2026 Best Value CAD/CADD Drafting &/or Design Technology/Technician Schools in Virginia
[CAD/CADD Drafting &/or Design Technology/Technician](/majors/engineering-technologies/drafting-design-engineering-technology/cad-cadd-drafting-and-or-design-technology-technician/) degree programs vary widely in price and payoff across the country. The schools below stand out for delivering a strong cad/cadd drafting &/or design technology/technician education at a price that pays off.
To produce this 2026 ranking, College Factual evaluated 16 schools on the balance of cost and outcomes for cad/cadd drafting &/or design technology/technician students.
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2026 Best Value CAD/CADD Drafting &/or Design Technology/Technician Schools in Virginia
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in cad/cadd drafting &/or design technology/technician, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value CAD/CADD Drafting &/or Design Technology/Technician Schools
Leading the list is J Sargeant Reynolds Community College, our #1 best value for cad/cadd drafting &/or design technology/technician in Virginia. J Sargeant Reynolds Community College is a large public school located in the suburb of Richmond. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $5,280, while out-of-state students pay about $11,718. Students borrow a median of $16,131 to complete the cad/cadd drafting &/or design technology/technician program here. Early-career cad/cadd drafting &/or design technology/technician graduates make about $36,965. That is a strong return on a $16,131 median debt.
Germanna Community College is a great value for students pursuing a degree in cad/cadd drafting &/or design technology/technician, landing the #2 spot this year. Set in the rural area of Locust Grove, Germanna Community College is a large public institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $5,257, with out-of-state students paying around $11,648. Cad/cadd Drafting &/or Design Technology/technician graduates carry a median of $10,999 in student loans. Soon after graduation, cad/cadd drafting &/or design technology/technician degree recipients from Germanna Community College generally make around $41,880. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
Students looking for strong value in cad/cadd drafting &/or design technology/technician will find it at Thomas Nelson Community College, which ranked #3. Located in the suburb of Hampton, Thomas Nelson Community College is a moderately-sized public university. In-state tuition and fees average $5,088, while out-of-state students pay about $11,526. Typical student debt for cad/cadd drafting &/or design technology/technician graduates is $14,402. Soon after graduation, cad/cadd drafting &/or design technology/technician degree recipients from Thomas Nelson Community College generally make around $36,758. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Tidewater Community College earned it the #4 place for cad/cadd drafting &/or design technology/technician. Tidewater Community College is a very large public school located in the city of Norfolk. In-state tuition and fees average $5,858, while out-of-state students pay about $12,296. Cad/cadd Drafting &/or Design Technology/technician graduates carry a median of $14,001 in student loans. Cad/cadd Drafting &/or Design Technology/technician graduates of Tidewater Community College earn a median of $41,114 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $14,001 median debt.
Northern Virginia Community College is a great value for students pursuing a degree in cad/cadd drafting &/or design technology/technician, landing the #5 spot this year. Located in the suburb of Annandale, Northern Virginia Community College is a very large public university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $5,891, compared with $12,410 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for cad/cadd drafting &/or design technology/technician graduates is $14,413. Soon after graduation, cad/cadd drafting &/or design technology/technician degree recipients from Northern Virginia Community College generally make around $40,126. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
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Notes and References
The ranking above is published 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 · 16 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 2 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.
