Mechanical Drafters Salary
The median pay for a mechanical drafters in Providence-Warwick, RI-MA is $69,990/year ($33.65/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $46K at the entry level to $101K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 101.77), that's roughly $68,773 in purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,729/month, about 37.8% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $70K get you in Providence-Warwick?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Providence-Warwick’s Regional Price Parity (101.77). 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 Providence-Warwick
Mechanical drafters pay in Providence-Warwick tracks closely to the national median, $70K locally vs. $72K nationwide, a 2% difference. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,729/month, which is 37.5% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost of living (RPP 101.77) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for mechanical drafters in metros near Providence-Warwick, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton | $78K | $72K |
| Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford | $79K | $77K |
| Norwich-New London-Willimantic | $69K | $69K |
| Worcester | $67K | $65K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Providence-Warwick, RI-MA
Entry-level mechanical drafters (10th percentile) start around $46K. Mid-career wages sit at $70K. Top earners bring in $101K or more, a $55K 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 Providence-Warwick numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a mechanical drafter afford a 2BR apartment alone in Providence-Warwick?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $70K, rent takes 37.5% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,729/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,400/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for mechanical drafters in Providence-Warwick?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new mechanical drafters typically earn — is $46K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,765/month. At HUD’s $1,729/month FMR, rent would take 63% 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 Providence-Warwick?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $70K locally vs. $72K nationally, a 2% difference.
How does Providence-Warwick compare to the national average for mechanical drafters?
Providence-Warwick pays $70K median vs. the U.S. average of $72K — that’s -2%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 101.77), the purchasing-power equivalent is $69K — below the national median.
How much do mechanical drafters make in Providence-Warwick, RI-MA?
The median is $69,990 a year, that works out to about $34 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $46,080, and experienced mechanical drafters can clear $101,460. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $70K enough to live in Providence-Warwick?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $4,615/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,729/month, which eats 37.5% 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 Providence-Warwick?
Providence-Warwick has a Regional Price Parity of 101.77 (100 is the national average). Prices are above average here, so your dollar buys less than the same salary would in a cheaper metro. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median mechanical drafters salary is worth about $68,773 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.