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2026 Best Value Drafting & Design Engineering Technology Schools in Iowa

[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.

To produce this 2026 ranking, College Factual evaluated 10 schools on the balance of cost and outcomes for drafting & design engineering technology students.

What’s on this page:

• Best Value Drafting & Design Engineering Technology Schools in Iowa

2026 Best Value Drafting & Design Engineering Technology Schools in Iowa

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

1

Kirkwood Community College
Cedar Rapids, IA

$6,176 In-State Tuition & Fees

$15,779 Avg Student Debt

$41,016 Median Earnings (10yr)

Kirkwood Community College earned the #1 spot for value among drafting & design engineering technology schools in Iowa. Kirkwood Community College is a large public school located in the city of Cedar Rapids. In-state tuition and fees average $6,176, while out-of-state students pay about $8,220. Students borrow a median of $15,779 to complete the drafting & design engineering technology program here. Drafting & Design Engineering Technology graduates of Kirkwood Community College earn a median of $41,681 early in their careers. Set against $15,779 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.

2

Des Moines Area Community College
Ankeny, IA

$5,790 In-State Tuition & Fees

$12,984 Avg Student Debt

$41,018 Median Earnings (10yr)

Des Moines Area Community College came in at #2 on our 2026 list of the best value drafting & design engineering technology schools. Set in the suburb of Ankeny, Des Moines Area Community College is a very large public institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $5,790, while out-of-state students pay about $6,690. Students borrow a median of $12,984 to complete the drafting & design engineering technology program here. Soon after graduation, drafting & design engineering technology degree recipients from Des Moines Area Community College generally make around $44,886. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.

View All Drafting & Design Engineering Technology Rankings >

Notes and References

This list is compiled 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 · 10 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.