Mechanical Drafters Salary
The median pay for a mechanical drafters in La Crosse-Onalaska, WI-MN is $62,550/year ($30.07/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $53K at the entry level to $87K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 91.77), which stretches that salary to about $68,160 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,166/month, or 28.4% of estimated take-home pay.
So what does $63K get you in La Crosse-Onalaska?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by La Crosse-Onalaska’s Regional Price Parity (91.77). 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 La Crosse-Onalaska
Pay for mechanical drafters in La Crosse-Onalaska runs about 13% below the U.S. median of $72K. Rent runs $1,166/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 28% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Regional Price Parity sits at 91.77 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 8% 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 La Crosse-Onalaska, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Milwaukee-Waukesha | $69K | $71K |
| Madison | $65K | $67K |
| Green Bay | $62K | $66K |
| Appleton | $64K | $70K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, La Crosse-Onalaska, WI-MN
Entry-level mechanical drafters (10th percentile) start around $53K. Mid-career wages sit at $63K. Top earners bring in $87K or more, a $34K 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 La Crosse-Onalaska numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a mechanical drafter afford a 2BR apartment alone in La Crosse-Onalaska?
Yes — at the median salary of $63K, rent takes 28% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,166/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for mechanical drafters in La Crosse-Onalaska?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new mechanical drafters typically earn — is $53K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $3,174/month. At HUD’s $1,166/month FMR, rent would take 37% 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 La Crosse-Onalaska?
Local pay runs 13% below the national median — $63K here vs. $72K nationally. Cost of living is 8% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does La Crosse-Onalaska compare to the national average for mechanical drafters?
La Crosse-Onalaska pays $63K median vs. the U.S. average of $72K — that’s -13%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 91.77), the purchasing-power equivalent is $68K — below the national median.
How much do mechanical drafters make in La Crosse-Onalaska, WI-MN?
The median is $62,550 a year, that works out to about $30 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $52,900, and experienced mechanical drafters can clear $86,950. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $63K enough to live in La Crosse-Onalaska?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $4,169/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,166/month, which eats 28% 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 La Crosse-Onalaska?
La Crosse-Onalaska has a Regional Price Parity of 91.77 (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 $68,160 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.