Associate+22% vs national median452 grads tracked
Drafting/Design Engineering Technologies/Technicians at Houston Community College
Ranked 10th of 159 associate programs in Drafting/Design Engineering Technologies/Technicians by 5-year earnings.
Median · 1 year out
$50,075
middle 50%: $37,532 – $66,866
Median · 5 years out
$70,747
middle 50%: $52,551 – $95,950
Median · 10 years out
$84,119
middle 50%: $57,991 – $114,494
Salary trajectory
Median earnings vs the national median for Drafting/Design Engineering Technologies/Technicians (associate) graduates.
This program (median)National median, same major & degreeMiddle 50% of graduates
Drafting and design graduates from Houston Community College earn a median of $50k in their first year. Salaries grow to $84k by the tenth year of employment.
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
5.9 yrs
≈ $6,675 total interest
Same major at other universities
Purdue University Northwest
$77,093 · 5 yrs out
Edison State Community College
$75,672 · 5 yrs out
Lamar Institute of Technology
$73,791 · 5 yrs out
San Jacinto Community College District
$73,703 · 5 yrs out
Alvin Community College
$73,271 · 5 yrs out
North Central Texas College
$72,242 · 5 yrs out
Midland College
$71,115 · 5 yrs out
Century College
$69,154 · 5 yrs out
Middlesex Community College
$68,098 · 5 yrs out
Adirondack Community College - SUNY Office of Community Colleges
$67,042 · 5 yrs out
Kilgore College
$67,042 · 5 yrs out
SOWELA Technical Community College
$66,382 · 5 yrs out
Other majors at Houston Community College
Fire Protection (Associate)
$124,854 · 5 yrs out
Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting and Related Protective Services (Associate)
$99,334 · 5 yrs out
Physical Science Technologies/Technicians (Associate)
$97,476 · 5 yrs out
Science Technologies/Technicians (Associate)
$94,228 · 5 yrs out
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Associate)
$93,807 · 5 yrs out
Engineering (Associate)
$87,244 · 5 yrs out
Engineering Science (Associate)
$87,244 · 5 yrs out
Physical Science Technologies/Technicians (Certificate)
$85,242 · 5 yrs out
Computer Programming (Associate)
$84,025 · 5 yrs out
Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions (Certificate)
$82,991 · 5 yrs out
Fire Protection (Certificate)
$82,328 · 5 yrs out
Health Professions and Related Programs (Associate)
$80,200 · 5 yrs out
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