Drafting/Design Engineering Technologies/Technicians
Offered at 729 college programs that reported results. Here is what graduates earn and owe at each credential level, and which programs pay best.
By credential level
| Credential | Programs | Typical earnings, 1 yr | Typical earnings, 5 yrs | Typical debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Certificate | 392 | $45,869 | $54,356 | $14,375 |
| Associate | 305 | $51,291 | $60,993 | $12,841 |
| Bachelor's | 19 | $64,087 | $76,578 | $26,000 |
| Master's | 12 | — | — | — |
| Doctoral | 1 | — | — | — |
"Typical" is the median across programs of each program's median, counting only programs with unsuppressed data (at least three). It describes a typical program, not a national median for all graduates. Certificate figures include certificates earned at four-year colleges, often alongside a bachelor's; see degrees vs. certificates for a cleaner comparison. Source: College Scorecard field of study data.
One year after finishing, a typical certificate program in this field reports median earnings of $45,869, versus $64,087 for a typical bachelor's program.
Highest-earning certificate programs
| # | College | State | Earnings, 1 yr | Earnings, 5 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | SUNY College of Technology at Delhi | NY | — | $69,500 | — |
| 2 | Austin Community College District | TX | $52,012 | $64,613 | $12,153 |
| 3 | Northcentral Technical College | WI | $51,706 | $63,780 | — |
| 4 | Portland Community College | OR | — | $61,977 | — |
| 5 | College of Western Idaho | ID | $55,455 | $61,356 | — |
| 6 | Northeast Community College | NE | — | $59,820 | — |
| 7 | Western Technical College | WI | — | $57,978 | — |
| 8 | Porter & Chester Institute | CT | $47,333 | $56,129 | $16,535 |
| 9 | Front Range Community College | CO | $48,176 | $54,356 | $14,527 |
| 10 | Ivy Tech Community College | IN | $44,405 | $54,350 | $7,125 |
| 11 | Houston City College | TX | — | $54,026 | — |
| 12 | Northland Community and Technical College | MN | — | $53,527 | — |
| 13 | Ozarks Technical Community College | MO | — | $52,746 | — |
| 14 | Dallas College | TX | — | $51,440 | $10,337 |
| 15 | Bridgerland Technical College | UT | $44,002 | — | — |
Ranked by 5-year median earnings, or 1-year where 5-year is not reported.
Highest-earning associate programs
| # | College | State | Earnings, 1 yr | Earnings, 5 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Minnesota State College Southeast | MN | $54,926 | $78,365 | — |
| 2 | Green River College | WA | — | $76,020 | — |
| 3 | Johnson County Community College | KS | — | $75,796 | — |
| 4 | Lee College | TX | — | $72,710 | — |
| 5 | CUNY New York City College of Technology | NY | — | $71,739 | — |
| 6 | Hennepin Technical College | MN | $60,479 | $71,220 | $13,500 |
| 7 | Des Moines Area Community College | IA | $50,207 | $70,078 | — |
| 8 | Waukesha County Technical College | WI | $55,259 | $70,011 | $11,500 |
| 9 | Fox Valley Technical College | WI | $56,137 | $69,654 | — |
| 10 | Tyler Junior College | TX | — | $69,495 | — |
| 11 | Dunwoody College of Technology | MN | $54,944 | $68,880 | $12,000 |
| 12 | Century College | MN | — | $68,284 | — |
| 13 | Ferris State University | MI | — | $67,539 | — |
| 14 | Macomb Community College | MI | — | $67,504 | — |
| 15 | Austin Community College District | TX | $53,795 | $66,322 | $13,432 |
Ranked by 5-year median earnings, or 1-year where 5-year is not reported.
Highest-earning bachelor's programs
| # | College | State | Earnings, 1 yr | Earnings, 5 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Central Michigan University | MI | $75,601 | $96,694 | — |
| 2 | Western Michigan University | MI | $66,254 | $92,501 | $31,000 |
| 3 | Eastern Michigan University | MI | — | $90,380 | — |
| 4 | Pennsylvania College of Technology | PA | $61,920 | $81,780 | $27,000 |
| 5 | Trine University | IN | $67,537 | $76,578 | $27,000 |
| 6 | Trine University-Regional/Non-Traditional Campuses | IN | $67,537 | $76,578 | $27,000 |
| 7 | University of Central Missouri | MO | $58,276 | $74,594 | $22,000 |
| 8 | College for Creative Studies | MI | $70,417 | — | $25,000 |
| 9 | Academy of Art University | CA | $59,709 | $65,817 | $49,469 |
| 10 | Indiana University-Indianapolis | IN | $33,350 | $63,601 | — |
| 11 | East Carolina University | NC | $55,955 | — | $19,125 |
| 12 | Murray State University | KY | — | $54,427 | — |
Ranked by 5-year median earnings, or 1-year where 5-year is not reported.
Highest-earning master's programs
| # | College | State | Earnings, 1 yr | Earnings, 5 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Academy of Art University | CA | $63,588 | $72,379 | — |
Ranked by 5-year median earnings, or 1-year where 5-year is not reported.
Related fields
Quick answers
- How much do drafting/design engineering technologies/technicians graduates earn?
- One year after finishing, a typical bachelor's program in drafting/design engineering technologies/technicians reports median earnings of $64,087. Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, field of study data.
