Mechanical Drafters Salary
The median pay for a mechanical drafters in Longview, TX is $71,790/year ($34.52/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $51K at the entry level to $87K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 89.48), which stretches that salary to about $80,230 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,199/month, or 24% of estimated take-home pay.
So what does $72K get you in Longview?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Longview’s Regional Price Parity (89.48). 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 Longview
Mechanical drafters pay in Longview tracks closely to the national median, $72K locally vs. $72K nationwide, a 0% difference. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,199/month, 24.4% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Regional Price Parity sits at 89.48 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 11% 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 Longview, 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, Longview, TX
Entry-level mechanical drafters (10th percentile) start around $51K. Mid-career wages sit at $72K. Top earners bring in $87K or more, a $36K 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 Longview numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a mechanical drafter afford a 2BR apartment alone in Longview?
Yes — at the median salary of $72K, rent takes 24.4% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,199/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for mechanical drafters in Longview?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new mechanical drafters typically earn — is $51K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $3,073/month. At HUD’s $1,199/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 Longview?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $72K locally vs. $72K nationally, a 0% difference.
How does Longview compare to the national average for mechanical drafters?
Longview pays $72K median vs. the U.S. average of $72K — that’s +0%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 89.48), the purchasing-power equivalent is $80K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do mechanical drafters make in Longview, TX?
The median is $71,790 a year, that works out to about $35 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $51,210, and experienced mechanical drafters can clear $86,850. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $72K enough to live in Longview?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $4,908/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,199/month, which eats 24.4% 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 Longview?
Longview has a Regional Price Parity of 89.48 (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 $80,230 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.