How long does it take to become a mechanical drafter?

Typically about two years for the degree. That is the usual route rather than a rule — people arrive by other paths all the time.

How much do mechanical drafters make?

The US median is $71,550 a year, meaning half earn more and half less. Pay varies widely by state, employer and experience.

Do you need a degree to become a mechanical drafter?

Yes — a degree is the usual way in.

Where can you train to become a mechanical drafter?

598 US colleges, community colleges and trade schools award credentials in a matching program. See which ones →

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How to become a mechanical drafter

Engineering & architecture · SOC 17-3013

$71,550US median pay, 2025

-6%Projected growth, 2025–35

2,900Openings per year

DegreeUsual way in

How you get in

A degree is the usual way in.

Associate's degree
Work as a mechanical drafter

Programs that lead to this job

These are the federal program codes (CIP) that the Department of Education maps to this occupation, and how many US colleges, community colleges or trade schools report awarding credentials in each.

Program	Code	Schools
Drafting and Design Technology/Technician, General	CIP 15.1301	228
Mechanical/Mechanical Engineering Technology/Technician	CIP 15.0805	189
CAD/CADD Drafting and/or Design Technology/Technician	CIP 15.1302	180
Mechanical Drafting and Mechanical Drafting CAD/CADD	CIP 15.1306	108
Automotive Engineering Technology/Technician	CIP 15.0803	44
Aeronautical/Aerospace Engineering Technology/Technician	CIP 15.0801	28
3-D Modeling and Design Technology/Technician	CIP 15.1307	5

See the 598 schools that offer these programs →

Common questions

How long does it take to become a mechanical drafter?: Typically about two years for the degree. That is the usual route rather than a rule — people arrive by other paths all the time.
How much do mechanical drafters make?: The US median is $71,550 a year, meaning half earn more and half less. Pay varies widely by state, employer and experience.
Do you need a degree to become a mechanical drafter?: Yes — a degree is the usual way in.
Where can you train to become a mechanical drafter?: 598 US colleges, community colleges and trade schools award credentials in a matching program. See which ones →

Pay and growth are national figures. What you earn depends on where you work, your employer and your experience, and these are projections rather than promises. Education requirements describe how most people enter the job, not a rule — plenty of people take another route.

Pay, growth, openings and entry requirements: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections 2025–35. Program-to-occupation mapping: NCES CIP–SOC crosswalk (2020/2018). School counts: IPEDS completions, 2022–23.

Related careers in Engineering & architecture

Industrial engineers · Civil engineers · Mechanical engineers · Electrical engineers · Architectural and civil drafters · Engineers, all other · Electrical and electronic engineering technologists and technicians · Architects, except landscape and naval