2026 Best Value General Drafting & Design Technology/Technician Schools in the Great Lakes Region
[General Drafting & Design Technology/Technician](/majors/engineering-technologies/drafting-design-engineering-technology/drafting-and-design-technology-technician-general/) degree programs vary widely in price and payoff across the country. The schools below stand out for delivering a strong general drafting & design technology/technician education at a price that pays off.
For its 2026 best-value ranking, College Factual looked at 22 schools to find the best return on investment for general drafting & design technology/technician students.
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2026 Best Value General Drafting & Design Technology/Technician Schools in the Great Lakes Region
If you want to know which schools deliver the best value for the general drafting & design technology/technician degrees they offer, see the list below.
Best Value General Drafting & Design Technology/Technician Schools
Leading the list is Oakland Community College, our #1 best value for general drafting & design technology/technician in the Great Lakes Region. Set in the suburb of Auburn Hills, Oakland Community College is a very large public institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $3,120, with out-of-state students paying around $5,560. Typical student debt for general drafting & design technology/technician graduates is $13,750. General Drafting & Design Technology/technician graduates of Oakland Community College earn a median of $45,844 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
Ivy Tech Community College came in at #2 on our 2026 list of the best value general drafting & design technology/technician schools. Located in the city of Indianapolis, Ivy Tech Community College is a very large public university. In-state tuition and fees average $5,154, compared with $9,935 for out-of-state students. General Drafting & Design Technology/technician graduates carry a median of $12,151 in student loans. General Drafting & Design Technology/technician graduates of Ivy Tech Community College earn a median of $41,467 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $12,151 median debt.
A rank of #3 makes Stark State College one of the best values for general drafting & design technology/technician. Set in the suburb of North Canton, Stark State College is a large public institution. Students from in state pay about $4,790 in tuition and fees, with out-of-state students paying around $7,886. General Drafting & Design Technology/technician graduates carry a median of $17,349 in student loans. General Drafting & Design Technology/technician graduates of Stark State College earn a median of $42,724 early in their careers. Set against $17,349 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
Clark State Community College is a great value for students pursuing a degree in general drafting & design technology/technician, landing the #4 spot this year. Set in the city of Springfield, Clark State Community College is a moderately-sized public institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $4,393, compared with $8,049 for out-of-state students. General Drafting & Design Technology/technician graduates carry a median of $20,740 in student loans. General Drafting & Design Technology/technician graduates of Clark State Community College earn a median of $39,734 early in their careers. Set against $20,740 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
Students looking for strong value in general drafting & design technology/technician will find it at Western Michigan University, which ranked #5. Set in the city of Kalamazoo, Western Michigan University is a large public institution. Students from in state pay about $15,987 in tuition and fees, compared with $19,952 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for general drafting & design technology/technician graduates is $31,000. General Drafting & Design Technology/technician graduates of Western Michigan University earn a median of $60,153 early in their careers. Set against $31,000 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 85% of applicants are accepted.
College For Creative Studies placed #6 among the best values for general drafting & design technology/technician. Located in the city of Detroit, College For Creative Studies is a small private not-for-profit university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $53,350. Students borrow a median of $27,655 to complete the general drafting & design technology/technician program here. Soon after graduation, general drafting & design technology/technician degree recipients from College For Creative Studies generally make around $26,638. Set against $27,655 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 92%.
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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 · 22 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 3 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.
