Mechanical Drafters Salary
The median pay for a mechanical drafters in Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville, FL is $63,470/year ($30.52/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $47K at the entry level to $113K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 100), that's roughly $63,470 in purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,709/month, about 38.8% of take-home, which is tight.
Where the paycheck goes
What $63K actually covers in Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville, month by month
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville’s Regional Price Parity (100). 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 Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville
Pay for mechanical drafters in Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville runs about 11% below the U.S. median of $72K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,709/month, which is 38.7% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost of living (RPP 100) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. That combination, below-market pay with high housing costs, makes this a financially demanding market for mechanical drafters.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for mechanical drafters in metros near Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach | $73K | $64K |
| Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater | $72K | $72K |
| Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford | $63K | $62K |
| Jacksonville | $69K | $69K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville, FL
Entry-level mechanical drafters (10th percentile) start around $47K. Mid-career wages sit at $63K. Top earners bring in $113K or more, a $66K 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 Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville 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 Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $63K, rent takes 38.7% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,709/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,300/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for mechanical drafters in Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new mechanical drafters typically earn — is $47K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $3,346/month. At HUD’s $1,709/month FMR, rent would take 51% 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 Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville?
Local pay runs 11% below the national median — $63K here vs. $72K nationally.
How does Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville compare to the national average for mechanical drafters?
Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville pays $63K median vs. the U.S. average of $72K — that’s -11%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 100), the purchasing-power equivalent is $63K — below the national median.
How much do mechanical drafters make in Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville, FL?
The median is $63,470 a year, that works out to about $31 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $47,430, and experienced mechanical drafters can clear $113,050. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $63K enough to live in Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $4,420/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,709/month, which eats 38.7% 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 Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville?
Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville 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 $63,470 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.