Drafting/Design Engineering Technologies/Technicians at CUNY Queensborough Community College

A debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.29 suggests manageable borrowing, but parents should recognize this assessment relies entirely on national benchmarks—this Queens-based program hasn't had enough graduates with tracked data for the DOE to publish actual outcomes. Based on what similar drafting and design programs typically produce nationwide, first-year earnings around $45,400 would mean about three months of gross income needed to cover the estimated $13,000 in loans, which falls within a reasonable range for a two-year technical degree.

What's harder to assess without program-specific data is how well Queensborough's curriculum translates to New York's job market, where living costs are substantially higher than the national average. The school serves a predominantly working-class population (45% receive Pell grants), which could mean stronger local employer connections or simply that students have fewer alternatives. With 14 programs across New York state and none publishing outcomes data, there's an unusual lack of transparency in this field statewide—either these programs are genuinely small everywhere, or retention and completion are inconsistent enough that graduate cohorts don't meet reporting thresholds.

If your child is set on drafting and design, ask the department directly about job placement rates, which employers hire their graduates, and whether the associate's degree alone is sufficient or if most students need additional credentials. Without actual outcomes to confirm the estimates hold true here, you're placing faith in the program's local reputation rather than verified results.