Drafters, All Other Salary
The median pay for a drafters, all other in Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL is $59,970/year ($28.83/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $46K at the entry level to $77K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 100.89), that's roughly $59,441 in purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,977/month, about 47.5% of take-home, which is tight.
Where the paycheck goes
What $60K actually covers in Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, month by month
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater’s Regional Price Parity (100.89). 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.
About drafters, all others
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What this looks like in Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater
Drafters, all other pay in Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater tracks closely to the national median, $60K locally vs. $64K nationwide, a 6% difference. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,977/month, which is 47.2% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost of living (RPP 100.89) 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 Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach | $61K | $53K |
| Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford | $60K | $59K |
| Jacksonville | $61K | $61K |
| North Port-Bradenton-Sarasota | $60K | $58K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL
Entry-level drafters, all others (10th percentile) start around $46K. Mid-career wages sit at $60K. Top earners bring in $77K or more, a $31K spread from bottom to top.
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
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 |
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 annually. We'll email you when Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater numbers change.
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Quick answers
The stuff people actually ask about this job
Can a drafters, all other afford a 2BR apartment alone in Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $60K, rent takes 47.2% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,977/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,300/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 Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new drafters, all others typically earn — is $46K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $3,245/month. At HUD’s $1,977/month FMR, rent would take 61% 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 Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $60K locally vs. $64K nationally, a 6% difference.
How does Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater compare to the national average for drafters, all others?
Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater pays $60K median vs. the U.S. average of $64K — that’s -6%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 100.89), the purchasing-power equivalent is $59K — below the national median.
How much do drafters, all others make in Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL?
The median is $59,970 a year, that works out to about $29 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $45,920, and experienced drafters, all others can clear $76,980. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $60K enough to live in Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $4,185/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,977/month, which eats 47.2% 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 Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater?
Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater has a Regional Price Parity of 100.89 (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 $59,441 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.