Mechanical Drafters pay range in Santa Maria
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $60,720 a year or less, while the top 10% make $106,330 or more. The middle half of mechanical drafters in Santa Maria earn between $64,060 and $101,780.
- $61K10th
- $64K25th
- $79KMedian
- $102K75th
- $106K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers · how to read it
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $82,960 | $6,913 | $39.88 |
| Median | $79,180 | $6,598 | $38.07 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $64,060 | $5,338 | $30.80 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $101,780 | $8,482 | $48.93 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year. Hourly to annual salary.
Mechanical Drafters pay in Santa Maria vs. California and the U.S.
Mechanical drafters in Santa Maria earn 4% less than the California average ($86,750) and 11% more than the U.S. average ($75,060). At the median the gap is +11% against the U.S. median of $71,550.
| Area | Average | Median | 10th pct. | 90th pct. | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Santa Maria | $82,960 | $79,180 | $60,720 | $106,330 | 30 |
| California | $86,750 | $82,510 | $50,200 | $128,160 | 3,640 |
| United States | $75,060 | $71,550 | $48,360 | $106,580 | 39,960 |
State and U.S. rows: BLS statewide and national estimates, May 2025, which include rural areas.
Mechanical Drafters salary after taxes in Santa Maria
On the average salary of $82,960, a single filer in Santa Maria takes home about $63,569 a year, or $5,297 a month and $2,445 every two weeks. Taxes take 23% 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 Santa Maria a good place for mechanical drafters? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the Santa Maria area are 9% above the U.S. average (BEA price parity 108.8), so the average $82,960 buys what about $76,251 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 1.5 times the median wage of all jobs in Santa Maria ($51,690). A typical home costs $1,005,339, or 12.1 years of this average salary before tax.
Mechanical Drafters salary in other California cities
Santa Maria ranks 6th 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
- Stockton$80,270
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 Santa Maria: questions
How much do mechanical drafters make an hour in Santa Maria?
$39.89 an hour on average, and $38.07 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level mechanical drafters salary in Santa Maria?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $60,720 a year and the 25th percentile is $64,060, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the mechanical drafters take-home pay in Santa Maria?
About $63,569 a year ($5,297 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $82,960. California State Disability Insurance (1.3% of wages, paid by employees) is not included.
Do mechanical drafters earn more in Santa Maria than elsewhere?
The average here is 11% more than the U.S. average for this job ($75,060).
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 Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA (42200). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 2.9%.
- U.S. and statewide figures: BLS OEWS national and state estimates, May 2025, every employer including rural areas.
- 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 0.62, this job is less common than in the U.S. overall (location quotient 0.62).
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