Mechanical Drafters pay range in Modesto
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $52,630 a year or less, while the top 10% make $105,670 or more. The middle half of mechanical drafters in Modesto earn between $62,060 and $79,510.
- $53K10th
- $62K25th
- $66KMedian
- $80K75th
- $106K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $73,330 | $6,111 | $35.25 |
| Median | $66,060 | $5,505 | $31.76 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $62,060 | $5,172 | $29.84 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $79,510 | $6,626 | $38.23 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year.
Mechanical Drafters salary after taxes in Modesto
On the average salary of $73,330, a single filer in Modesto takes home about $57,624 a year, or $4,802 a month and $2,216 every two weeks. Taxes take 21% of gross pay.
Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2025 rules). California State Disability Insurance (1.3% of wages, paid by employees) is not included.
Is Modesto a good place for mechanical drafters? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the Modesto area are 4% above the U.S. average (BEA price parity 104.1), so the average $73,330 buys what about $70,436 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 1.3 times the median wage of all jobs in Modesto ($50,610). A typical home costs $468,302, or 6.4 years of this average salary before tax.
Mechanical Drafters salary in other California cities
Modesto ranks 13th of 13 California metro areas for this job; San Jose pays the most ($101,310).
- San Jose$101,310
- San Francisco$98,950
- San Diego$90,030
- Los Angeles$86,410
- San Luis Obispo$83,240
- Santa Maria$82,960
- Sacramento$81,410
- Oxnard$81,300
- Bakersfield$80,990
- Modesto$73,330
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 Modesto: questions
How much do mechanical drafters make an hour in Modesto?
$35.25 an hour on average, and $31.76 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level mechanical drafters salary in Modesto?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $52,630 a year and the 25th percentile is $62,060, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the mechanical drafters take-home pay in Modesto?
About $57,624 a year ($4,802 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $73,330. California State Disability Insurance (1.3% of wages, paid by employees) is not included.
Do mechanical drafters earn more in Modesto than elsewhere?
The average here is 5% less than the U.S. metro average for this job ($77,347).
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 Modesto, CA (33700). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 3.7%.
- 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). California State Disability Insurance (1.3% of wages, paid by employees) is not included.
- Job concentration: location quotient 0.76, this job is less common than in the U.S. overall (location quotient 0.76).
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