SOC 17-3013 · Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN metro

Mechanical Drafters Salary in Cincinnati, OH

The average salary for mechanical drafters in Cincinnati, Ohio is $77,710 a year ($37.36 an hour), according to BLS estimates for May 2025. The median is $77,250: half of the 300 people in this job in the Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN metro area earn more than that, half earn less. That average is 4% more than the U.S. average for this job ($75,060).

$77,710average per year

$37.36 / hourMedian $77,250Take-home ≈ $60,405

  • $52K10th
  • $64K25th
  • $77KMedian
  • $86K75th
  • $107K90th

median average · bar = middle 50% of workers · how to read it

300people in this job
+4%vs U.S. average
#1 of 8Ohio metros
95cost of living (U.S. = 100)
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Mechanical Drafters pay range in Cincinnati

New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $52,200 a year or less, while the top 10% make $107,050 or more. The middle half of mechanical drafters in Cincinnati earn between $64,290 and $86,240.

  • $52K10th
  • $64K25th
  • $77KMedian
  • $86K75th
  • $107K90th

median average · bar = middle 50% of workers · how to read it

Pay levelPer yearPer monthPer hour*
Average$77,710$6,476$37.36
Median$77,250$6,438$37.14
Entry level (25th percentile)$64,290$5,358$30.91
Experienced (75th percentile)$86,240$7,187$41.46

*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year. Hourly to annual salary.

Mechanical Drafters pay in Cincinnati vs. Ohio and the U.S.

Mechanical drafters in Cincinnati earn 9% more than the Ohio average ($71,460) and 4% more than the U.S. average ($75,060). At the median the gap is +8% against the U.S. median of $71,550.

AreaAverageMedian10th pct.90th pct.Jobs
Cincinnati$77,710$77,250$52,200$107,050300
Ohio$71,460$70,580$49,400$98,7401,790
United States$75,060$71,550$48,360$106,58039,960

State and U.S. rows: BLS statewide and national estimates, May 2025, which include rural areas.

Mechanical Drafters salary after taxes in Cincinnati

On the average salary of $77,710, a single filer in Cincinnati takes home about $60,405 a year, or $5,034 a month and $2,323 every two weeks. Taxes take 22% of gross pay.

The Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN metro area crosses state lines, so take-home pay depends on the state where you work:

StatePer yearPer month
Working in IN$61,198$5,100
Working in KY$60,897$5,075
Working in OH$60,405$5,034

Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2026 rules). Includes Cincinnati's local income tax (1.8%); the city income tax is that of the principal city (suburbs have their own rates) and school district income taxes are not included.

Ohio paycheck calculator: try your own salary

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Is Cincinnati a good place for mechanical drafters? Pay vs. cost of living

Prices in the Cincinnati area are 5% below the U.S. average (BEA price parity 95.4), so the average $77,710 buys what about $81,483 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 1.5 times the median wage of all jobs in Cincinnati ($50,170). A typical home costs $311,270, or 4.0 years of this average salary before tax.

See what $77,710 is worth in another city

Mechanical Drafters salary in other Ohio cities

Cincinnati ranks 1st of 8 Ohio metro areas for this job, the best-paid in the state.

All Mechanical Drafters salaries in Ohio

Highest-paying cities for mechanical drafters

Boulder, CO pays this job the most of the metro areas we cover ($109,830).

Mechanical Drafters salary by city

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Reviewed before it counts. Mechanical Drafters in Cincinnati, OH.

Mechanical Drafters salary in Cincinnati: questions

How much do mechanical drafters make an hour in Cincinnati?

$37.36 an hour on average, and $37.14 at the median (BLS, May 2025).

What is the entry-level mechanical drafters salary in Cincinnati?

The lowest-paid 10% earn about $52,200 a year and the 25th percentile is $64,290, a fair guide to starting pay.

What is the mechanical drafters take-home pay in Cincinnati?

About $60,405 a year ($5,034 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $77,710. Includes Cincinnati's local income tax (1.8%); the city income tax is that of the principal city (suburbs have their own rates) and school district income taxes are not included.

Do mechanical drafters earn more in Cincinnati 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 Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN (17140). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 2.6%.
  • 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 (2026 rules). Includes Cincinnati's local income tax (1.8%); the city income tax is that of the principal city (suburbs have their own rates) and school district income taxes are not included.
  • Job concentration: location quotient 1.07, this job is about as common as in the U.S. overall.

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