Occupational Employment and Wages, May 2010

17-3013 Mechanical Drafters

Prepare detailed working diagrams of machinery and mechanical devices, including dimensions, fastening methods, and other engineering information.

National estimates for this occupation
Industry profile for this occupation
Geographic profile for this occupation

National estimates for this occupation: Top

Employment estimate and mean wage estimates for this occupation:

Employment (1) Employment
RSE (3) 		Mean hourly
wage		 Mean annual
wage (2) 		Wage RSE (3)
64,440 1.7 % $24.62 $51,200 0.6 %

Percentile wage estimates for this occupation:

Percentile 10% 25% 50%
(Median) 		75% 90%
Hourly Wage $15.22 $18.65 $23.46 $29.17 $36.10
Annual Wage (2) $31,660 $38,800 $48,810 $60,670 $75,080

Industry profile for this occupation: Top

Industries with the highest published employment and wages for this occupation are provided. For a list of all industries with employment in this occupation, see the Create Customized Tables function.

Industries with the highest levels of employment in this occupation:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Architectural, Engineering, and Related Services 17,870 1.40 $25.19 $52,400
Architectural and Structural Metals Manufacturing 3,890 1.20 $21.87 $45,480
Ship and Boat Building 3,820 3.05 $24.01 $49,930
Other General Purpose Machinery Manufacturing 2,960 1.33 $22.78 $47,380
Aerospace Product and Parts Manufacturing 2,930 0.61 $30.78 $64,020

Industries with the highest concentration of employment in this occupation:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Ship and Boat Building 3,820 3.05 $24.01 $49,930
Metalworking Machinery Manufacturing 2,380 1.56 $23.43 $48,740
Architectural, Engineering, and Related Services 17,870 1.40 $25.19 $52,400
Other General Purpose Machinery Manufacturing 2,960 1.33 $22.78 $47,380
Industrial Machinery Manufacturing 1,200 1.23 $23.45 $48,770

Top paying industries for this occupation:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Other Support Services (8) (8) $38.27 $79,590
Electric Power Generation, Transmission and Distribution 370 0.09 $34.82 $72,420
Pipeline Transportation of Natural Gas 90 0.32 $32.19 $66,960
Aerospace Product and Parts Manufacturing 2,930 0.61 $30.78 $64,020
Motor Vehicle and Motor Vehicle Parts and Supplies Merchant Wholesalers 70 0.02 $29.03 $60,390

Geographic profile for this occupation: Top

States and areas with the highest published employment, location quotients, and wages for this occupation are provided. For a list of all areas with employment in this occupation, see the Create Customized Tables function.

States with the highest employment level in this occupation:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Texas 5,690 0.56 1.11 $25.76 $53,590
California 4,540 0.32 0.64 $27.09 $56,350
Pennsylvania 4,170 0.76 1.50 $23.63 $49,140
Michigan 3,520 0.94 1.85 $24.31 $50,570
New York 3,360 0.40 0.79 $24.64 $51,250




States with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in this occupation:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Maine 850 1.47 2.89 $25.27 $52,550
Connecticut 1,970 1.23 2.43 $26.45 $55,030
Wisconsin 2,910 1.12 2.20 $23.44 $48,750
Michigan 3,520 0.94 1.85 $24.31 $50,570
Minnesota 2,330 0.91 1.80 $24.56 $51,080




Top paying States for this occupation:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Alaska 120 0.40 0.78 $37.37 $77,720
Washington 2,240 0.83 1.64 $31.22 $64,930
Vermont 200 0.69 1.36 $29.24 $60,830
Delaware 230 0.57 1.13 $29.21 $60,750
Massachusetts 1,340 0.43 0.85 $28.46 $59,200

Metropolitan areas with the highest employment level in this occupation:

Metropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Houston-Sugar Land-Baytown, TX 2,310 0.92 1.82 $27.05 $56,270
New York-White Plains-Wayne, NY-NJ Metropolitan Division 1,980 0.40 0.79 $26.46 $55,040
Seattle-Bellevue-Everett, WA Metropolitan Division 1,830 1.36 2.68 (8) (8)
Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI 1,710 1.02 2.01 $25.91 $53,890
Warren-Troy-Farmington Hills, MI Metropolitan Division 1,360 1.33 2.63 $25.70 $53,470
Chicago-Naperville-Joliet, IL Metropolitan Division 1,190 0.34 0.67 $25.13 $52,270
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Glendale, CA Metropolitan Division 1,170 0.31 0.61 $26.94 $56,040
Phoenix-Mesa-Scottsdale, AZ 1,110 0.66 1.30 $24.51 $50,980
Pittsburgh, PA 1,070 0.98 1.94 $24.18 $50,290
Philadelphia, PA Metropolitan Division 1,040 0.58 1.13 $27.56 $57,320




Metropolitan areas with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in this occupation:

Metropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Niles-Benton Harbor, MI 150 2.58 5.09 $22.66 $47,140
York-Hanover, PA 390 2.30 4.54 $20.81 $43,280
Oshkosh-Neenah, WI 180 2.14 4.22 $24.11 $50,140
Sheboygan, WI 110 2.01 3.97 $24.71 $51,390
Wausau, WI 120 1.94 3.83 $20.08 $41,770
Racine, WI 130 1.77 3.49 $25.98 $54,040
Grand Rapids-Wyoming, MI 540 1.51 2.97 $24.73 $51,430
Holland-Grand Haven, MI 140 1.47 2.91 $21.40 $44,500
Elkhart-Goshen, IN 140 1.40 2.76 $19.55 $40,660
Seattle-Bellevue-Everett, WA Metropolitan Division 1,830 1.36 2.68 (8) (8)