2026 Best Value Architectural Drafting & Architectural CAD/CADD Schools in the Southeast Region
If you want to know which schools deliver the best value for the architectural drafting & architectural cad/cadd degrees they offer, see the list below.
Best Value Architectural Drafting & Architectural CAD/CADD Schools
For return on investment in architectural drafting & architectural cad/cadd, no school beat Trident Technical College this year. Set in the city of Charleston, Trident Technical College is a very large public institution. In-state tuition and fees average $4,546, compared with $8,620 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $18,116 to complete the architectural drafting & architectural cad/cadd program here. Architectural Drafting & Architectural Cad/cadd graduates of Trident Technical College earn a median of $50,166 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $18,116 median debt.
A rank of #2 makes St Petersburg College one of the best values for architectural drafting & architectural cad/cadd. Set in the city of St. Petersburg, St Petersburg College is a very large public institution. Students from in state pay about $2,682 in tuition and fees, with out-of-state students paying around $9,286. Typical student debt for architectural drafting & architectural cad/cadd graduates is $24,385. Architectural Drafting & Architectural Cad/cadd graduates of St Petersburg College earn a median of $48,218 early in their careers. Set against $24,385 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
A rank of #3 makes Florida State College At Jacksonville one of the best values for architectural drafting & architectural cad/cadd. Set in the city of Jacksonville, Florida State College At Jacksonville is a very large public institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $2,657, compared with $9,631 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $19,139 to complete the architectural drafting & architectural cad/cadd program here. Architectural Drafting & Architectural Cad/cadd graduates of Florida State College At Jacksonville earn a median of $46,748 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
Midlands Technical College came in at #4 on our 2026 list of the best value architectural drafting & architectural cad/cadd schools. Midlands Technical College is a large public school located in the suburb of West Columbia. In-state tuition and fees average $5,100, compared with $14,700 for out-of-state students. Architectural Drafting & Architectural Cad/cadd graduates carry a median of $17,611 in student loans. Architectural Drafting & Architectural Cad/cadd graduates of Midlands Technical College earn a median of $39,610 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Bluegrass Community And Technical College earned it the #5 place for architectural drafting & architectural cad/cadd. Located in the city of Lexington, Bluegrass Community And Technical College is a large public university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $4,808, while out-of-state students pay about $6,512. Students borrow a median of $13,366 to complete the architectural drafting & architectural cad/cadd program here. Early-career architectural drafting & architectural cad/cadd graduates make about $44,431. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
Lanier Technical College came in at #6 for value in architectural drafting & architectural cad/cadd this year. Located in the city of Gainesville, Lanier Technical College is a moderately-sized public university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $3,980, compared with $7,190 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $12,278 to complete the architectural drafting & architectural cad/cadd program here. Early-career architectural drafting & architectural cad/cadd graduates make about $37,118. That is a strong return on a $12,278 median debt.
Cleveland State Community College ranked #7 on our 2026 list of the best value architectural drafting & architectural cad/cadd schools. Located in the city of Cleveland, Cleveland State Community College is a mid-sized public university. In-state tuition and fees average $4,762, while out-of-state students pay about $17,746. Students borrow a median of $8,742 to complete the architectural drafting & architectural cad/cadd program here. Early-career architectural drafting & architectural cad/cadd graduates make about $40,513. That is a strong return on a $8,742 median debt.
Northern Virginia Community College earned the #8 position for value in architectural drafting & architectural cad/cadd this year. Northern Virginia Community College is a very large public school located in the suburb of Annandale. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $5,891, while out-of-state students pay about $12,410. Architectural Drafting & Architectural Cad/cadd graduates carry a median of $14,413 in student loans. Early-career architectural drafting & architectural cad/cadd graduates make about $40,126. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
Savannah College Of Art And Design ranked #9 on our 2026 list of the best value architectural drafting & architectural cad/cadd schools. Located in the city of Savannah, Savannah College Of Art And Design is a large private not-for-profit university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $41,630. Typical student debt for architectural drafting & architectural cad/cadd graduates is $26,346. Architectural Drafting & Architectural Cad/cadd graduates of Savannah College Of Art And Design earn a median of $40,671 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Savannah College Of Art And Design admits about 83% of applicants.
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Notes and References
The ranking above is published by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 edition. The methodology weighs the cost of a degree against the earnings graduates go on to achieve, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Ranking method: College Major Best Value · 12 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 1 ranked schools only.
- The Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), a branch of the U.S. Department of Education (DOE), serves as the core of our data about colleges.
- Some other college data, including much of the graduate earnings data, comes from the U.S. Department of Education’s (College Scorecard).
More about our data sources and methodologies.
[Architectural Drafting & Architectural CAD/CADD](/majors/engineering-technologies/drafting-design-engineering-technology/architectural-drafting-and-architectural-cad-cadd/) degree programs vary widely in price and payoff across the country. The schools below stand out for delivering a strong architectural drafting & architectural cad/cadd education at a price that pays off.
