Architecture and Engineering Occupations

Mechanical Drafters Salary in the United States

DOL-verified data from 455 government filings, with BLS survey comparison.

DOL Median Salary
$60,000
BLS median: $68,510
DOL Median Salary
$60,000
From 455 DOL filings
BLS Median Salary
$68,510
BLS OEWS 2024 survey
Total Employers
155
Companies with DOL filings
Total Employment
39,900
Estimated US workers (BLS)

DOL Filings vs BLS Survey

What Employers File with DOL

$60,000
DOL-Filed Salary Range
$31,158$51,000$60,000$62,000$109,000

This figure comes from 455 employer filings with the US Department of Labor under legal obligation. Employers file this salary when sponsoring workers for PERM green cards or H-1B visas.

What BLS Says the Market Pays

$68,510
BLS Survey Salary Range
$46,500$56,470$68,510$85,580$107,600

This figure comes from the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey of 39,900 establishments. This is an independent survey-based estimate of what all workers in this occupation earn.

DOL-filed salaries are 12.4% lower than BLS survey data, which may reflect that sponsored positions concentrate in high-cost locations or experience-intensive roles.

Salary Distribution

Top Paying Employers for Mechanical Drafters

Ranked by median salary from DOL filings
RankEmployerMedian SalaryFilingsvs Market
1ADEF COMPANY$80,5796+17.6%
2Tata Consultancy Services Limited$62,50051-8.8%
3LIQUIDYN, INC.$62,4006-8.9%
4Acro Service Corporation$60,9725-11%
5Geometric Americas, Inc.$60,00023-12.4%
6HCL America INC$60,000108-12.4%
7Tech Mahindra (Americas) Inc.$60,00010-12.4%
8SATYAM COMPUTER SERVICES LTD$60,00028-12.4%
9FRANKLIN PRODUCTS, INC.$58,5945-14.5%
10CHIEF FIRE PREVENTION & MECHANICAL CORP$42,6406-37.8%

View all companies hiring Mechanical Drafters

Salary by Metro Area

Metro AreaMedianvs NationalFilingsEmployers
Livonia, MI$60,840+1.4%104
Houston, TX$60,400+0.7%1610
Santa Clara, CA$60,0000%123

Salary by State

StateMedianvs NationalFilings
Arkansas$80,000+32%1
South Carolina$72,985+9.8%2
Washington$65,000-13.6%4
Virginia$63,700-1.7%2
Delaware$62,608-1.5%1
Michigan$61,752-17%30
Arizona$61,227-23.7%3
Ohio$60,700-8.4%11
Indiana$60,050-3.5%10
Wisconsin$60,000-3.2%7
New Hampshire$60,000+6.3%1
Illinois$60,000-17.3%20
Texas$60,000-21.8%37
California$60,000-25.4%48
Florida$59,500-4.6%12
Connecticut$58,594-13.1%9
New Jersey$58,382-26.3%6
Massachusetts$55,650-22.3%13
Maryland$55,000-28.9%4
Georgia$55,000-15.5%1
Nebraska$53,312+1.3%6
Tennessee$52,312-18.5%5
Colorado$52,000-38.9%5
New York$52,000-25.1%26
Pennsylvania$50,000-24.4%7
Kentucky$48,627-25.3%2
Minnesota$47,870-34.6%4
Louisiana$47,819-36.4%1
Wyoming$42,640-19%1
Alabama$42,453-14.4%4
Iowa$42,120-35.4%1
Idaho$37,440-41.4%2
North Carolina$35,152-43.3%3

Salary Trend - DOL Data

Education Requirements

From PERM filings

For Mechanical Drafters positions, 26% of PERM filings required a Bachelor's degree, 0% required a Master's degree, and 50% required no formal degree.

Education by Top Employer

Most common minimum education from PERM filings
EmployerMost Common EducationMedian Salary
HCL America INCNot specified$60,000
Tata Consultancy Services LimitedNot specified$62,500
SATYAM COMPUTER SERVICES LTDNot specified$60,000
Geometric Americas, Inc.Not specified$60,000
Tech Mahindra (Americas) Inc.Not specified$60,000
ADEF COMPANYHigh School$80,579
LIQUIDYN, INC.Not specified$62,400
CHIEF FIRE PREVENTION & MECHANICAL CORPNot specified$42,640
Acro Service CorporationNot specified$60,972
FRANKLIN PRODUCTS, INC.Not specified$58,594

Salary by Industry

Same occupation, different industries (NAICS)

The highest-paying industry for Mechanical Drafters is Professional and Technical Services at $57,922. The lowest-paying industry with significant hiring is Manufacturing at $55,179.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much does a Mechanical Drafters make?

Based on 455 DOL filings, the median salary for a Mechanical Drafters is $60,000, ranging from $51,000 to $62,000.

What is the highest salary for a Mechanical Drafters?

The 90th percentile salary is $107,600 according to BLS data.

Which city pays the most for Mechanical Drafters?

Based on DOL filings, Livonia, MI offers the highest median at $60,840.

Does this data include all Mechanical Drafters salaries or only visa-sponsored workers?

DOL filing data covers positions where the employer filed for PERM green card sponsorship or an H-1B visa. These filings represent a subset of all Mechanical Drafters positions. We compare this data against BLS OEWS data which covers all workers in this occupation.

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Source: US Department of Labor, Office of Foreign Labor Certification (OFLC) public disclosure files (PERM Form ETA-9089 and LCA Form ETA-9035), and US Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS). Salary figures represent employer filings and government survey estimates, not individual worker pay.