2026 Best Value Drafting & Design Engineering Technology Schools in North Carolina
[Drafting & Design Engineering Technology](/majors/engineering-technologies/drafting-design-engineering-technology/) degree programs vary widely in price and payoff across the country. The schools below stand out for delivering a strong drafting & design engineering technology education at a price that pays off.
College Factual analyzed 9 schools to build this 2026 ranking of the best value drafting & design engineering technology schools.
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2026 Best Value Drafting & Design Engineering Technology Schools in North Carolina
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in drafting & design engineering technology, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value Drafting & Design Engineering Technology Schools
For return on investment in drafting & design engineering technology, no school beat Craven Community College this year. Located in the town of New Bern, Craven Community College is a mid-sized public university. In-state tuition and fees average $2,022, compared with $6,630 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for drafting & design engineering technology graduates is $8,924. Early-career drafting & design engineering technology graduates make about $30,235. That is a strong return on a $8,924 median debt.
Asheville Buncombe Technical Community College is a great value for students pursuing a degree in drafting & design engineering technology, landing the #2 spot this year. Set in the city of Asheville, Asheville Buncombe Technical Community College is a moderately-sized public institution. In-state tuition and fees average $2,882, with out-of-state students paying around $9,026. Typical student debt for drafting & design engineering technology graduates is $18,883. Drafting & Design Engineering Technology graduates of Asheville Buncombe Technical Community College earn a median of $37,459 early in their careers. Set against $18,883 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
Alamance Community College came in at #3 on our 2026 list of the best value drafting & design engineering technology schools. Set in the suburb of Graham, Alamance Community College is a moderately-sized public institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $2,592, while out-of-state students pay about $8,736. Drafting & Design Engineering Technology graduates carry a median of $6,625 in student loans. Soon after graduation, drafting & design engineering technology degree recipients from Alamance Community College generally make around $37,585. Set against $6,625 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
A rank of #4 makes East Carolina University one of the best values for drafting & design engineering technology. East Carolina University is a very large public school located in the city of Greenville. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $7,361, compared with $23,638 for out-of-state students. Drafting & Design Engineering Technology graduates carry a median of $24,747 in student loans. Drafting & Design Engineering Technology graduates of East Carolina University earn a median of $51,931 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $24,747 median debt. East Carolina University admits about 89% of applicants.
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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 · 9 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.
