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Engineering

Drafters, All Other Salary

in Modesto, CA

The median pay for a drafters, all other in Modesto, CA is $68,850/year ($33.1/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $50K at the entry level to $102K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 104.11), that's roughly $66,132 in purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,758/month, about 39.1% of take-home, which is tight.

$69K
Median annual
$33.1/hr
Hourly rate
$50K
Entry level (10th %)
$102K
Senior level (90th %)

So what does $69K get you in Modesto?

Estimated take-home pay$4,518/mo
Rent (2BR median)-$1,758/mo
Rent as % of take-home38.9% ⚠ above 30% guideline
Groceries-$408/mo
Utilities-$204/mo
Transportation-$358/mo
Healthcare *-$237/mo
Left over$1,553/mo

Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Modesto’s Regional Price Parity (104.11). 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
Modesto, CA employed: 30
Category: Engineering

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What this looks like in Modesto

Drafters, all other pay in Modesto tracks closely to the national median, $69K locally vs. $64K nationwide, a 8% difference. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,758/month, which is 38.9% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost of living (RPP 104.11) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.

Compared to nearby metros

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

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

Compensation breakdown

Annual earnings by percentile, Modesto, CA

Bar chart showing Drafters, All Other salary percentiles in Modesto, CA: 10th percentile $49,680, 25th percentile $56,460, median $68,850, 75th percentile $81,070, 90th percentile $101,580. Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics.10th$50K25th$56KMedian$69K75th$81K90th$102K
Bar chart showing Drafters, All Other salary percentiles in Modesto, CA: 10th percentile $49,680, 25th percentile $56,460, median $68,850, 75th percentile $81,070, 90th percentile $101,580. Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Entry-level drafters, all others (10th percentile) start around $50K. Mid-career wages sit at $69K. Top earners bring in $102K or more, a $52K 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
1234

Showing 1–10 of 40 states

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 Modesto numbers change.

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Frequently asked questions

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

It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $69K, rent takes 38.9% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,758/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,400/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.

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

The 10th-percentile wage — what new drafters, all others typically earn — is $50K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,981/month. At HUD’s $1,758/month FMR, rent would take 59% 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 Modesto?

Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $69K locally vs. $64K nationally, a 8% difference.

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

Modesto pays $69K median vs. the U.S. average of $64K — that’s +8%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 104.11), the purchasing-power equivalent is $66K — still ahead of the national median.

How much do drafters, all others make in Modesto, CA?

The median is $68,850 a year, that works out to about $33 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $49,680, and experienced drafters, all others can clear $101,580. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.

Is $69K enough to live in Modesto?

On that salary, you'd take home roughly $4,518/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,758/month, which eats 38.9% of your paycheck. That's above the 30% rule of thumb, housing will be a stretch at the median salary, though you can manage with roommates or a smaller place.

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

Modesto has a Regional Price Parity of 104.11 (100 is the national average). Prices are above average here, so your dollar buys less than the same salary would in a cheaper metro. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median drafters, all other salary is worth about $66,132 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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