2027 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 best values balance affordable tuition against strong post-graduation earnings.
For its 2027 best-value ranking, College Factual looked at 5 schools to find the best return on investment for cad/cadd drafting &/or design technology/technician students.
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2027 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
Our analysis ranked John Tyler Community College the best value for a degree in cad/cadd drafting &/or design technology/technician in Virginia. Set in the suburb of Chester, John Tyler Community College is a large public institution. In-state tuition and fees average $5,082, with out-of-state students paying around $11,520. Cad/cadd Drafting &/or Design Technology/technician graduates carry a median of $11,262 in student loans. Early-career cad/cadd drafting &/or design technology/technician graduates make about $36,623. That is a strong return on a $11,262 median debt.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Germanna Community College earned it the #2 place for cad/cadd drafting &/or design technology/technician. Germanna Community College is a large public school located in the rural area of Locust Grove. In-state tuition and fees average $5,257, compared with $11,648 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $10,999 to complete the cad/cadd drafting &/or design technology/technician program here. Soon after graduation, cad/cadd drafting &/or design technology/technician degree recipients from Germanna Community College generally make around $41,880. That is a strong return on a $10,999 median debt.
A rank of #3 makes Thomas Nelson Community College one of the best values for cad/cadd drafting &/or design technology/technician. Thomas Nelson Community College is a moderately-sized public school located in the suburb of Hampton. In-state tuition and fees average $5,088, with out-of-state students paying around $11,526. Cad/cadd Drafting &/or Design Technology/technician graduates carry a median of $14,402 in student loans. Soon after graduation, cad/cadd drafting &/or design technology/technician degree recipients from Thomas Nelson Community College generally make around $36,758. That is a strong return on a $14,402 median debt.
Northern Virginia Community College came in at #4 on our 2027 list of the best value cad/cadd drafting &/or design technology/technician schools. 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. Students borrow a median of $14,413 to complete the cad/cadd drafting &/or design technology/technician program here. Soon after graduation, cad/cadd drafting &/or design technology/technician degree recipients from Northern Virginia Community College generally make around $40,126. Set against $14,413 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
Tidewater Community College came in at #5 on our 2027 list of the best value cad/cadd drafting &/or design technology/technician schools. Set in the city of Norfolk, Tidewater Community College is a very large public institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $5,858, with out-of-state students paying around $12,296. Students borrow a median of $14,001 to complete the cad/cadd drafting &/or design technology/technician program here. Soon after graduation, cad/cadd drafting &/or design technology/technician degree recipients from Tidewater Community College generally make around $41,114. Set against $14,001 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
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Notes and References
This ranking is produced by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2027 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 · 5 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 5 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.
