Mechanical Drafters Salary
The median pay for a mechanical drafters in Sioux City, IA-NE-SD is $53,630/year ($25.79/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $42K at the entry level to $80K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 86.45), which stretches that salary to about $62,036 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,154/month, about 32.7% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $54K get you in Sioux City?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Sioux City’s Regional Price Parity (86.45). 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
Sponsored links, AffordMap may earn a commission at no cost to you. Learn more
What this looks like in Sioux City
Pay for mechanical drafters in Sioux City runs about 25% below the U.S. median of $72K. Rent runs $1,154/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 32.6% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Regional Price Parity sits at 86.45 (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 Sioux City, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Des Moines-West Des Moines | $76K | $82K |
| Cedar Rapids | $57K | $65K |
| Davenport-Moline-Rock Island | $81K | $90K |
| Dubuque | $57K | $66K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Sioux City, IA-NE-SD
Entry-level mechanical drafters (10th percentile) start around $42K. Mid-career wages sit at $54K. Top earners bring in $80K or more, a $38K 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 Sioux City numbers change.
Related careers in Engineering
Frequently asked questions
Can a mechanical drafter afford a 2BR apartment alone in Sioux City?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $54K, rent takes 32.6% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,154/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,100/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for mechanical drafters in Sioux City?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new mechanical drafters typically earn — is $42K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,506/month. At HUD’s $1,154/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 Sioux City?
Local pay runs 25% below the national median — $54K here vs. $72K nationally. Cost of living is 14% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does Sioux City compare to the national average for mechanical drafters?
Sioux City pays $54K median vs. the U.S. average of $72K — that’s -25%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 86.45), the purchasing-power equivalent is $62K — below the national median.
How much do mechanical drafters make in Sioux City, IA-NE-SD?
The median is $53,630 a year, that works out to about $26 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $41,760, and experienced mechanical drafters can clear $79,900. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $54K enough to live in Sioux City?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,542/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,154/month, which eats 32.6% 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 Sioux City?
Sioux City has a Regional Price Parity of 86.45 (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 $62,036 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.