Mechanical Drafters pay range in Madison
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $48,150 a year or less, while the top 10% make $92,040 or more. The middle half of mechanical drafters in Madison earn between $61,300 and $76,560.
- $48K10th
- $61K25th
- $65KMedian
- $77K75th
- $92K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers · how to read it
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $69,220 | $5,768 | $33.28 |
| Median | $64,990 | $5,416 | $31.25 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $61,300 | $5,108 | $29.47 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $76,560 | $6,380 | $36.81 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year. Hourly to annual salary.
Mechanical Drafters pay in Madison vs. Wisconsin and the U.S.
Mechanical drafters in Madison earn about the same as the Wisconsin average ($67,960) and 8% less than the U.S. average ($75,060). At the median the gap is -9% against the U.S. median of $71,550.
| Area | Average | Median | 10th pct. | 90th pct. | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Madison | $69,220 | $64,990 | $48,150 | $92,040 | 180 |
| Wisconsin | $67,960 | $63,770 | $48,010 | $92,260 | 1,630 |
| 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 Madison
On the average salary of $69,220, a single filer in Madison takes home about $54,926 a year, or $4,577 a month and $2,113 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 (2026 rules).
Is Madison a good place for mechanical drafters? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the Madison area are 3% below the U.S. average (BEA price parity 97.3), so the average $69,220 buys what about $71,150 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 1.1 times the median wage of all jobs in Madison ($58,080). A typical home costs $452,769, or 6.5 years of this average salary before tax.
Mechanical Drafters salary in other Wisconsin cities
Madison ranks 7th of 13 Wisconsin metro areas for this job; Fond du Lac pays the most ($79,230).
- Fond du Lac$79,230
- Sheboygan$77,630
- Appleton$71,690
- Milwaukee$70,880
- Racine$70,770
- Oshkosh$69,940
- Madison$69,220
- La Crosse$68,380
- Kenosha$65,840
- Janesville$65,760
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 Madison: questions
How much do mechanical drafters make an hour in Madison?
$33.28 an hour on average, and $31.24 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level mechanical drafters salary in Madison?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $48,150 a year and the 25th percentile is $61,300, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the mechanical drafters take-home pay in Madison?
About $54,926 a year ($4,577 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $69,220.
Do mechanical drafters earn more in Madison than elsewhere?
The average here is 8% less 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 Madison, WI (31540). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 2.4%.
- 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 (2026 rules).
- Job concentration: location quotient 1.71, this job is 1.7 times as concentrated as in the U.S. overall.
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