Certificate (under 1 year)+2% vs national median592 grads tracked
Drafting/Design Engineering Technologies/Technicians at Austin Community College
Ranked 25th of 77 certificate (under 1 year) programs in Drafting/Design Engineering Technologies/Technicians by 5-year earnings.
Median · 1 year out
$45,919
middle 50%: $31,607 – $61,098
Median · 5 years out
$61,062
middle 50%: $43,639 – $79,157
Median · 10 years out
$74,506
middle 50%: $54,333 – $100,888
Salary trajectory
Median earnings vs the national median for Drafting/Design Engineering Technologies/Technicians (certificate (under 1 year)) graduates.
This program (median)National median, same major & degreeMiddle 50% of graduates
Austin Community College Drafting graduates earn $46k in their first year. Median pay reaches $61k at five years and $75k at ten years.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau PSEO, release V4.13.0 2025Q4. Earnings are for graduates working in covered states; figures are medians in nominal dollars.
Will the degree pay for itself?
Drag the sliders — payback uses this program's actual salary curve.
Assumes a 6.5% APR loan and this program's median salary trajectory (interpolated between years 1, 5 and 10).
Paid off in
6.7 yrs
≈ $7,590 total interest
Same major at other universities
Greenville Technical College
$63,305 · 5 yrs out
Metropolitan Community College
$62,818 · 5 yrs out
Northeast Iowa Community College
$62,818 · 5 yrs out
Sinclair Community College
$61,827 · 5 yrs out
Wharton County Junior College
$61,250 · 5 yrs out
Tarrant County College District
$61,167 · 5 yrs out
Community College of Denver
$60,590 · 5 yrs out
Trident Technical College
$60,533 · 5 yrs out
Rochester Community and Technical College
$60,342 · 5 yrs out
Kilgore College
$59,848 · 5 yrs out
San Antonio College
$59,848 · 5 yrs out
Collin County Community College District
$59,848 · 5 yrs out
Other majors at Austin Community College
Fire Protection (Associate)
$98,659 · 5 yrs out
Business, Management, Marketing, and Related Support Services (Certificate)
$82,142 · 5 yrs out
Accounting and Related Services (Certificate)
$82,142 · 5 yrs out
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Associate)
$80,645 · 5 yrs out
Engineering (Associate)
$80,472 · 5 yrs out
Engineering, General (Associate)
$80,472 · 5 yrs out
Computer Programming (Associate)
$77,093 · 5 yrs out
Social Sciences (Certificate)
$75,704 · 5 yrs out
Geography and Cartography (Certificate)
$75,704 · 5 yrs out
Health Professions and Related Programs (Associate)
$75,063 · 5 yrs out
Computer and Information Sciences, General (Associate)
$74,729 · 5 yrs out
Dental Support Services and Allied Professions (Associate)
$74,643 · 5 yrs out
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