Mechanical Drafters Salary
The median pay for a mechanical drafters in Grand Forks, ND-MN is $75,160/year ($36.13/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $50K at the entry level to $100K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 86.66), which stretches that salary to about $86,730 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,089/month, or 21.6% of estimated take-home pay.
So what does $75K get you in Grand Forks?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Grand Forks’s Regional Price Parity (86.66). 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 Grand Forks
Mechanical drafters pay in Grand Forks tracks closely to the national median, $75K locally vs. $72K nationwide, a 5% difference. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,089/month, 21.9% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Regional Price Parity sits at 86.66 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 13% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for mechanical drafters in metros near Grand Forks, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Fargo | $78K | $85K |
| Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington | $76K | $72K |
| St. Cloud | $64K | $73K |
| Duluth | $61K | $69K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Grand Forks, ND-MN
Entry-level mechanical drafters (10th percentile) start around $50K. Mid-career wages sit at $75K. Top earners bring in $100K or more, a $51K 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 |
| Idaho | $59K | -17% | 330 |
| North Carolina | $59K | -17% | 1,350 |
| 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
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 Grand Forks numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a mechanical drafter afford a 2BR apartment alone in Grand Forks?
Yes — at the median salary of $75K, rent takes 21.9% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,089/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for mechanical drafters in Grand Forks?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new mechanical drafters typically earn — is $50K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,986/month. At HUD’s $1,089/month FMR, rent would take 36% 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 Grand Forks?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $75K locally vs. $72K nationally, a 5% difference.
How does Grand Forks compare to the national average for mechanical drafters?
Grand Forks pays $75K median vs. the U.S. average of $72K — that’s +5%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 86.66), the purchasing-power equivalent is $87K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do mechanical drafters make in Grand Forks, ND-MN?
The median is $75,160 a year, that works out to about $36 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $49,760, and experienced mechanical drafters can clear $100,360. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $75K enough to live in Grand Forks?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $4,983/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,089/month, which eats 21.9% 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 Grand Forks?
Grand Forks has a Regional Price Parity of 86.66 (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 $86,730 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.