Mechanical Drafters — Career Decision Dashboard
United States
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Report generated from official BLS OEWS and O*NET data — United States.
Median annual wage
$71,550
United States, 2025
Employment
39,960
United States, 2025
Typical education
Not recorded
Job Zone 3
Skills identified
35
10 related careers
Career overview
Prepare detailed working diagrams of machinery and mechanical devices, including dimensions, fastening methods, and other engineering information.
- O*NET code
- 17-3013.00
- Job zone
- 3
- Experience required
- Over 4 years, up to and including 6 years
Typical tasks
- Check dimensions of materials to be used and assign numbers to the materials.
- 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.
- 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.
Choose a location
Salary analysis — United States
10th percentile
$48,360
25th percentile
$58,080
75th percentile
$86,120
90th percentile
$106,580
Most important skills
- Critical Thinking3.4
- Operations Analysis3.4
- Mathematics3.3
- Reading Comprehension3.3
- Active Listening3.3
- Active Learning3.3
- Complex Problem Solving3.3
- Speaking3.1
- Time Management3.0
- Monitoring3.0
- Writing3.0
- Judgment and Decision Making3.0
What skills do you need?
Select the skills you already have
Skills listed are those O*NET rates at importance 3.0 or above for this occupation. Set your own level on the same 0–7 O*NET scale.
Skill coverage
0%
0 of 12 identified skills
Matched
0
Missing
12
Your selected skills cover approximately 0% of the skills identified for this occupation in O*NET. This is a coverage measure of listed skills only — it is not a qualification, hiring or interview outcome.
Skills to develop
| Skill | Importance | Required level | Your level | Gap |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Reading Comprehension | 3.3 | 3.9 | Not selected | 3.9 |
| Critical Thinking | 3.4 | 3.6 | Not selected | 3.6 |
| Mathematics | 3.3 | 3.8 | Not selected | 3.8 |
| Active Listening | 3.3 | 3.6 | Not selected | 3.6 |
| Speaking | 3.1 | 3.8 | Not selected | 3.8 |
| Active Learning | 3.3 | 3.5 | Not selected | 3.5 |
| Complex Problem Solving | 3.3 | 3.3 | Not selected | 3.3 |
| Operations Analysis | 3.4 | 3.1 | Not selected | 3.1 |
| Monitoring | 3.0 | 3.1 | Not selected | 3.1 |
| Writing | 3.0 | 3.1 | Not selected | 3.1 |
| Time Management | 3.0 | 3.0 | Not selected | 3.0 |
| Judgment and Decision Making | 3.0 | 3.0 | Not selected | 3.0 |
Ordered by required level gap multiplied by O*NET importance. No prediction or recommendation is implied.
Related careers
Supplemental
National median $67,820
Compare with Mechanical DraftersSupplemental
National median $130,220
Compare with Mechanical DraftersSupplemental
National median $66,120
Compare with Mechanical DraftersSupplemental
National median $64,950
Compare with Mechanical DraftersHow salary varies by location
| Location | Median | Employment | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Boulder, CO | $102,710 | 60 | 2025 |
| San Francisco, CA | $98,310 | 390 | 2025 |
| San Jose, CA | $97,450 | 240 | 2025 |
| Seattle, WA | $94,470 | 1,020 | 2025 |
| Albuquerque, NM | $94,140 | 50 | 2025 |
| Denver, CO | $90,160 | 380 | 2025 |
| NM | $89,940 | 90 | 2025 |
| Colorado Springs, CO | $87,860 | 30 | 2025 |
| Beaumont, TX | $87,220 | 120 | 2025 |
| Idaho Falls, ID | $86,420 | 60 | 2025 |
| Midland, TX | $86,100 | 40 | 2025 |
| CO | $85,280 | 580 | 2025 |
| Burlington, VT | $84,100 | 50 | 2025 |
| New York, NY | $84,070 | 1,180 | 2025 |
| San Diego, CA | $83,550 | 370 | 2025 |
| NJ | $83,380 | 690 | 2025 |
| Dallas, TX | $83,200 | 1,620 | 2025 |
| Niles, MI | $82,960 | 50 | 2025 |
| Wichita, KS | $82,590 | 190 | 2025 |
| CA | $82,510 | 3,640 | 2025 |
Career transition paths
Compare the skills of a career you hold today with Mechanical Drafters to see shared skills, target-only skills and skill overlap.
Build a transition comparisonCareer and skills data: O*NET 31.0.
Salary and employment data: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS, 2025 (May 2025 release).
Figures are periodic published survey snapshots, not real-time market rates.