2026 Best Value Architectural Drafting & Architectural CAD/CADD Schools in Iowa
[Architectural Drafting & Architectural CAD/CADD](/majors/engineering-technologies/drafting-design-engineering-technology/architectural-drafting-and-architectural-cad-cadd/) programs reward a close look at where your money goes furthest. The best values balance affordable tuition against strong post-graduation earnings.
For its 2026 best-value ranking, College Factual looked at 2 schools to find the best return on investment for architectural drafting & architectural cad/cadd students.
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2026 Best Value Architectural Drafting & Architectural CAD/CADD Schools in Iowa
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
Leading the list is Kirkwood Community College, our #1 best value for architectural drafting & architectural cad/cadd in Iowa. Set in the city of Cedar Rapids, Kirkwood Community College is a large public institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $6,176, with out-of-state students paying around $8,220. Students borrow a median of $15,779 to complete the architectural drafting & architectural cad/cadd program here. Soon after graduation, architectural drafting & architectural cad/cadd degree recipients from Kirkwood Community College generally make around $41,681. That is a strong return on a $15,779 median debt.
Des Moines Area Community College came in at #2 on our 2026 list of the best value architectural drafting & architectural cad/cadd schools. Located in the suburb of Ankeny, Des Moines Area Community College is a very large public university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $5,790, compared with $6,690 for out-of-state students. Architectural Drafting & Architectural Cad/cadd graduates carry a median of $12,984 in student loans. Soon after graduation, architectural drafting & architectural cad/cadd degree recipients from Des Moines Area Community College generally make around $44,886. Set against $12,984 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
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 · 2 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.
