SOC 17-3013 · May 2025 · BLS OEWS
Mechanical Drafters — Beaumont
Beaumont-Port Arthur, TX · 8 metro areas compared
Median pay for this occupation in Beaumont, TX comes to $87,220 a year, ahead of the national median of $71,550 by 21.9%.
Wage distribution · annual
Shaded band holds the middle 50% of earners
How pay has moved
The next ten years
Projected to decline
- Change in jobs, 2024 to 2034
- -6.5%
- Openings per year
- 3,300
- Typical entry-level education
- Associate's degree
Includes jobs opened by workers leaving the occupation, not only new positions.
6.6% of people in this occupation work for themselves.
Projections are published nationally only. This is the outlook for the occupation across the United States, not a measurement for Beaumont-Port Arthur, TX.
Projections are based on 2024 employment and run to 2034. The wages above are from the May 2025 survey, a separate BLS programme on a different release cycle, so the two are not two views of one dataset.
Salary overview
Median pay for this occupation in Beaumont, TX comes to $87,220 a year, ahead of the national median of $71,550 by 21.9%. Pay ranges from under $52,660 at the tenth percentile to more than $159,390 at the ninetieth, with the interquartile range running from $59,810 to $126,450.
Employment stands at 120, or 0.7 jobs per thousand held locally. Within the state, Midland records the highest median at $86,100. Of the 372 occupations with published wages in this area, it sits 74th.
Percentile breakdown
| Percentile | Annual | vs US median |
|---|---|---|
| 10th | $52,660 | −26.4% |
| 25th | $59,810 | −16.4% |
| Median (50th) | $87,220 | +21.9% |
| 75th | $126,450 | +76.7% |
| 90th | $159,390 | +122.8% |
| Mean | $91,660 | +28.1% |
Other metro areas in Texas
What the pay is worth locally
Prices in Beaumont run 10.0% below the national average, so the median of $87,220 goes as far as $96,911 would elsewhere in the country. Measured that way it compares to the national median at 35.4% above the national median in real terms.
Published median
$87,220as reported by BLSLocal price level
90.0US average = 100 · BEA 2024Adjusted for local prices
$96,911US average = 100 · BEA 2024Why the state that pays most is usually not where pay goes furthest
Key takeaways
- Median pay is $87,220 a year, 21.9% above the national median.
- Published pay spans $52,660 to $159,390 between the tenth and ninetieth percentiles.
- The area has 120 jobs in this occupation.
- The highest-paying metro area covered is Midland, at $86,100.
Frequently asked questions
What is the median wage for Mechanical Drafters in Beaumont, TX?
The median annual wage is $87,220, or $41.93 per hour, as of May 2025. Half of the workers in this occupation earn more than that and half earn less.
Is that higher than the national average?
The national median for this occupation is $71,550, so pay in Beaumont, TX is 21.9% higher. These figures are medians, not averages: half of workers fall on each side.
What do the top earners make?
The top tenth of this occupation in Beaumont, TX earns more than $159,390 per year. The ninetieth percentile is the highest figure the survey publishes.
What is the starting range?
The tenth percentile wage is $52,660 per year. The survey measures wages actually paid rather than experience level, so this reflects the lowest-paid tenth rather than entry-level pay specifically.
Which area nearby pays the most?
The highest median for this occupation among the metro areas covered is in Midland, at $86,100 per year.
How many jobs are there in this occupation here?
The survey estimates 120 jobs in this occupation in Beaumont, TX. Self-employed workers are not included.
Source and methodology
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 Wages are for wage-and-salary workers; self-employed workers are not included. Salary Explorer is an independent project. It is not affiliated with, or endorsed by, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics or any government agency. Full methodology.
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