501,350
Delaware$57,110160
New Hampshire$55,390n/a
Alabama$53,600440
South Dakota$52,610100

How to become a mechanical drafter

BLS lists an associate's degree as the typical education for entry. It lists no related work experience and no on-the-job training[7]. The training details below come from a BLS profile that covers drafters as a wider group, not only mechanical drafters[16].

Students often pick one kind of drafting to focus on, such as mechanical or architectural[21].

What mechanical drafters do

O*NET describes the job as preparing detailed working diagrams of machinery and mechanical devices[22]. Common tasks include:

Workers report job titles such as CAD Designer, CAD Operator, Die Designer and Drafting Technician[1].

Where they work

Drafters spend much of their time at computers in an office, though some visit jobsites to work with architects and engineers[24]. Most work full time, and some work more than 40 hours a week[25]. Architectural, engineering and related services employed the largest share of drafters, at 49%[26]. About 5.1% of mechanical drafters were self-employed in 2025[27].

Job outlook

BLS projects employment of Mechanical Drafters to fall 6% from 2025 to 2035, from about 42,100 to 39,600 jobs[3]. Employment in all occupations is projected to grow 3.5% over the same period[28]. These counts include self-employed workers[3], so they differ from the 39,960 wage and salary jobs counted in May 2025[29].

BLS names productivity change as a factor. Software makes design work more efficient and lets drafters produce designs for rapid prototyping[30].

Still, about 2,900 openings a year are projected on average[6]. Openings count jobs freed when people retire or switch occupations as well as newly created jobs[6]. Each year, 3.3% of workers leave the labor force and 4.4% move to a different occupation[31].

Is it a good fit?

The pay is above the all-occupation median, and the typical path is about 2 years of study for an associate's degree[2][5][7][19]. The work centers on computers, detail and CAD software, and the profile lists detail orientation and math among important qualities[32][33][34]. The main caution is the outlook. Employment is projected to decline while openings still appear each year[3][6]. Readers weighing the career may want to check local pay, since state medians range from $52,610 in South Dakota to $89,940 in New Mexico[12].

Related occupations from O*NET, with BLS median pay and projected growth[35].

Frequently asked questions

How much does a mechanical drafter make an hour?
The median was $34.40 an hour in May 2025, and the average was $36.09[2][8].
What degree do you need to be a mechanical drafter?
BLS lists an associate's degree as the typical entry education[7]. Some people prepare with a certificate or diploma instead, according to the wider drafters profile[18].
How long does it take to become a mechanical drafter?
An associate's degree generally takes about 2 years of full-time study[19]. Certificate and diploma programs usually take less time[19].
Is mechanical drafting in demand?
BLS projects a 6% decline from 2025 to 2035, against 3.5% growth for all occupations[3][28]. About 2,900 openings a year are still expected[6].
What is the highest paying state for mechanical drafters?
New Mexico had the highest median at $89,940, based on 90 jobs[12]. Colorado was next at $85,280[12].

Facts and sources

  1. O*NET 17-3013.00 sample job titles reported by workers: 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. O*NET OnLine
  2. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median wage for Mechanical Drafters in the US was $71,550 per year and $34.40 per hour. Half of workers earned more and half earned less. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  3. BLS Employment Projections: employment of Mechanical Drafters is projected to decline 6% from 2025 to 2035, from about 42,100 to 39,600 jobs (a change of -2,500). These counts include self-employed workers. BLS Employment Projections
  4. BLS OEWS, May 2025, annual wage percentiles for Mechanical Drafters: 10th percentile $48,360, 25th percentile $58,080, 75th percentile $86,120, 90th percentile $106,580. The 10th percentile means 10% of workers earned less. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  5. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median annual wage for all occupations in the US was $50,980. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  6. BLS Employment Projections: about 2,900 openings for Mechanical Drafters are projected each year, on average, from 2025 to 2035. Openings include jobs that open when workers retire or move to other occupations, not only new jobs. BLS Employment Projections
  7. BLS Employment Projections, typical path into Mechanical Drafters: education needed for entry: Associate's degree; work experience in a related occupation: None; typical on-the-job training: None. BLS Employment Projections
  8. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the mean (average) wage for Mechanical Drafters was $75,060 per year and $36.09 per hour. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  9. BLS OEWS FAQ: a percentile wage is a boundary. The median (50th percentile) separates the highest-paid 50% from the lowest-paid 50% of workers in the occupation. OEWS publishes percentile wages, not a starting salary. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  10. BLS OEWS, May 2025, hourly wage percentiles for Mechanical Drafters: 10th percentile $23.25, 25th percentile $27.93, 75th percentile $41.41, 90th percentile $51.24. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  11. BLS OEWS FAQ: OEWS covers part-time and full-time workers paid a wage or salary. It does not cover the self-employed, owners and partners in unincorporated firms, household workers or unpaid family workers. OEWS wages do not include nonproduction bonuses or employer costs of benefits such as health insurance or retirement contributions. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  12. Median annual wage for Mechanical Drafters in every state with published data, May 2025 (table on this page). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  13. BLS OEWS, May 2025, metro areas with the highest median annual wage for Mechanical Drafters (areas with at least 100 jobs): San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA $98,310; San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA $97,450; Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA $94,470; Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO $90,160; Beaumont-Port Arthur, TX $87,220; New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ $84,070; San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA $83,550; Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX $83,200. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  14. BLS OEWS, May 2025, states with the most Mechanical Drafters jobs: Texas 4,630; California 3,640; Pennsylvania 2,330; Michigan 2,030; New York 1,940. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  15. BLS OEWS, May 2025, metro areas with the most Mechanical Drafters jobs: Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX 1,620 (median $83,200); Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA 1,480 (median $80,780); Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX 1,300 (median $78,820); New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ 1,180 (median $84,070); Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA 1,020 (median $94,470); Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI 970 (median $75,050). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  16. The BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook profile "Drafters" covers Mechanical Drafters together with other related occupations, so its text describes the wider group. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  17. Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Education. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  18. Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  19. Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Education. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  20. Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Licenses, Certifications, and Registrations. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  21. Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Education. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  22. O*NET description of Mechanical Drafters. O*NET OnLine
  23. O*NET task list for Mechanical Drafters. O*NET OnLine
  24. Occupational Outlook Handbook, Work Environment. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  25. Occupational Outlook Handbook, Work Environment: Work Schedules. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  26. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook, largest employers of drafters in 2025: Architectural, engineering, and related services 49%. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  27. BLS Employment Projections: 5.1% of Mechanical Drafters were self-employed in 2025. BLS Employment Projections
  28. BLS Employment Projections: employment in all occupations is projected to grow 3.5% from 2025 to 2035. BLS Employment Projections
  29. BLS OEWS, May 2025: about 39,960 people were employed as Mechanical Drafters in the US (wage and salary jobs, not counting self-employed workers). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  30. BLS Employment Projections, factor affecting employment of Mechanical Drafters: Productivity change - share decreases as software makes design processes more efficient and allows drafters to produce designs for rapid prototype development. BLS Employment Projections
  31. BLS Employment Projections, 2025-35 annual average for Mechanical Drafters: 3.3% of workers leave the labor force each year and 4.4% move to a different occupation. BLS Employment Projections
  32. Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Important Qualities. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  33. Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Important Qualities. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  34. Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Important Qualities. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  35. Related occupations (O*NET) with BLS pay, growth and entry education. O*NET OnLine

Notes are for reading the data only. They are not facts and cannot be cited: use the wage_scope and percentile_meaning facts instead. OEWS employment (jobs in May 2025) and Employment Projections employment (2025, includes self-employed) are different measures and can differ. O*NET education shares come from a small survey of workers in the occupation, not from all workers. The Occupational Outlook Handbook text covers a wider group of occupations than this page.

This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. CareerFacts has modified all or some of this information. USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications.