Architecture and engineering
Electrical and Electronics Drafters
- Median pay
- $76,870
- Outlook
- Decline
Associate's degree
- Active Listening
- Critical Thinking
- Judgment and Decision Making
ProgramsEngineering/Engineering-Related Technologies/Technicians
Drafting/Design Engineering Technologies/Technicians
CIP15.13
456 colleges offer Drafting/Design Engineering Technologies/Technicians. See what it covers, which degree levels are available and what graduates earn and borrow.
Data verified Nov 2026 · CollegesRef 2026–27 edition
- Colleges offering it
- 456
- at its most common level
- Bachelor's earnings
- $77,517
- median, 4 years after
- Bachelor's debt
- $25,000
- median federal loans
Colleges offering it, by degree level
- Certificate
- 456
- Associate's
- 388
- Bachelor's
- 22
- Master's
- 12
- Doctoral
- 1
- Graduate/professional certificate
- 3
What it covers
About Drafting/Design Engineering Technologies/Technicians
A program that prepares individuals to generally apply technical skills to create working drawings and computer simulations for a variety of applications. Includes instruction in specification interpretation, dimensioning techniques, drafting calculations, material estimation, technical communications, computer applications, and interpersonal communications.
Definition: National Center for Education Statistics, Classification of Instructional Programs 2020, code 15.13.
Programs in this field
Colleges report these specific programs under CIP 15.13.
- Drafting and Design Technology/Technician, General
- CAD/CADD Drafting and/or Design Technology/Technician
- Architectural Drafting and Architectural CAD/CADD
- Civil Drafting and Civil Engineering CAD/CADD
- Electrical/Electronics Drafting and Electrical/Electronics CAD/CADD
- Mechanical Drafting and Mechanical Drafting CAD/CADD
- 3-D Modeling and Design Technology/Technician
By degree level
Earnings and debt by degree level
Medians across colleges of each college's own program median. Earnings are for graduates who received federal aid and were working.
| Degree level | Colleges | Median earnings | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| Certificate | 456 | $58,2834 yrs after · 15 colleges | $12,3623 colleges |
| Associate's | 388 | $59,9964 yrs after · 37 colleges | $12,0007 colleges |
| Bachelor's | 22 | $77,5174 yrs after · 7 colleges | $25,0009 colleges |
| Master's | 12 | Not reported | $69,4031 college |
| Doctoral | 1 | Not reported | Not reported |
| Graduate/professional certificate | 3 | Not reported | Not reported |
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard field-of-study data, 2025. Colleges with too few graduates have their earnings and debt suppressed, so the number of colleges reporting is smaller than the number offering the program.
Bachelor's programs
Where Drafting/Design Engineering Technologies/Technicians graduates earn the most
Median earnings four years after finishing, among programs with at least 10 graduates in the latest year. Earnings are one measure; cost and graduation rate matter too.
- 1
Kalamazoo, MI · Public · 12 graduates
$84,622
debt $31,000
- 2
Angola, IN · Private nonprofit · 35 graduates
$77,517
debt $27,000
- 3
University of Central Missouri
Warrensburg, MO · Public · 15 graduates
$71,326
debt $21,750
- 4
Pennsylvania College of Technology
Williamsport, PA · Public · 25 graduates
$68,755
debt $26,000
- 5
Murray State University-Kentucky
Murray, KY · Public · 16 graduates
$58,862
debt not reported
Careers
Careers this program leads to
Occupations linked to Drafting/Design Engineering Technologies/Technicians by the NCES CIP–SOC crosswalk, highest national median pay first. Pay and outlook are BLS figures for each occupation.
Architecture and engineering
Mechanical Drafters
- Median pay
- $71,550
- Outlook
- Decline
Associate's degree
- Critical Thinking
- Operations Analysis
- Active Learning
- Bright outlook
Architecture and engineering
Architectural and Civil Drafters
- Median pay
- $66,150
- Outlook
- Faster than average
Associate's degree
- Reading Comprehension
- Critical Thinking
- Active Listening
Architecture and engineering
Drafters, All Other
- Median pay
- $63,520
- Outlook
- Decline
Associate's degree
More in Engineering/Engineering-Related Technologies/Technicians
Other programs in the same area of study, by how many colleges offer them.
Every program in this area- Industrial Production Technologies/Technicians391 colleges
- Electrical/Electronic Engineering Technologies/Technicians381 colleges
- Electromechanical Technologies/Technicians370 colleges
- Environmental Control Technologies/Technicians210 colleges
- Mechanical Engineering Related Technologies/Technicians210 colleges
- Engineering Technologies/Technicians, General182 colleges
- Engineering-Related Fields163 colleges
- Energy Systems Technologies/Technicians155 colleges
Questions about Drafting/Design Engineering Technologies/Technicians
How many colleges offer Drafting/Design Engineering Technologies/Technicians?
Published colleges on CollegesRef report Drafting/Design Engineering Technologies/Technicians at these degree levels: certificate (456 colleges), associate's (388 colleges), bachelor's (22 colleges), master's (12 colleges), doctoral (1 college), graduate/professional certificate (3 colleges). Counts are from College Scorecard field-of-study data (2025).
What do Drafting/Design Engineering Technologies/Technicians graduates earn?
At the median college, bachelor's graduates in Drafting/Design Engineering Technologies/Technicians earn $77,517 a year four years after finishing, across 7 colleges that report earnings. Figures cover graduates who received federal aid.
Where do Drafting/Design Engineering Technologies/Technicians graduates earn the most?
Western Michigan University reports the highest median earnings for bachelor's graduates in Drafting/Design Engineering Technologies/Technicians: $84,622 four years after finishing, among programs with at least 10 graduates.