Mechanical Drafters pay range in Richmond
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $60,190 a year or less, while the top 10% make $95,520 or more. The middle half of mechanical drafters in Richmond earn between $64,240 and $78,980.
- $60K10th
- $64K25th
- $70KMedian
- $79K75th
- $96K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $72,920 | $6,077 | $35.06 |
| Median | $69,630 | $5,802 | $33.48 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $64,240 | $5,353 | $30.88 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $78,980 | $6,582 | $37.97 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year.
Mechanical Drafters salary after taxes in Richmond
On the average salary of $72,920, a single filer in Richmond takes home about $56,750 a year, or $4,729 a month and $2,183 every two weeks. Taxes take 22% of gross pay.
Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2025 rules).
Is Richmond a good place for mechanical drafters? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the Richmond area are 2% below the U.S. average (BEA price parity 97.9), so the average $72,920 buys what about $74,516 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 1.4 times the median wage of all jobs in Richmond ($51,460). A typical home costs $397,705, or 5.5 years of this average salary before tax.
Mechanical Drafters salary in other Virginia cities
Richmond ranks 2nd of 4 Virginia metro areas for this job; Virginia Beach pays the most ($74,650).
- Virginia Beach$74,650
- Richmond$72,920
- Roanoke$69,830
- Lynchburg$63,620
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 Richmond: questions
How much do mechanical drafters make an hour in Richmond?
$35.06 an hour on average, and $33.48 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level mechanical drafters salary in Richmond?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $60,190 a year and the 25th percentile is $64,240, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the mechanical drafters take-home pay in Richmond?
About $56,750 a year ($4,729 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $72,920.
Do mechanical drafters earn more in Richmond than elsewhere?
The average here is 6% 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 Richmond, VA (40060). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 3.5%.
- 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 0.60, this job is less common than in the U.S. overall (location quotient 0.60).
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