2026 Best Value Drafting & Design Engineering Technology Schools in Kentucky
[Drafting & Design Engineering Technology](/majors/engineering-technologies/drafting-design-engineering-technology/) degree programs vary widely in price and payoff across the country. A high-value program keeps cost low while graduates go on to earn well.
To produce this 2026 ranking, College Factual evaluated 9 schools on the balance of cost and outcomes for drafting & design engineering technology students.
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2026 Best Value Drafting & Design Engineering Technology Schools in Kentucky
If you want to know which schools deliver the best value for the drafting & design engineering technology degrees they offer, see the list below.
Best Value Drafting & Design Engineering Technology Schools
Hazard Community And Technical College earned the #1 spot for value among drafting & design engineering technology schools in Kentucky. Hazard Community And Technical College is a mid-sized public school located in the town of Hazard. In-state tuition and fees average $4,728, with out-of-state students paying around $6,432. Drafting & Design Engineering Technology graduates carry a median of $12,212 in student loans. Soon after graduation, drafting & design engineering technology degree recipients from Hazard Community And Technical College generally make around $32,626. Set against $12,212 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
Students looking for strong value in drafting & design engineering technology will find it at West Kentucky Community And Technical College, which ranked #2. Set in the city of Paducah, West Kentucky Community And Technical College is a moderately-sized public institution. In-state tuition and fees average $4,728, while out-of-state students pay about $6,432. Drafting & Design Engineering Technology graduates carry a median of $10,778 in student loans. Drafting & Design Engineering Technology graduates of West Kentucky Community And Technical College earn a median of $31,903 early in their careers. Set against $10,778 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Elizabethtown Community And Technical College earned it the #3 place for drafting & design engineering technology. Set in the city of Elizabethtown, Elizabethtown Community And Technical College is a moderately-sized public institution. Students from in state pay about $4,728 in tuition and fees, with out-of-state students paying around $6,432. Drafting & Design Engineering Technology graduates carry a median of $12,245 in student loans. Early-career drafting & design engineering technology graduates make about $45,486. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
A rank of #4 makes Bluegrass Community And Technical College one of the best values for drafting & design engineering technology. Located in the city of Lexington, Bluegrass Community And Technical College is a large public university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $4,808, compared with $6,512 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for drafting & design engineering technology graduates is $13,366. Soon after graduation, drafting & design engineering technology degree recipients from Bluegrass Community And Technical College generally make around $44,431. Set against $13,366 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
A rank of #5 makes Murray State University one of the best values for drafting & design engineering technology. Murray State University is a large public school located in the town of Murray. In-state tuition and fees average $9,900, while out-of-state students pay about $19,836. Students borrow a median of $22,612 to complete the drafting & design engineering technology program here. Drafting & Design Engineering Technology graduates of Murray State University earn a median of $53,085 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 86% of applicants are accepted.
Notes and References
This list is compiled by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 edition. The methodology weighs the cost of a degree against the earnings graduates go on to achieve, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Ranking method: College Major Best Value · 9 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.
