Mechanical Drafters Salary
The median pay for a mechanical drafters in Richmond, VA is $69,630/year ($33.48/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $60K at the entry level to $96K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 97.86), that's roughly $71,153 in purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,655/month, about 36.2% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $70K get you in Richmond?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Richmond’s Regional Price Parity (97.86). 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 Richmond
Mechanical drafters pay in Richmond tracks closely to the national median, $70K locally vs. $72K nationwide, a 3% difference. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,655/month, which is 36.9% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost of living (RPP 97.86) 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 Richmond, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk | $78K | $79K |
| Roanoke | $67K | $71K |
| Lynchburg | $61K | $68K |
| Wilmington | $50K | $52K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Richmond, VA
Entry-level mechanical drafters (10th percentile) start around $60K. Mid-career wages sit at $70K. Top earners bring in $96K 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 |
| 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 Richmond numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a mechanical drafter afford a 2BR apartment alone in Richmond?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $70K, rent takes 36.9% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,655/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 Richmond?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new mechanical drafters typically earn — is $60K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $3,611/month. At HUD’s $1,655/month FMR, rent would take 46% 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 Richmond?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $70K locally vs. $72K nationally, a 3% difference.
How does Richmond compare to the national average for mechanical drafters?
Richmond pays $70K median vs. the U.S. average of $72K — that’s -3%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 97.86), the purchasing-power equivalent is $71K — below the national median.
How much do mechanical drafters make in Richmond, VA?
The median is $69,630 a year, that works out to about $33 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $60,190, and experienced mechanical drafters can clear $95,520. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $70K enough to live in Richmond?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $4,490/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,655/month, which eats 36.9% 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 Richmond?
Richmond has a Regional Price Parity of 97.86 (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 $71,153 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.