Mechanical Drafters
SOC 17-3013 · 2024-2034
Prepare detailed working diagrams of machinery and mechanical devices, including dimensions, fastening methods, and other engineering information.
How the U.S. Department of Labor describes this work. Published in English only.
Shrinking -5.1%
California projects this job will shrink over the next ten years. Fewer openings may mean a harder search.
The job this trains for
- Typical pay in California
- $84,820per year
- Projected openings
- 3,040
- Projected change
- -5.1%
- Usually needs
- Associate's degree
Skills this work uses most
O*NET, the U.S. Department of Labor's occupation database, rates how important each of these is to this work, and they are listed in that order, most important first. The ratings themselves are not shown, because the data carries the number without the scale it was measured on. The names are as published, in English.
- Critical Thinking
- Active Listening
- Mathematics
- Reading Comprehension
- Active Learning
- Speaking
Pay by region
| Region | Typical pay in California | Projected openings |
|---|---|---|
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara MSA (San Benito and Santa Clara Counties) | $114,859 | 240 |
| Oakland-Fremont-Berkeley MD (Alameda and Contra Costa Counties) | $96,742 | 350 |
| San Francisco-San Mateo-Redwood City MD (San Francisco and San Mateo Counties) | $94,271 | 150 |
| Bakersfield-Delano MSA (Kern County) | $87,094 | 40 |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad MSA (San Diego County) | $86,119 | 380 |
| Anaheim-Santa Ana-Irvine MD (Orange County) | $81,154 | 370 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Glendale MD (Los Angeles County) | $81,144 | 570 |
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom MSA (El Dorado, Placer, Sacramento, and Yolo Counties) | $80,325 | 160 |
| Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura MSA (Ventura County) | $74,316 | 80 |
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario MSA (Riverside and San Bernardino Counties) | $72,324 | 320 |
Similar work
O*NET, the U.S. Department of Labor's occupation database, names these as occupations involving work similar to this one — its own reading of the job, not a grouping by code. They keep O*NET's order, and only those California publishes a projection for are shown.
| The job this trains for | Typical pay in California | Projected openings | Projected change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Electrical and Electronics Drafters | $80,502 | 2,120 | -10% |
| Architectural and Civil Drafters | $78,662 | 10,740 | +7% |
| Mechanical Engineering Technologists and Technicians | $89,836 | 3,330 | +5.4% |
| Commercial and Industrial Designers | $103,591 | 4,320 | +1.9% |
| Computer Numerically Controlled Tool Programmers | $83,963 | 3,190 | +10% |
| Electrical and Electronics Engineering Technologists and Technicians | $88,500 | 11,520 | -2.9% |
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