SOC 17-3013 · May 2025 · BLS OEWS
Mechanical Drafters — Sacramento
Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA · 10 metro areas compared
Median pay for this occupation in Sacramento, CA comes to $77,790 a year, ahead of the national median of $71,550 by 8.7%.
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 Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA.
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 Sacramento, CA comes to $77,790 a year, ahead of the national median of $71,550 by 8.7%. Pay ranges from under $51,420 at the tenth percentile to more than $110,370 at the ninetieth, with the interquartile range running from $63,050 to $99,530.
Employment stands at 180, or 0.2 jobs per thousand held locally. Within the state, San Francisco records the highest median at $98,310. Of the 648 occupations with published wages in this area, it sits 282nd.
Percentile breakdown
| Percentile | Annual | vs US median |
|---|---|---|
| 10th | $51,420 | −28.1% |
| 25th | $63,050 | −11.9% |
| Median (50th) | $77,790 | +8.7% |
| 75th | $99,530 | +39.1% |
| 90th | $110,370 | +54.3% |
| Mean | $81,410 | +13.8% |
Other metro areas in California
| # | Metro area | Median | Jobs | Relative |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | San Francisco | $98,310 | 390 | |
| 2 | San Jose | $97,450 | 240 | |
| 3 | San Diego | $83,550 | 370 | |
| 4 | Los Angeles | $80,780 | 1,480 | |
| 5 | Santa Maria | $79,180 | 30 | |
| 6 | Oxnard | $78,990 | 90 | |
| 7 | Bakersfield | $76,520 | 40 | |
| 8 | Stockton | $76,170 | 40 | |
| 9 | Riverside | $75,610 | 350 | |
| 10 | San Luis Obispo | $75,560 | 30 |
What the pay is worth locally
Prices in Sacramento run 6.7% above the national average, so the median of $77,790 buys what $72,905 would elsewhere in the country. Measured that way the gap against the national median narrows to 1.9% above the national median in real terms.
Published median
$77,790as reported by BLSLocal price level
106.7US average = 100 · BEA 2024Adjusted for local prices
$72,905US average = 100 · BEA 2024Why the state that pays most is usually not where pay goes furthest
Key takeaways
- Median pay is $77,790 a year, 8.7% above the national median.
- Published pay spans $51,420 to $110,370 between the tenth and ninetieth percentiles.
- The area has 180 jobs in this occupation.
- The highest-paying metro area covered is San Francisco, at $98,310.
Frequently asked questions
What is the median wage for Mechanical Drafters in Sacramento, CA?
The median annual wage is $77,790, or $37.40 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 Sacramento, CA is 8.7% 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 Sacramento, CA earns more than $110,370 per year. The ninetieth percentile is the highest figure the survey publishes.
What is the starting range?
The tenth percentile wage is $51,420 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 San Francisco, at $98,310 per year.
How many jobs are there in this occupation here?
The survey estimates 180 jobs in this occupation in Sacramento, CA. 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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