Mechanical Drafters
SOC 17-3013 · 2024-2034
Prepare detailed working diagrams of machinery and mechanical devices, including dimensions, fastening methods, and other engineering information.
How the U.S. Department of Labor describes this work. Published in English only.
Shrinking -5.1%
California projects this job will shrink over the next ten years. Fewer openings may mean a harder search.
What California expects of this job
- Typical pay in California
- $84,820per year
- Projected openings
- 3,040
- Projected change
- -5.1%
- Usually needs
- Associate's degree
Skills this work uses most
O*NET, the U.S. Department of Labor's occupation database, rates how important each of these is to this work, and they are listed in that order, most important first. The ratings themselves are not shown, because the data carries the number without the scale it was measured on. The names are as published, in English.
- Critical Thinking
- Active Listening
- Mathematics
- Reading Comprehension
- Active Learning
- Speaking
Pay by region
| Region | Typical pay in California | Projected openings |
|---|---|---|
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara MSA (San Benito and Santa Clara Counties) | $114,859 | 240 |
| Oakland-Fremont-Berkeley MD (Alameda and Contra Costa Counties) | $96,742 | 350 |
| San Francisco-San Mateo-Redwood City MD (San Francisco and San Mateo Counties) | $94,271 | 150 |
| Bakersfield-Delano MSA (Kern County) | $87,094 | 40 |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad MSA (San Diego County) | $86,119 | 380 |
| Anaheim-Santa Ana-Irvine MD (Orange County) | $81,154 | 370 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Glendale MD (Los Angeles County) | $81,144 | 570 |
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom MSA (El Dorado, Placer, Sacramento, and Yolo Counties) | $80,325 | 160 |
| Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura MSA (Ventura County) | $74,316 | 80 |
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario MSA (Riverside and San Bernardino Counties) | $72,324 | 320 |
What the pay actually ranges across
- The lowest-paid tenth earn under
- $51,605
- A quarter earn under
- $67,745
- Half earn under
- $84,820
- Three quarters earn under
- $105,739
- The highest-paid tenth earn over
- $131,748
A median is one point. These are the federal Bureau of Labor Statistics' 2026 figures for California, and they say how far apart the people doing this job actually are. Read them as the spread across everyone already in the work — not as a starting wage and not as a promise about where anyone lands.
Similar work
O*NET, the U.S. Department of Labor's occupation database, names these as occupations involving work similar to this one — its own reading of the job, not a grouping by code. They keep O*NET's order, and only those California publishes a projection for are shown.
| Occupation | Typical pay in California | Projected openings | Projected change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Electrical and Electronics Drafters | $80,502 | 2,120 | -10% |
| Architectural and Civil Drafters | $78,662 | 10,740 | +7% |
| Mechanical Engineering Technologists and Technicians | $89,836 | 3,330 | +5.4% |
| Commercial and Industrial Designers | $103,591 | 4,320 | +1.9% |
| Computer Numerically Controlled Tool Programmers | $83,963 | 3,190 | +10% |
| Electrical and Electronics Engineering Technologists and Technicians | $88,500 | 11,520 | -2.9% |
Programs that train for this job — 10
Shop Math and Blueprint Reading
Glendale Community College · Glendale · $2,700
- Working 6 months later
- 28%
- Earnings in one quarter after
- $8,008
Computer Aided Design and Drafting with AutoCAD
Silicon Valley Polytechnic Institute · San Jose · $3,150
- Working 6 months later
- Not reported
- Earnings in one quarter after
- Not reported
Advanced 3D Computer Aided Design and Drafting with Solidworks
Silicon Valley Polytechnic Institute · San Jose · $3,150
- Working 6 months later
- Not reported
- Earnings in one quarter after
- Not reported
CAD Designer / Drafter Certificate Program
Martinez Adult Education · Martinez · $5,000
- Working 6 months later
- 100%
- Earnings in one quarter after
- $5,600
CNC Programming - CAD/CAM
De Anza College, Occupational Training Institute · Cupertino · $5,338
- Working 6 months later
- Not reported
- Earnings in one quarter after
- Not reported
Outcomes cover more than this program The provider filed these figures against more than the program named — several of its programs, or the whole institution. They are shown because they are real, and nothing here ranks or rates them, because they do not describe this program.
Computer Aided Design - Mechanical
De Anza College, Occupational Training Institute · Cupertino · $5,272
- Working 6 months later
- 9%
- Earnings in one quarter after
- $14,747
Outcomes cover more than this program The provider filed these figures against more than the program named — several of its programs, or the whole institution. They are shown because they are real, and nothing here ranks or rates them, because they do not describe this program.
Computer-Aided Design Drafter
Ventura Adult and Continuing Education · Ventura · $7,280
- Working 6 months later
- 100%
- Earnings in one quarter after
- $11,500
Outcomes cover more than this program The provider filed these figures against more than the program named — several of its programs, or the whole institution. They are shown because they are real, and nothing here ranks or rates them, because they do not describe this program.
Auto CAD and SolidWorks (Online)
AAA Institute · Van Nuys · $6,000
- Working 6 months later
- 74%
- Earnings in one quarter after
- $15,500
Computer Aided Drafting Level II
Zoom Graphics · Bakersfield · $6,518
- Working 6 months later
- Not reported
- Earnings in one quarter after
- Not reported
Youth Apprenticeship - Engineering Assistant
Orange County Department of Education · Costa Mesa · $0
- Working 6 months later
- Not reported
- Earnings in one quarter after
- Not reported