Architecture and Engineering Occupations
BLS May 2025 wages Peer-group outlier SOC 17-3013

Mechanical Drafters

Median pay sits 41% below the mid peer in Architecture and Engineering Occupations (neighbors include Petroleum Engineers, Mechanical Engineers, Aerospace Engineers, Electronics Engineers, Except Computer).

Full salary details → About this data

Same-major-group titles next to Mechanical Drafters: Petroleum Engineers ($145K) , Mechanical Engineers ($104K) , Aerospace Engineers ($135K) , Electronics Engineers, Except Computer ($130K) . Hash-ordered per card so residual SOC siblings do not share an identical peer sentence.

What Mechanical Drafters publish as work

O*NET task statements for SOC 17-3013 - occupation-level descriptions, not every employer's posting. Sibling cards diverge here because the task set is entity-keyed.

  1. 1. Develop detailed design drawings and specifications for mechanical equipment, dies, tools, and controls, using computer-assisted drafting…
  2. 2. Produce three-dimensional models, using computer-aided design (CAD) software
  3. 3. Lay out and draw schematic, orthographic, or angle views to depict functional relationships of components, assemblies, systems, and machines
  4. 4. Modify and revise designs to correct operating deficiencies or to reduce production problems
  5. 5. Review and analyze specifications, sketches, drawings, ideas, and related data to assess factors affecting component designs and the proc…
  6. 6. Check dimensions of materials to be used and assign numbers to the materials
  7. 7. Design scale or full-size blueprints of specialty items, such as furniture and automobile body or chassis components
  8. 8. Compute mathematical formulas to develop and design detailed specifications for components or machinery, using computer-assisted equipment
  9. 9. Coordinate with and consult other workers to design, lay out, or detail components and systems and to resolve design or other problems
  10. 10. Confer with customer representatives to review schematics and answer questions pertaining to installation of systems
  11. 11. Position instructions and comments onto drawings
  12. 12. Supervise and train other drafters, technologists, and technicians

Mechanical Drafters: O*NET ranks Reading Comprehension first

Importance-ranked O*NET profile for SOC 17-3013 - lead skill Reading Comprehension at 3.3 ; lead knowledge Design. Sibling cards diverge here even when peer titles overlap.

Top skills

  1. 1. Reading Comprehension 3.3
  2. 2. Active Listening 3.3
  3. 3. Mathematics 3.3
  4. 4. Critical Thinking 3.3
  5. 5. Active Learning 3.3
  6. 6. Speaking 3.1
  7. 7. Complex Problem Solving 3.1
  8. 8. Writing 3.0

Knowledge areas

  1. 1. Design 4.8
  2. 2. Engineering and Technology 4.7
  3. 3. Mechanical 4.5
  4. 4. Mathematics 4.4
  5. 5. English Language 3.9
  6. 6. Physics 3.9
Pay vs Architecture and Engineering Occupations peers
-41%
vs mid peer median $120,630
This role $71,550/yr
$72K
National median
↓ -7%
Growth 2024-2034
3,300
Annual openings
39,960
Estimated US jobs
Petroleum Engineers
Highest-pay peer · $145K

Typical Entry and Preparation Assignments

Entry education Associate's degree

Top Paying States for Mechanical Drafters

1. New Jersey $83,380
2. New Mexico $89,940
3. North Dakota $77,570
4. Maryland $76,740
5. Louisiana $77,730
6. Washington $76,820
7. Texas $79,380
8. New York $76,490
9. California $82,510
10. Colorado $85,280

Other Architecture and Engineering Occupations titles

  1. 1. Aerospace Engineers $134,960
  2. 2. Electronics Engineers, Except Computer $130,220
  3. 3. Environmental Engineers $107,110
  4. 4. Petroleum Engineers $144,910
  5. 5. Health and Safety Engineers, Except Mining Safety Engineers and Inspectors $115,160
  6. 6. Mechanical Engineers $104,110

Among Architecture and Engineering Occupations peers on this card, Mechanical Drafters sits 41% below the mid peer median ($120,630). Its own median is $71,550.

Employment Projections expect -7% change between 2024 and 2034 (declining vs baseline 3.1%). About 3,300 annual openings are projected. BLS assigns Associate's degree as typical education needed for entry. These are occupation-level assignments, not universal requirements. BLS does not publish a separate occupation-specific safety rate for this role; its broad SOC-group rate is excluded from this career card's grade.

Highest published state median in this ranking: New Jersey at $83,380. The table records differences without proving causes. Highest-pay peer shown here: Petroleum Engineers at $144,910. Compare the same statistic in the relevant local wage area before treating the national median as a personal benchmark; OEWS excludes employer benefits.

Mechanical Drafters pay-rank #29 in Architecture and Engineering Occupations

On the Architecture and Engineering Occupations median table (36 detailed occupations with OEWS medians), Mechanical Drafters lands at #29, in the lower third. That rank is a table position, not a statement about individual workers.

Other lower-third titles · closest medians

Full Salary Details Compare this role

Data from U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025. Projections from BLS Employment Projections program, 2024-2034.

Mechanical Drafters pays 41% below its major-group peer median. See the state map and the peers closest to (and furthest from) this line.

Mechanical Drafters salary map

State, metro, and percentile for SOC 17-3013

New Jersey · top state for Mechanical Drafters

$83K published median

New Mexico · #2 state pay

$90K · behind New Jersey

Petroleum Engineers

Highest-pay peer vs Mechanical Drafters · $145K

Mechanical Engineers

Lower-pay peer beside Mechanical Drafters · $104K

Compare Mechanical Drafters

Head-to-head OEWS medians with another SOC
Compare Mechanical Drafters with another occupation →

Peer-comparison next reads

Compare Mechanical Drafters

Against another occupation

Petroleum Engineers card

Top peer in this major group

Frequently Asked Questions

Where does Mechanical Drafters land on the Architecture and Engineering Occupations median table? ▼
Mechanical Drafters is pay-rank #29 of 36 in this major group, lower third of the median table. Closest lower-third titles: Electro-Mechanical and Mechatronics Technologists and Technicians ($74K), Mechanical Engineering Technologists and Technicians ($75K), Calibration Technologists and Technicians ($68K), Surveyors ($75K). That position is a table rank, not a worker percentile.
What do mechanical drafters do day to day? ▼
O*NET lists published task statements for Mechanical Drafters. Leading ones include: Develop detailed design drawings and specifications for mechanical equipment, dies, tools, and controls, using computer-assisted drafting…; Produce three-dimensional models, using computer-aided design (CAD) software; Lay out and draw schematic, orthographic, or angle views to depict functional relationships of components, assemblies, systems, and machines; Modify and revise designs to correct operating deficiencies or to reduce production problems. These are occupation-level task descriptions, not every employer's job description.
Which O*NET skills rank highest for mechanical drafters? ▼
For SOC 17-3013, O*NET importance scores lead with Reading Comprehension (3.3), Active Listening (3.3), Mathematics (3.3), Critical Thinking (3.3). Knowledge areas emphasize Design, Engineering and Technology, Mechanical. These are occupation-level profiles, not a hiring checklist for every employer.
What is the OEWS national median for Mechanical Drafters? ▼
May 2025 OEWS reports $71,550 as the national median for Mechanical Drafters. The published 10th-90th range is $48,360 to $106,580. Beside Petroleum Engineers ($144,910), this is the occupation-level national figure, not a local offer.
What employment change does BLS publish for Mechanical Drafters? ▼
The 2024-2034 projection for Mechanical Drafters is -7%. Projected annual openings: about 3,300. Relative to the current all-occupations baseline of 3.1%: declining.
What typical entry education does BLS assign to Mechanical Drafters? ▼
BLS assigns Associate's degree as the typical-education-needed-for-entry category for Mechanical Drafters. These are occupation-level labels, not every employer's hiring rule.
Which three states show the highest OEWS medians for Mechanical Drafters? ▼
New Jersey ($83,380), New Mexico ($89,940), North Dakota ($77,570) lead this ranking. The table does not identify why those state estimates differ.

Source data and WageDex calculations are identified in context on this page. Wage and state figures use BLS OEWS May 2025; growth and education use BLS Employment Projections for 2024-2034; safety fields cite BLS CFOI/SOII; task statements cite O*NET where shown. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.

Disclaimer: Wage and outlook figures on this page are provided for informational purposes only and do not constitute career, financial, or salary-negotiation advice. Actual pay varies by employer, experience, and local conditions; consult a career counselor or the hiring employer for guidance specific to your situation.

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OES Occupational wage estimates by area and industry · 2025

Federal sources on this Mechanical Drafters card
  • BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS / OES) - national median and percentiles for SOC 17-3013. bls.gov/oes
  • O*NET OnLine - task and skill statements for Mechanical Drafters. onetcenter.org
  • BLS Employment Projections - 2024-2034 change and openings for this occupation. bls.gov/emp
  • U.S. Census Bureau ACS - demographic and labor-force context for state and metro geography. census.gov/programs-surveys/acs
  • IRS Statistics of Income (SOI) - payroll-tax aggregate context for wage comparisons. irs.gov/statistics