Drafting & CAD Technology programs: earnings, debt and schools by state
916 certificate and associate-degree programs at 598 U.S. schools teach drafters and design technicians. Federal data shows what past graduates earned and borrowed. Drafting/Design Engineering Technologies (CIP 15.13) covers CAD, architectural and mechanical drafting, and building-information modelling.
Best-paying Drafting/CAD programs (one year after completion)
Ranked by the median earnings of completers working and not enrolled, among programs with at least 10 earners reported. High earnings can reflect local labor markets and who enrolls, so compare debt and completion too.
| School | City | Program | Credential | Completers/yr | 1-yr earnings | Median debt | Monthly payment* |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hennepin Technical College | Brooklyn Park, MN | Drafting/Design Engineering Technology | Associate degree | 29 | $60,479 | $13,500 | $153 |
| Ridgewater College | Willmar, MN | Drafting/Design Engineering Technology | Associate degree | 20 | $56,493 | $24,489 | $278 |
| Fox Valley Technical College | Appleton, WI | Drafting/Design Engineering Technology | Associate degree | 15 | $56,137 | – | – |
| Lamar Institute of Technology | Beaumont, TX | Drafting/Design Engineering Technology | Associate degree | 20 | $55,894 | – | – |
| College of Western Idaho | Nampa, ID | Drafting/Design Engineering Technology | Certificate | 19 | $55,455 | – | – |
| Waukesha County Technical College | Pewaukee, WI | Drafting/Design Engineering Technology | Associate degree | 28 | $55,259 | $11,500 | $131 |
| College of Western Idaho | Nampa, ID | Drafting/Design Engineering Technology | Associate degree | 11 | $55,241 | – | – |
| Dunwoody College of Technology | Minneapolis, MN | Drafting/Design Engineering Technology | Associate degree | 22 | $54,944 | $12,000 | $136 |
| Minnesota State College Southeast | Winona, MN | Drafting/Design Engineering Technology | Associate degree | 8 | $54,926 | – | – |
| Austin Community College District | Austin, TX | Drafting/Design Engineering Technology | Associate degree | 28 | $53,795 | $13,432 | $153 |
| St Cloud Technical and Community College | Saint Cloud, MN | Drafting/Design Engineering Technology | Associate degree | 15 | $53,268 | – | – |
| Northcentral Technical College | Wausau, WI | Drafting/Design Engineering Technology | Associate degree | 9 | $53,236 | – | – |
| Spokane Community College | Spokane, WA | Drafting/Design Engineering Technology | Associate degree | 11 | $52,922 | – | – |
| Metropolitan Community College Area | Omaha, NE | Drafting/Design Engineering Technology | Associate degree | 18 | $52,550 | – | – |
| Austin Community College District | Austin, TX | Drafting/Design Engineering Technology | Certificate | 51 | $52,012 | $12,153 | $138 |
*Scorecard's estimated monthly payment on the median debt over 10 years. “Not reported” means the Department suppressed or did not publish the figure.
Compare schools near you
Use the data on this page to shortlist two or three schools, then contact them directly with the links provided. Ask each school the questions listed on the page.
See matched schools (partner link) Sponsored
Drafting/CAD programs by state
| State | Programs | Schools | Median 1-yr earnings | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | 28 | 16 | not reported | – |
| Alaska | 4 | 3 | not reported | $14,750 |
| Arizona | 15 | 9 | not reported | – |
| Arkansas | 12 | 7 | not reported | – |
| California | 113 | 65 | not reported | – |
| Colorado | 13 | 8 | $48,176 | $14,527 |
| Connecticut | 3 | 3 | $47,333 | $16,535 |
| Delaware | 2 | 2 | not reported | – |
| Florida | 37 | 28 | not reported | – |
| Georgia | 32 | 18 | not reported | – |
| Hawaii | 4 | 2 | not reported | – |
| Idaho | 10 | 6 | $55,348 | – |
| Illinois | 53 | 34 | not reported | – |
| Indiana | 4 | 2 | $46,505 | $7,125 |
| Iowa | 18 | 10 | $50,207 | $11,000 |
| Kansas | 15 | 10 | $50,007 | $12,870 |
| Kentucky | 13 | 9 | $41,290 | $13,875 |
| Louisiana | 18 | 11 | $45,306 | $19,421 |
| Maine | 4 | 2 | $40,988 | – |
| Maryland | 20 | 12 | not reported | – |
| Massachusetts | 10 | 9 | not reported | – |
| Michigan | 39 | 24 | not reported | – |
| Minnesota | 28 | 15 | $54,935 | $13,938 |
| Mississippi | 20 | 12 | not reported | – |
| Missouri | 13 | 8 | $47,097 | $12,000 |
| Montana | 3 | 3 | not reported | – |
| Nebraska | 8 | 4 | $52,550 | $10,503 |
| Nevada | 3 | 2 | not reported | – |
| New Hampshire | 2 | 2 | not reported | – |
| New Jersey | 11 | 9 | not reported | – |
| New Mexico | 22 | 14 | not reported | – |
| New York | 26 | 20 | not reported | $12,000 |
| North Carolina | 15 | 9 | not reported | – |
| Ohio | 35 | 26 | not reported | – |
| Oklahoma | 23 | 21 | not reported | – |
| Oregon | 15 | 10 | not reported | – |
| Pennsylvania | 28 | 23 | $48,073 | $17,750 |
| South Carolina | 14 | 10 | $35,115 | $11,375 |
| South Dakota | 5 | 4 | not reported | – |
| Tennessee | 17 | 16 | $35,950 | – |
| Texas | 66 | 34 | $50,700 | $12,153 |
| Utah | 11 | 9 | $44,002 | $12,841 |
| Virginia | 21 | 16 | not reported | – |
| Washington | 33 | 21 | $52,922 | – |
| West Virginia | 5 | 4 | not reported | – |
| Wisconsin | 20 | 13 | $54,248 | $11,500 |
| Wyoming | 5 | 3 | not reported | – |
States with fewer than three programs have no detail page.
What to know before you enroll
Software certifications (for example from CAD vendors) are common but optional. Portfolio strength often matters more than the credential.
Questions to ask every school
- Which CAD or BIM software is taught and is a license provided?
- Do students build a portfolio?
- What do graduates earn versus program debt?
For national pay and job outlook, see the Bureau of Labor Statistics profile: Drafters.
Frequently asked questions
How much do Drafting/CAD graduates earn?
Among 37 Drafting/CAD programs that report earnings, the median first-year figure is $50,207 for certificate programs ($45,869) and $51,291 for associate programs. These are medians of past graduates and vary by state and employer.
How much debt do Drafting/CAD students take on?
The median federal loan debt among borrowers across programs reporting it is $12,856. Many students in short programs borrow nothing; the figure only covers borrowers.
Is the data current?
It comes from the College Scorecard release dated October 15, 2026. The Department updates it annually and each figure describes graduates from earlier years.
Can I trust a school's own job-placement claims?
Treat them as a starting point. Ask for the placement rate definition, the number of graduates counted and the time window, then compare with the federal earnings above.
Related programs
Source: U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard Field of Study and Institution files (release dated 10/15/2026). Earnings are median annual earnings of completers working and not enrolled one year after finishing; debt is median federal loan debt of borrowers; both describe past cohorts and small programs are suppressed by the Department. See our methodology.