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2022 Best Value Associate Degree Colleges for Drafting & Design Engineering Technology in the Plains States Region

26 Ranked Colleges
418 Degrees Awarded
$11,500 Avg Net Price*
Best Value Design Engineering Tech Schools for an Associate in the Plains States Region

When it comes to choosing a college, students have a lot of options - but not all of them are good. Our mission at College Factual is to arm you with as much information as we can to help you make that decision. Our “Best Value Design Engineering Tech Schools for an Associate in the Plains States Region” ranking is one tool we have developed to help in this regard.

In 2019-2020, 9,770 people earned their degree in drafting and design engineering technology, making the major the 142nd most popular in the United States. In 2017-2018, drafting and design engineering technology graduates who were awarded their degree in 2015-2017, earned an average of $37,947 and had an average of $20,124 in loans still to pay off.

Across the Plains States region, there were 795 drafting and design engineering technology graduates with average earnings and debt of $40,843 and $16,362 respectively. At the associate degree level specifically, there were 418 drafting and design engineering technology graduates with average earnings and debt of $34,069 and $19,434 respectively.

For this year’s “Best Value Design Engineering Tech Schools for an Associate in the Plains States Region” ranking, we looked at 26 colleges that offer a degree in drafting and design engineering technology. The schools that top this list are recognized because they have great drafting and design engineering technology programs and cost less that schools of similar quality.

Some of the factors we look at when determining these rankings are overall quality of the drafting and design engineering technology program at the school and the cost of the school after aid is awarded among other things. For more information, check out our ranking methodology.

More Ways to Rank Drafting & Design Engineering Technology Schools

The design engineering tech school you choose to invest your time and money in matters. To help you make the decision that is right for you, we’ve developed a number of major-specific rankings, including this list of “Best Value Design Engineering Tech Schools for an Associate in the Plains States Region”.

In addition to College Factual’s rankings, you may want to take a look at College Combat, our unique tool that lets you pit your favorite schools head-to-head and compare how they rate on factors that most interest you. Test it out by comparing your favorite schools against others you are considering, or bookmark the tool so you can experiment with it later.

Best Value Design Engineering Tech Schools for an Associate in the Plains States Region

The following schools top our list of the Best Best Value Design Engineering Tech Schools for an Associate in the Plains States Region.

Top 25 Best Value Associate Degree Colleges for Drafting & Design Engineering Technology in the Plains States Region

#4 in overall quality

Out of the 26 schools in the Best Value Design Engineering Tech Schools for an Associate in the Plains States Region that were part of this year’s ranking, Northwest Iowa Community College landed the #1 spot on the list. Northwest Iowa Community College is located in Sheldon, Iowa and, has a small student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 4 associates’s design engineering tech degrees to qualified students.

Northwest Iowa Community College also made our “Best Drafting & Design Engineering Technology Associate Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” list, coming in at #4. The yearly cost to attend Northwest Iowa Community College is $12,125 for Plains States Region Associate Degree Design Engineering Tech students.

Full Northwest Iowa Community College Drafting & Design Engineering Technology Report

#2

Hennepin Technical College

Brooklyn Park, Minnesota

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Hennepin Technical College. It ranked #2 on our 2022 Best Value Design Engineering Tech Schools for an Associate in the Plains States Region list. Hennepin Technical College is a small school located in Brooklyn Park, Minnesota that handed out 34 associates’s design engineering tech degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Hennepin Technical College, the school also landed the #3 spot in our “Best Drafting & Design Engineering Technology Associate Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Hennepin Technical College is $11,796 for Plains States Region Associate Degree Design Engineering Tech students.

Read full report on Drafting & Design Engineering Technology at Hennepin Technical College

#3

Anoka Technical College

Anoka, Minnesota

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Anoka Technical College. The school came in at #3 for the Best Value Design Engineering Tech Schools for an Associate in the Plains States Region. Located in Anoka, Minnesota, this small public school awarded 20 diplomas to qualified associates’s design engineering tech students in 2019-2020.

Anoka Technical College not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #2 on our “Best Drafting & Design Engineering Technology Associate Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” list. The yearly cost to attend Anoka Technical College is $11,940 for plains states region associate degree design engineering tech students.

Read full report on Drafting & Design Engineering Technology at Anoka Technical College

#4

Ridgewater College

Willmar, Minnesota
#6 in overall quality

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Ridgewater College. The school came in at #4 for the Best Value Design Engineering Tech Schools for an Associate in the Plains States Region. Ridgewater College is a public institution located in Willmar, Minnesota. The school has a small population, and it awarded 9 associates’s degrees in 2019-2020.

Ridgewater College did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #6 on our “Best Drafting & Design Engineering Technology Associate Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” list. It costs about $11,764 for Plains States Region Associate Degree Design Engineering Tech students per year to attend Ridgewater College.

Read full report on Drafting & Design Engineering Technology at Ridgewater College

#5

Central Community College

Grand Island, Nebraska

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Central Community College. It ranked #5 on our 2022 Best Value Design Engineering Tech Schools for an Associate in the Plains States Region list. Grand Island, Nebraska is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The public school handed out associates’s design engineering tech degrees to 20 students in 2019-2020.

Central Community College did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #9 on our “Best Drafting & Design Engineering Technology Associate Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” list. It costs about $8,235 for Plains States Region Associate Degree Design Engineering Tech students per year to attend Central Community College.

Full Central Community College Drafting & Design Engineering Technology Report

Minnesota State College Southeast ranked #6 on this year’s Best Value Design Engineering Tech Schools for an Associate in the Plains States Region list. This small school is located in Winona, Minnesota, and it awarded 14 associates’s design engineering tech degrees in 2019-2020.

MSC Southeast also took the #7 spot in our “Best Drafting & Design Engineering Technology Associate Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Minnesota State College Southeast is $13,824 for Plains States Region Associate Degree Design Engineering Tech students.

Read more about Drafting & Design Engineering Technology at MSC Southeast

With a ranking of #7, Southeast Community College Area did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Design Engineering Tech Schools for an Associate in the Plains States Region list. Lincoln, Nebraska is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The public school handed out associates’s design engineering tech degrees to 15 students in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our plains states region associate degree design engineering tech students list, Southeast Community College has also earned the #13 rank in our “Best Drafting & Design Engineering Technology Associate Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. It costs about $9,059 for plains states region associate degree design engineering tech students per year to attend Southeast Community College.

Full Southeast Community College Drafting & Design Engineering Technology Report

Western Iowa Tech Community College ranked #8 on this year’s Best Value Design Engineering Tech Schools for an Associate in the Plains States Region list. Sioux City, Iowa is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The public school handed out associates’s design engineering tech degrees to 6 students in 2019-2020.

Western Iowa Tech Community College not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #14 on our “Best Drafting & Design Engineering Technology Associate Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” list. The yearly cost to attend Western Iowa Tech Community College is $7,201 for Plains States Region Associate Degree Design Engineering Tech students.

Read more about Drafting & Design Engineering Technology at Western Iowa Tech Community College

St Cloud Technical and Community College landed the #9 spot on the 2022 Best Value Design Engineering Tech Schools for an Associate in the Plains States Region ranking. Saint Cloud, Minnesota is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The public school handed out associates’s design engineering tech degrees to 18 students in 2019-2020.

St Cloud Technical and Community College did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #8 on our “Best Drafting & Design Engineering Technology Associate Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” list. The estimated yearly cost for St Cloud Technical and Community College is $9,019 for plains states region associate degree design engineering tech students.

Read full report on Drafting & Design Engineering Technology at St Cloud Technical and Community College

#10

Kirkwood Community College

Cedar Rapids, Iowa

Kirkwood Community College landed the #10 spot on the 2022 Best Value Design Engineering Tech Schools for an Associate in the Plains States Region ranking. Kirkwood Community College is a fairly large public school situated in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. It awarded 14 associates’s design engineering tech degrees in 2019-2020.

Kirkwood Community College also took the #11 spot in our “Best Drafting & Design Engineering Technology Associate Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Kirkwood Community College is $10,939 for Plains States Region Associate Degree Design Engineering Tech students.

Read full report on Drafting & Design Engineering Technology at Kirkwood Community College

State Technical College of Missouri came in at #11 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Design Engineering Tech Schools for an Associate in the Plains States Region ranking. State Technical College of Missouri is located in Linn, Missouri and, has a small student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 20 associates’s design engineering tech degrees to qualified students.

STC did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #5 on our “Best Drafting & Design Engineering Technology Associate Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” list. It costs about $12,926 for Plains States Region Associate Degree Design Engineering Tech students per year to attend State Technical College of Missouri.

Read full report on Drafting & Design Engineering Technology at State Technical College of Missouri

#12

Northeast Community College

Norfolk, Nebraska

Northeast Community College did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Design Engineering Tech Schools for an Associate in the Plains States Region ranking, coming in at #12. Northeast is located in Norfolk, Nebraska and, has a medium-sized student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 11 associates’s design engineering tech degrees to qualified students.

In addition to being on our plains states region associate degree design engineering tech students list, Northeast has also earned the #12 rank in our “Best Drafting & Design Engineering Technology Associate Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Northeast is $8,749 for plains states region associate degree design engineering tech students.

Read full report on Drafting & Design Engineering Technology at Northeast Community College

With a ranking of #13, Alexandria Technical & Community College did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Design Engineering Tech Schools for an Associate in the Plains States Region list. This small school is located in Alexandria, Minnesota, and it awarded 8 associates’s design engineering tech degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at ATCC, the school also landed the #18 spot in our “Best Drafting & Design Engineering Technology Associate Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. It costs about $13,550 for Plains States Region Associate Degree Design Engineering Tech students per year to attend Alexandria Technical & Community College.

Read more about Drafting & Design Engineering Technology at Alexandria Technical & Community College

#14

Century College

White Bear Lake, Minnesota
#17 in overall quality

With a ranking of #14, Century College did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Design Engineering Tech Schools for an Associate in the Plains States Region list. Century College is a public institution located in White Bear Lake, Minnesota. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 9 associates’s degrees in 2019-2020.

Century College not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #17 on our “Best Drafting & Design Engineering Technology Associate Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” list. It costs about $10,808 for plains states region associate degree design engineering tech students per year to attend Century College.

Full Century College Drafting & Design Engineering Technology Report

#15

Johnson County Community College

Overland Park, Kansas

Johnson County Community College came in at #15 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Design Engineering Tech Schools for an Associate in the Plains States Region ranking. Overland Park, Kansas is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out associates’s design engineering tech degrees to 15 students in 2019-2020.

JCCC also took the #10 spot in our “Best Drafting & Design Engineering Technology Associate Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Johnson County Community College is $12,632 for plains states region associate degree design engineering tech students.

Full Johnson County Community College Drafting & Design Engineering Technology Report

#16

Dakota County Technical College

Rosemount, Minnesota

Dakota County Technical College landed the #16 spot on the 2022 Best Value Design Engineering Tech Schools for an Associate in the Plains States Region ranking. Dakota County Technical College is a small public school situated in Rosemount, Minnesota. It awarded 11 associates’s design engineering tech degrees in 2019-2020.

DCTC also made our “Best Drafting & Design Engineering Technology Associate Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” list, coming in at #19. It costs about $11,063 for plains states region associate degree design engineering tech students per year to attend Dakota County Technical College.

Read full report on Drafting & Design Engineering Technology at Dakota County Technical College

#17

Northland Community and Technical College

Thief River Falls, Minnesota

Northland Community and Technical College ranked #17 on this year’s Best Value Design Engineering Tech Schools for an Associate in the Plains States Region list. Northland Community and Technical College is a small school located in Thief River Falls, Minnesota that handed out 5 associates’s design engineering tech degrees in 2019-2020.

Northland Community and Technical College also took the #21 spot in our “Best Drafting & Design Engineering Technology Associate Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. It costs about $10,860 for plains states region associate degree design engineering tech students per year to attend Northland Community and Technical College.

Read more about Drafting & Design Engineering Technology at Northland Community and Technical College

With a ranking of #18, Des Moines Area Community College did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Design Engineering Tech Schools for an Associate in the Plains States Region list. DMACC is a large school located in Ankeny, Iowa that handed out 15 associates’s design engineering tech degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at DMACC, the school also landed the #16 spot in our “Best Drafting & Design Engineering Technology Associate Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Des Moines Area Community College is $10,076 for plains states region associate degree design engineering tech students.

Read more about Drafting & Design Engineering Technology at DMACC

#19

Southeast Technical College

Sioux Falls, South Dakota
#20 in overall quality

Southeast Technical College ranked #19 on this year’s Best Value Design Engineering Tech Schools for an Associate in the Plains States Region list. Southeast Technical College is a small public school situated in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. It awarded 8 associates’s design engineering tech degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Southeast Tech, the school also landed the #20 spot in our “Best Drafting & Design Engineering Technology Associate Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Southeast Technical College is $14,633 for Plains States Region Associate Degree Design Engineering Tech students.

Read full report on Drafting & Design Engineering Technology at Southeast Technical College

Wichita State University Campus of Applied Sciences and Technology came in at #20 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Design Engineering Tech Schools for an Associate in the Plains States Region ranking. This small school is located in Wichita, Kansas, and it awarded 19 associates’s design engineering tech degrees in 2019-2020.

WSU Tech also made our “Best Drafting & Design Engineering Technology Associate Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” list, coming in at #15. It costs about $11,308 for plains states region associate degree design engineering tech students per year to attend WSU Tech.

Full WSU Tech Drafting & Design Engineering Technology Report

#21

Dunwoody College of Technology

Minneapolis, Minnesota

Dunwoody College of Technology ranked #21 on this year’s Best Value Design Engineering Tech Schools for an Associate in the Plains States Region list. Located in Minneapolis, Minnesota, this small private not-for-profit school awarded 22 diplomas to qualified associates’s design engineering tech students in 2019-2020.

Dunwoody College of Technology not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #1 on our “Best Drafting & Design Engineering Technology Associate Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” list. The yearly cost to attend Dunwoody College of Technology is $24,488 for Plains States Region Associate Degree Design Engineering Tech students.

With a student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed.

Read full report on Drafting & Design Engineering Technology at Dunwoody College of Technology

#22

Ozarks Technical Community College

Springfield, Missouri

Ozarks Technical Community College did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Design Engineering Tech Schools for an Associate in the Plains States Region ranking, coming in at #22. Ozarks Technical Community College is a public institution located in Springfield, Missouri. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 12 associates’s degrees in 2019-2020.

OTC not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #22 on our “Best Drafting & Design Engineering Technology Associate Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” list. The yearly cost to attend OTC is $7,908 for Plains States Region Associate Degree Design Engineering Tech students.

Read more about Drafting & Design Engineering Technology at Ozarks Technical Community College

#23

State Fair Community College

Sedalia, Missouri
#24 in overall quality

State Fair Community College landed the #23 spot on the 2022 Best Value Design Engineering Tech Schools for an Associate in the Plains States Region ranking. State Fair Community College is a small public school situated in Sedalia, Missouri. It awarded 4 associates’s design engineering tech degrees in 2019-2020.

State Fair Community College also made our “Best Drafting & Design Engineering Technology Associate Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” list, coming in at #24. The estimated yearly cost for State Fair Community College is $4,349 for plains states region associate degree design engineering tech students.

Read full report on Drafting & Design Engineering Technology at State Fair Community College

#24

Lake Superior College

Duluth, Minnesota

Lake Superior College ranked #24 on this year’s Best Value Design Engineering Tech Schools for an Associate in the Plains States Region list. LSC is a small school located in Duluth, Minnesota that handed out 3 associates’s design engineering tech degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our plains states region associate degree design engineering tech students list, LSC has also earned the #25 rank in our “Best Drafting & Design Engineering Technology Associate Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. It costs about $13,503 for Plains States Region Associate Degree Design Engineering Tech students per year to attend LSC.

Full Lake Superior College Drafting & Design Engineering Technology Report

#25

Western Dakota Technical Institute

Rapid City, South Dakota

Western Dakota Technical Institute landed the #25 spot on the 2022 Best Value Design Engineering Tech Schools for an Associate in the Plains States Region ranking. Rapid City, South Dakota is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The public school handed out associates’s design engineering tech degrees to 6 students in 2019-2020.

Western Dakota Tech also made our “Best Drafting & Design Engineering Technology Associate Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” list, coming in at #23. The estimated yearly cost for Western Dakota Technical Institute is $14,388 for Plains States Region Associate Degree Design Engineering Tech students.

Read full report on Drafting & Design Engineering Technology at Western Dakota Technical Institute

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Notes and References

References

  • 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).
  • Information about the national average student loan default rate is from the U.S. Department of Education and refers to data about the 2016 borrower cohort tracking period for which the cohort default rate (CDR) was 10.1%.

Read more about our data sources and methodologies

Footnotes

  • *Average salary, average net price, and average tuition and fees are for the top schools only.
  • Some schools otherwise deserving of recognition may have been removed from this ranking in the event that new data identified post-publication warranted it, or at the request of the school.

Credits

  • Credit for the banner image above goes to Pixabay.

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