Mechanical Drafters pay range in Riverside
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $48,530 a year or less, while the top 10% make $113,150 or more. The middle half of mechanical drafters in Riverside earn between $61,410 and $96,870.
- $49K10th
- $61K25th
- $76KMedian
- $97K75th
- $113K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers · how to read it
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $78,250 | $6,521 | $37.62 |
| Median | $75,610 | $6,301 | $36.35 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $61,410 | $5,118 | $29.52 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $96,870 | $8,072 | $46.57 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year. Hourly to annual salary.
Mechanical Drafters pay in Riverside vs. California and the U.S.
Mechanical drafters in Riverside earn 10% less than the California average ($86,750) and 4% more than the U.S. average ($75,060). At the median the gap is +6% against the U.S. median of $71,550.
| Area | Average | Median | 10th pct. | 90th pct. | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Riverside | $78,250 | $75,610 | $48,530 | $113,150 | 350 |
| California | $86,750 | $82,510 | $50,200 | $128,160 | 3,640 |
| United States | $75,060 | $71,550 | $48,360 | $106,580 | 39,960 |
State and U.S. rows: BLS statewide and national estimates, May 2025, which include rural areas.
Mechanical Drafters salary after taxes in Riverside
On the average salary of $78,250, a single filer in Riverside takes home about $60,691 a year, or $5,058 a month and $2,334 every two weeks. Taxes take 22% of gross pay.
Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2025 rules). California State Disability Insurance (1.3% of wages, paid by employees) is not included.
Is Riverside a good place for mechanical drafters? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the Riverside area are 6% above the U.S. average (BEA price parity 106.4), so the average $78,250 buys what about $73,514 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 1.6 times the median wage of all jobs in Riverside ($48,400). A typical home costs $585,378, or 7.5 years of this average salary before tax.
Mechanical Drafters salary in other California cities
Riverside ranks 11th of 13 California metro areas for this job; San Jose pays the most ($101,310).
- San Jose$101,310
- San Francisco$98,950
- San Diego$90,030
- Los Angeles$86,410
- San Luis Obispo$83,240
- Santa Maria$82,960
- Sacramento$81,410
- Oxnard$81,300
- Bakersfield$80,990
- Riverside$78,250
Highest-paying cities for mechanical drafters
Boulder, CO pays this job the most of the metro areas we cover ($109,830).
- Boulder, CO$109,830
- Albuquerque, NM$104,030
- San Jose, CA$101,310
- San Francisco, CA$98,950
- Seattle, WA$98,470
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Mechanical Drafters salary in Riverside: questions
How much do mechanical drafters make an hour in Riverside?
$37.62 an hour on average, and $36.35 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level mechanical drafters salary in Riverside?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $48,530 a year and the 25th percentile is $61,410, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the mechanical drafters take-home pay in Riverside?
About $60,691 a year ($5,058 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $78,250. California State Disability Insurance (1.3% of wages, paid by employees) is not included.
Do mechanical drafters earn more in Riverside than elsewhere?
The average here is 4% more than the U.S. average for this job ($75,060).
Sources and how to read this page
- Wages: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 estimates for metropolitan areas. SOC code 17-3013; area Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA (40140). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 4.1%.
- U.S. and statewide figures: BLS OEWS national and state estimates, May 2025, every employer including rural areas.
- Cost of living: Bureau of Economic Analysis regional price parities (RPP), 2024; 100 = U.S. average.
- Home value: Zillow Home Value Index. Typical-wage figure: OEWS all occupations, same metro.
- Take-home pay: Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2025 rules). California State Disability Insurance (1.3% of wages, paid by employees) is not included.
- Job concentration: location quotient 0.79, this job is less common than in the U.S. overall (location quotient 0.79).
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