SOC 17-3013 · Sioux City, IA-NE-SD metro

Mechanical Drafters Salary in Sioux City, IA

The average salary for mechanical drafters in Sioux City, Iowa is $57,820 a year ($27.80 an hour), according to BLS estimates for May 2025. The median is $53,630: half of the 40 people in this job in the Sioux City, IA-NE-SD metro area earn more than that, half earn less. That average is 25% less than the U.S. metro average for this job ($77,347).

$57,820average per year

$27.80 / hourMedian $53,630Take-home ≈ $47,053

  • $42K10th
  • $49K25th
  • $54KMedian
  • $64K75th
  • $80K90th

median average · bar = middle 50% of workers

40people in this job
-25%vs U.S. metro average
#5 of 5Iowa metros
86cost of living (U.S. = 100)
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Mechanical Drafters pay range in Sioux City

New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $41,760 a year or less, while the top 10% make $79,900 or more. The middle half of mechanical drafters in Sioux City earn between $48,610 and $63,640.

  • $42K10th
  • $49K25th
  • $54KMedian
  • $64K75th
  • $80K90th

median average · bar = middle 50% of workers

Pay levelPer yearPer monthPer hour*
Average$57,820$4,818$27.80
Median$53,630$4,469$25.78
Entry level (25th percentile)$48,610$4,051$23.37
Experienced (75th percentile)$63,640$5,303$30.60

*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year.

Mechanical Drafters salary after taxes in Sioux City

On the average salary of $57,820, a single filer in Sioux City takes home about $47,053 a year, or $3,921 a month and $1,810 every two weeks. Taxes take 19% of gross pay.

The Sioux City, IA-NE-SD metro area crosses state lines, so take-home pay depends on the state where you work:

StatePer yearPer month
Working in SD$48,638$4,053
Working in IA$47,053$3,921
Working in NE$46,887$3,907

Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2026 rules). Iowa school district surtaxes (a percentage of state tax in some districts) are not included.

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Is Sioux City a good place for mechanical drafters? Pay vs. cost of living

Prices in the Sioux City area are 14% below the U.S. average (BEA price parity 86.5), so the average $57,820 buys what about $66,879 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 1.1 times the median wage of all jobs in Sioux City ($47,030). A typical home costs $225,213, or 3.9 years of this average salary before tax.

See what $57,820 is worth in another city

Mechanical Drafters salary in other Iowa cities

Sioux City ranks 5th of 5 Iowa metro areas for this job; Davenport pays the most ($78,940).

All Mechanical Drafters salaries in Iowa

Highest-paying cities for mechanical drafters

Boulder, CO pays this job the most of the metro areas we cover ($109,830).

Mechanical Drafters salary by city

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Mechanical Drafters salary in Sioux City: questions

How much do mechanical drafters make an hour in Sioux City?

$27.80 an hour on average, and $25.79 at the median (BLS, May 2025).

What is the entry-level mechanical drafters salary in Sioux City?

The lowest-paid 10% earn about $41,760 a year and the 25th percentile is $48,610, a fair guide to starting pay.

What is the mechanical drafters take-home pay in Sioux City?

About $47,053 a year ($3,921 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $57,820. Iowa school district surtaxes (a percentage of state tax in some districts) are not included.

Do mechanical drafters earn more in Sioux City than elsewhere?

The average here is 25% 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 Sioux City, IA-NE-SD (43580). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 3.9%.
  • 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 (2026 rules). Iowa school district surtaxes (a percentage of state tax in some districts) are not included.
  • Job concentration: location quotient 1.83, this job is 1.8 times as concentrated as in the U.S. overall.

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