Mechanical Drafters Salary
The median pay for a mechanical drafters in Lafayette, LA is $61,240/year ($29.44/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $37K at the entry level to $123K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 87.21), which stretches that salary to about $70,221 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,019/month, or 25.3% of estimated take-home pay.
Where the paycheck goes
What $61K actually covers in Lafayette, month by month
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Lafayette’s Regional Price Parity (87.21). 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 Lafayette
Pay for mechanical drafters in Lafayette runs about 14% below the U.S. median of $72K. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,019/month, 24.8% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Regional Price Parity sits at 87.21 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 13% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Lower pay, lower costs, Lafayette can be a reasonable trade-off for mechanical drafters who value affordability over top-dollar markets.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for mechanical drafters in metros near Lafayette, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Baton Rouge | $78K | $86K |
| New Orleans-Metairie | $79K | $85K |
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington | $83K | $81K |
| Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands | $79K | $80K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Lafayette, LA
Entry-level mechanical drafters (10th percentile) start around $37K. Mid-career wages sit at $61K. Top earners bring in $123K or more, a $85K 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 annually. We'll email you when Lafayette numbers change.
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Quick answers
The stuff people actually ask about this job
Can a mechanical drafter afford a 2BR apartment alone in Lafayette?
Yes — at the median salary of $61K, rent takes 24.8% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,019/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for mechanical drafters in Lafayette?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new mechanical drafters typically earn — is $37K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,585/month. At HUD’s $1,019/month FMR, rent would take 39% 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 Lafayette?
Local pay runs 14% below the national median — $61K here vs. $72K nationally. Cost of living is 13% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does Lafayette compare to the national average for mechanical drafters?
Lafayette pays $61K median vs. the U.S. average of $72K — that’s -14%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 87.21), the purchasing-power equivalent is $70K — below the national median.
How much do mechanical drafters make in Lafayette, LA?
The median is $61,240 a year, that works out to about $29 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $37,440, and experienced mechanical drafters can clear $122,860. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $61K enough to live in Lafayette?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $4,102/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,019/month, which eats 24.8% 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 Lafayette?
Lafayette has a Regional Price Parity of 87.21 (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 $70,221 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.