Mechanical Drafters pay range in Chicago
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $52,110 a year or less, while the top 10% make $98,230 or more. The middle half of mechanical drafters in Chicago earn between $62,930 and $88,220.
- $52K10th
- $63K25th
- $73KMedian
- $88K75th
- $98K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $75,480 | $6,290 | $36.29 |
| Median | $72,540 | $6,045 | $34.88 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $62,930 | $5,244 | $30.25 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $88,220 | $7,352 | $42.41 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year.
Mechanical Drafters salary after taxes in Chicago
On the average salary of $75,480, a single filer in Chicago takes home about $58,335 a year, or $4,861 a month and $2,244 every two weeks. Taxes take 23% of gross pay.
The Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN metro area crosses state lines, so take-home pay depends on the state where you work:
| State | Per year | Per month |
|---|---|---|
| Working in IN | $59,696 | $4,975 |
| Working in IL | $58,335 | $4,861 |
Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2025 rules).
Is Chicago a good place for mechanical drafters? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the Chicago area are 4% above the U.S. average (BEA price parity 103.6), so the average $75,480 buys what about $72,861 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 1.3 times the median wage of all jobs in Chicago ($54,720). A typical home costs $353,998, or 4.7 years of this average salary before tax.
Mechanical Drafters salary in nearby metro areas
- Niles, MI$76,150
- Kenosha, WI$65,840
- Racine, WI$70,770
- Milwaukee, WI$70,880
- Janesville, WI$65,760
- Elkhart, IN$58,620
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 Chicago: questions
How much do mechanical drafters make an hour in Chicago?
$36.29 an hour on average, and $34.88 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level mechanical drafters salary in Chicago?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $52,110 a year and the 25th percentile is $62,930, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the mechanical drafters take-home pay in Chicago?
About $58,335 a year ($4,861 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $75,480.
Do mechanical drafters earn more in Chicago than elsewhere?
The average here is about the same as 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 Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN (16980). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 2.5%.
- 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).
- Job concentration: location quotient 0.28, this job is less common than in the U.S. overall (location quotient 0.28).
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