Mechanical Drafters Salary
The median pay for a mechanical drafters in McAllen-Edinburg-Mission, TX is $47,400/year ($22.79/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $47K at the entry level to $82K for experienced workers.
So what does $47K get you in McAllen-Edinburg-Mission?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by McAllen-Edinburg-Mission’s Regional Price Parity (85.9). 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 McAllen-Edinburg-Mission
Pay for mechanical drafters in McAllen-Edinburg-Mission runs about 34% below the U.S. median of $72K. Rent runs $1,084/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 32.4% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Regional Price Parity sits at 85.9 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 14% 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 McAllen-Edinburg-Mission, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington | $83K | , |
| Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands | $79K | , |
| Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos | $77K | , |
| San Antonio-New Braunfels | $78K | , |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, McAllen-Edinburg-Mission, TX
Entry-level mechanical drafters (10th percentile) start around $47K. Mid-career wages sit at $47K. Top earners bring in $82K or more, a $35K 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 McAllen-Edinburg-Mission numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a mechanical drafter afford a 2BR apartment alone in McAllen-Edinburg-Mission?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $47K, rent takes 32.4% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,084/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,000/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for mechanical drafters in McAllen-Edinburg-Mission?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new mechanical drafters typically earn — is $47K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,825/month. At HUD’s $1,084/month FMR, rent would take 38% 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 McAllen-Edinburg-Mission?
Local pay runs 34% below the national median — $47K here vs. $72K nationally. Cost of living is 14% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does McAllen-Edinburg-Mission compare to the national average for mechanical drafters?
McAllen-Edinburg-Mission pays $47K median vs. the U.S. average of $72K — that’s -34%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 85.9), the purchasing-power equivalent is $55K — below the national median.
How much do mechanical drafters make in McAllen-Edinburg-Mission, TX?
The median is $47,400 a year, that works out to about $23 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $47,080, and experienced mechanical drafters can clear $82,060. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $47K enough to live in McAllen-Edinburg-Mission?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,344/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,084/month, which eats 32.4% of your paycheck. That's above the 30% rule of thumb, housing will be a stretch at the median salary, though you can manage with roommates or a smaller place.
How far does a mechanical drafters salary go in McAllen-Edinburg-Mission?
McAllen-Edinburg-Mission has a Regional Price Parity of 100 (100 is the national average). That's right at the national average. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median mechanical drafters salary is worth about $55,180 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.