Mechanical Drafters pay range in Lancaster
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $48,980 a year or less, while the top 10% make $86,820 or more. The middle half of mechanical drafters in Lancaster earn between $54,150 and $78,940.
- $49K10th
- $54K25th
- $61KMedian
- $79K75th
- $87K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers · how to read it
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $66,810 | $5,568 | $32.12 |
| Median | $61,270 | $5,106 | $29.46 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $54,150 | $4,512 | $26.03 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $78,940 | $6,578 | $37.95 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year. Hourly to annual salary.
Mechanical Drafters pay in Lancaster vs. Pennsylvania and the U.S.
Mechanical drafters in Lancaster earn 5% less than the Pennsylvania average ($70,250) and 11% less than the U.S. average ($75,060). At the median the gap is -14% against the U.S. median of $71,550.
| Area | Average | Median | 10th pct. | 90th pct. | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lancaster | $66,810 | $61,270 | $48,980 | $86,820 | 120 |
| Pennsylvania | $70,250 | $63,480 | $47,700 | $95,130 | 2,330 |
| 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 Lancaster
On the average salary of $66,810, a single filer in Lancaster takes home about $53,780 a year, or $4,482 a month and $2,068 every two weeks. Taxes take 20% of gross pay.
Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2025 rules). Local earned income taxes (for example Philadelphia's wage tax) are not included.
Is Lancaster a good place for mechanical drafters? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the Lancaster area are 2% below the U.S. average (BEA price parity 98.3), so the average $66,810 buys what about $67,995 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 1.3 times the median wage of all jobs in Lancaster ($48,210). A typical home costs $388,207, or 5.8 years of this average salary before tax.
Mechanical Drafters salary in other Pennsylvania cities
Lancaster ranks 7th of 10 Pennsylvania metro areas for this job; Philadelphia pays the most ($81,100).
- Philadelphia$81,100
- Harrisburg$73,540
- Allentown$71,550
- Pittsburgh$71,310
- York$70,000
- Reading$69,870
- Lancaster$66,810
- Chambersburg$62,570
- Scranton$61,060
- Erie$60,910
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 Lancaster: questions
How much do mechanical drafters make an hour in Lancaster?
$32.12 an hour on average, and $29.46 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level mechanical drafters salary in Lancaster?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $48,980 a year and the 25th percentile is $54,150, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the mechanical drafters take-home pay in Lancaster?
About $53,780 a year ($4,482 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $66,810. Local earned income taxes (for example Philadelphia's wage tax) are not included.
Do mechanical drafters earn more in Lancaster than elsewhere?
The average here is 11% less 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 Lancaster, PA (29540). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 3.7%.
- 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). Local earned income taxes (for example Philadelphia's wage tax) are not included.
- Job concentration: location quotient 1.81, this job is 1.8 times as concentrated as in the U.S. overall.
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