Mechanical Drafters pay range in San Jose
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $63,310 a year or less, while the top 10% make $134,590 or more. The middle half of mechanical drafters in San Jose earn between $77,320 and $118,980.
- $63K10th
- $77K25th
- $97KMedian
- $119K75th
- $135K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers · how to read it
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $101,310 | $8,442 | $48.71 |
| Median | $97,450 | $8,121 | $46.85 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $77,320 | $6,443 | $37.17 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $118,980 | $9,915 | $57.20 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year. Hourly to annual salary.
Mechanical Drafters pay in San Jose vs. California and the U.S.
Mechanical drafters in San Jose earn 17% more than the California average ($86,750) and 35% more than the U.S. average ($75,060). At the median the gap is +36% against the U.S. median of $71,550.
| Area | Average | Median | 10th pct. | 90th pct. | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| San Jose | $101,310 | $97,450 | $63,310 | $134,590 | 240 |
| 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 San Jose
On the average salary of $101,310, a single filer in San Jose takes home about $74,772 a year, or $6,231 a month and $2,876 every two weeks. Taxes take 26% 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 San Jose a good place for mechanical drafters? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the San Jose area are 10% above the U.S. average (BEA price parity 110.4), so the average $101,310 buys what about $91,747 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 1.2 times the median wage of all jobs in San Jose ($84,050). A typical home costs $1,610,466, or 15.9 years of this average salary before tax.
Mechanical Drafters salary in other California cities
San Jose ranks 1st of 13 California metro areas for this job, the best-paid in the state.
- 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
- Stockton$80,270
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 San Jose: questions
How much do mechanical drafters make an hour in San Jose?
$48.71 an hour on average, and $46.85 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level mechanical drafters salary in San Jose?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $63,310 a year and the 25th percentile is $77,320, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the mechanical drafters take-home pay in San Jose?
About $74,772 a year ($6,231 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $101,310. California State Disability Insurance (1.3% of wages, paid by employees) is not included.
Do mechanical drafters earn more in San Jose than elsewhere?
The average here is 35% 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 San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA (41940). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 3.6%.
- 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 0.83, this job is about as common as in the U.S. overall.
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