Mechanical Drafters Salary
The median pay for a mechanical drafters in Beaumont-Port Arthur, TX is $87,220/year ($41.93/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $53K at the entry level to $159K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 90.05), which stretches that salary to about $96,857 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,103/month, or 18.9% of estimated take-home pay.
So what does $87K get you in Beaumont-Port Arthur?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Beaumont-Port Arthur’s Regional Price Parity (90.05). 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 mechanical drafters
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What this looks like in Beaumont-Port Arthur
Beaumont-Port Arthur sits well above the national pay line for mechanical drafters, local pay runs about 22% higher than the U.S. median of $72K. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,103/month, 19% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Regional Price Parity sits at 90.05 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 10% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Combined with manageable housing costs, Beaumont-Port Arthur offers a genuinely strong financial position for mechanical drafterss at the median.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for mechanical drafters in metros near Beaumont-Port Arthur, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington | $83K | $81K |
| Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands | $79K | $80K |
| Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos | $77K | $79K |
| San Antonio-New Braunfels | $78K | $82K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Beaumont-Port Arthur, TX
Entry-level mechanical drafters (10th percentile) start around $53K. Mid-career wages sit at $87K. Top earners bring in $159K or more, a $107K spread from bottom to top.
Mechanical Drafters pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Mechanical Drafters salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| New Mexico | $90K | +26% | 90 |
| Colorado | $85K | +19% | 580 |
| New Jersey | $83K | +17% | 690 |
| California | $83K | +15% | 3,640 |
| Texas | $79K | +11% | 4,630 |
| Louisiana | $78K | +9% | 420 |
| North Dakota | $78K | +8% | 100 |
| Washington | $77K | +7% | 1,690 |
| Maryland | $77K | +7% | 360 |
| New York | $76K | +7% | 1,940 |
| Maine | $76K | +7% | 620 |
| Nevada | $76K | +6% | 250 |
| Massachusetts | $75K | +6% | 620 |
| Oregon | $74K | +3% | 410 |
| Minnesota | $73K | +2% | 1,220 |
| Vermont | $73K | +2% | 70 |
| Michigan | $72K | +1% | 2,030 |
| Ohio | $71K | -1% | 1,790 |
| Utah | $70K | -2% | 490 |
| Virginia | $70K | -3% | 630 |
| Rhode Island | $69K | -3% | 100 |
| Kentucky | $69K | -4% | 510 |
| Connecticut | $69K | -4% | 450 |
| Florida | $68K | -5% | 1,540 |
| Arizona | $67K | -6% | 630 |
| Georgia | $67K | -7% | 820 |
| Missouri | $66K | -7% | 870 |
| Kansas | $65K | -9% | 540 |
| West Virginia | $65K | -9% | 140 |
| Wisconsin | $64K | -11% | 1,630 |
| South Carolina | $64K | -11% | 640 |
| Pennsylvania | $63K | -11% | 2,330 |
| Oklahoma | $63K | -11% | 650 |
| Tennessee | $63K | -11% | 740 |
| Iowa | $63K | -11% | 630 |
| Illinois | $63K | -12% | 450 |
| Indiana | $63K | -12% | 1,300 |
| Nebraska | $61K | -15% | 530 |
| Wyoming | $61K | -15% | 60 |
| Mississippi | $60K | -15% | 260 |
| Arkansas | $60K | -16% | 250 |
| North Carolina | $59K | -17% | 1,350 |
| Idaho | $59K | -17% | 330 |
| Delaware | $57K | -20% | 160 |
| New Hampshire | $55K | -23% | N/A |
| Alabama | $54K | -25% | 440 |
| South Dakota | $53K | -26% | 100 |
Showing 1–10 of 47 states with published data
BLS does not publish data for every state when sample sizes are too small
Track mechanical drafters salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Beaumont-Port Arthur numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a mechanical drafter afford a 2BR apartment alone in Beaumont-Port Arthur?
Yes — at the median salary of $87K, rent takes 19% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,103/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for mechanical drafters in Beaumont-Port Arthur?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new mechanical drafters typically earn — is $53K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $3,160/month. At HUD’s $1,103/month FMR, rent would take 35% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is mechanical drafter a high-paying job in Beaumont-Port Arthur?
Local pay is 22% above the national median — $87K here vs. $72K nationally.
How does Beaumont-Port Arthur compare to the national average for mechanical drafters?
Beaumont-Port Arthur pays $87K median vs. the U.S. average of $72K — that’s +22%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 90.05), the purchasing-power equivalent is $97K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do mechanical drafters make in Beaumont-Port Arthur, TX?
The median is $87,220 a year, that works out to about $42 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $52,660, and experienced mechanical drafters can clear $159,390. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $87K enough to live in Beaumont-Port Arthur?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $5,812/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,103/month, which eats 19% of your paycheck. That's under the 30% guideline most financial planners use, so the numbers work.
How far does a mechanical drafters salary go in Beaumont-Port Arthur?
Beaumont-Port Arthur has a Regional Price Parity of 90.05 (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 mechanical drafters salary is worth about $96,857 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do mechanical drafters 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.