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Engineering

Drafters, All Other Salary

in Baton Rouge, LA

The median pay for a drafters, all other in Baton Rouge, LA is $77,020/year ($37.03/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $50K at the entry level to $131K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 90.78), which stretches that salary to about $84,842 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,204/month, or 23.8% of estimated take-home pay.

$77K
Median annual
$37.03/hr
Hourly rate
$50K
Entry level (10th %)
$131K
Senior level (90th %)

So what does $77K get you in Baton Rouge?

Estimated take-home pay$4,990/mo
Rent (2BR median)-$1,204/mo
Rent as % of take-home24.1% ✓ within 30% guideline
Groceries-$356/mo
Utilities-$178/mo
Transportation-$312/mo
Healthcare *-$207/mo
Left over$2,733/mo

Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Baton Rouge’s Regional Price Parity (90.78). Rent from HUD Fair Market Rents. Taxes estimated for single filer, standard deduction. * Healthcare is the employee-paid share only (premiums + out-of-pocket). Actual costs vary by coverage type: employer-sponsored, ACA marketplace, or uninsured.

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About drafters, all others

Education: Bachelor's degree
U.S. employed: 14,470
Baton Rouge, LA employed: 320
Category: Engineering

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What this looks like in Baton Rouge

Baton Rouge sits well above the national pay line for drafters, all other, local pay runs about 21% higher than the U.S. median of $64K. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,204/month, 24.1% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Regional Price Parity sits at 90.78 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 9% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Combined with manageable housing costs, Baton Rouge offers a genuinely strong financial position for drafters, all others at the median.

Compared to nearby metros

Median pay for drafters, all others in metros near Baton Rouge, adjusted for local cost of living.

MetroMedian payCOL-adjusted
New Orleans-Metairie$66K$71K
Lafayette$60K$69K
Slidell-Mandeville-Covington$61K$66K
Houma-Bayou Cane-Thibodaux$60K$70K

COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.

Compensation breakdown

Annual earnings by percentile, Baton Rouge, LA

Bar chart showing Drafters, All Other salary percentiles in Baton Rouge, LA: 10th percentile $49,520, 25th percentile $59,820, median $77,020, 75th percentile $100,930, 90th percentile $131,200. Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics.10th$50K25th$60KMedian$77K75th$101K90th$131K
Bar chart showing Drafters, All Other salary percentiles in Baton Rouge, LA: 10th percentile $49,520, 25th percentile $59,820, median $77,020, 75th percentile $100,930, 90th percentile $131,200. Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Entry-level drafters, all others (10th percentile) start around $50K. Mid-career wages sit at $77K. Top earners bring in $131K or more, a $82K spread from bottom to top.

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Drafters, All Other pay across states

Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure

View Drafters, All Other salary in all states
StateMedian salaryvs. nationalEmployment
New Jersey$78K+23%350
California$73K+16%1,750
Wisconsin$73K+15%200
Washington$73K+15%520
New York$72K+14%610
Massachusetts$72K+14%170
New Hampshire$71K+11%70
Arizona$70K+10%430
Utah$69K+9%170
Louisiana$68K+8%1,200
Michigan$68K+7%360
Mississippi$68K+7%70
Colorado$67K+6%280
Virginia$67K+6%170
Connecticut$67K+5%140
Kansas$66K+4%50
Minnesota$63K-0%170
Montana$63K-1%280
Georgia$62K-2%550
Nevada$62K-2%180
Missouri$62K-2%400
South Carolina$61K-4%60
Iowa$61K-4%230
Texas$60K-6%2,450
Florida$60K-6%670
Vermont$60K-6%90
North Carolina$60K-6%320
Oregon$59K-7%660
Nebraska$59K-8%110
Indiana$59K-8%50
Kentucky$58K-9%50
Ohio$58K-9%260
Idaho$56K-11%60
Maryland$56K-12%160
Maine$55K-13%40
Pennsylvania$54K-15%250
Illinois$53K-16%190
Oklahoma$50K-21%40
Arkansas$48K-24%100
Alabama$47K-26%50
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Showing 1–10 of 40 states with published data

BLS does not publish data for every state when sample sizes are too small

Track drafters, all other salary changes

BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Baton Rouge numbers change.

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Frequently asked questions

Can a drafters, all other afford a 2BR apartment alone in Baton Rouge?

Yes — at the median salary of $77K, rent takes 24.1% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,204/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.

What’s the entry-level salary for drafters, all others in Baton Rouge?

The 10th-percentile wage — what new drafters, all others typically earn — is $50K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,971/month. At HUD’s $1,204/month FMR, rent would take 41% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.

Is drafters, all other a high-paying job in Baton Rouge?

Local pay is 21% above the national median — $77K here vs. $64K nationally.

How does Baton Rouge compare to the national average for drafters, all others?

Baton Rouge pays $77K median vs. the U.S. average of $64K — that’s +21%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 90.78), the purchasing-power equivalent is $85K — still ahead of the national median.

How much do drafters, all others make in Baton Rouge, LA?

The median is $77,020 a year, that works out to about $37 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $49,520, and experienced drafters, all others can clear $131,200. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.

Is $77K enough to live in Baton Rouge?

On that salary, you'd take home roughly $4,990/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,204/month, which eats 24.1% of your paycheck. That's under the 30% guideline most financial planners use, so the numbers work.

How far does a drafters, all other salary go in Baton Rouge?

Baton Rouge has a Regional Price Parity of 90.78 (100 is the national average). That's below average, your money stretches further here than the raw salary number suggests. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median drafters, all other salary is worth about $84,842 in national-average purchasing power.

Where do drafters, all others get paid the most?

The table above ranks every state by median pay for this role. Keep in mind that the highest-paying states tend to have the highest costs of living, so the top salary doesn't always mean the most money in your pocket.

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