2026 Best Value Architectural Drafting & Architectural CAD/CADD Schools in Texas

[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.
College Factual analyzed 7 schools to build this 2026 ranking of the best value architectural drafting & architectural cad/cadd schools.
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2026 Best Value Architectural Drafting & Architectural CAD/CADD Schools in Texas
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
El Centro College earned the #1 spot for value among architectural drafting & architectural cad/cadd schools in Texas. Located in the city of Dallas, El Centro College is a very large public university. Students from in state pay about $2,730 in tuition and fees, compared with $6,900 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $11,000 to complete the architectural drafting & architectural cad/cadd program here. Architectural Drafting & Architectural Cad/cadd graduates of El Centro College earn a median of $41,295 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
A rank of #2 makes El Paso Community College one of the best values for architectural drafting & architectural cad/cadd. Located in the city of El Paso, El Paso Community College is a very large public university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $3,274, compared with $5,314 for out-of-state students. Architectural Drafting & Architectural Cad/cadd graduates carry a median of $8,542 in student loans. Architectural Drafting & Architectural Cad/cadd graduates of El Paso Community College earn a median of $29,086 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
Del Mar College came in at #3 on our 2026 list of the best value architectural drafting & architectural cad/cadd schools. Located in the city of Corpus Christi, Del Mar College is a large public university. Students from in state pay about $3,500 in tuition and fees, with out-of-state students paying around $6,050. Architectural Drafting & Architectural Cad/cadd graduates carry a median of $7,476 in student loans. Early-career architectural drafting & architectural cad/cadd graduates make about $40,661. That is a strong return on a $7,476 median debt.
Austin Community College District is a great value for students pursuing a degree in architectural drafting & architectural cad/cadd, landing the #4 spot this year. Located in the city of Austin, Austin Community College District is a very large public university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $2,550, with out-of-state students paying around $10,590. Architectural Drafting & Architectural Cad/cadd graduates carry a median of $12,250 in student loans. Soon after graduation, architectural drafting & architectural cad/cadd degree recipients from Austin Community College District generally make around $47,964. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
Temple College came in at #5 on our 2026 list of the best value architectural drafting & architectural cad/cadd schools. Located in the city of Temple, Temple College is a moderately-sized public university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $3,000, while out-of-state students pay about $7,524. Typical student debt for architectural drafting & architectural cad/cadd graduates is $16,617. Early-career architectural drafting & architectural cad/cadd graduates make about $55,262. That is a strong return on a $16,617 median debt.
Texas State Technical College ranked #6 on our 2026 list of the best value architectural drafting & architectural cad/cadd schools. Texas State Technical College is a large public school located in the city of Waco. Students from in state pay about $7,212 in tuition and fees, compared with $11,812 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for architectural drafting & architectural cad/cadd graduates is $13,500. Architectural Drafting & Architectural Cad/cadd graduates of Texas State Technical College earn a median of $43,742 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
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Notes and References
This ranking is produced by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 edition. Schools are scored on the balance of cost (tuition and student debt) against student outcomes (post-graduation earnings) — a measure of return on investment, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Ranking method: College Major Best Value · 7 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.