Drafting/Design Engineering Technologies/Technicians at Madison Area Technical College

The math here is straightforward: at an estimated $13,000 in debt and around $46,500 in first-year earnings based on other Wisconsin drafting programs, your child would face a debt load of just 28% of their starting salary. That's a manageable burden by any standard, translating to roughly three months of gross income. Similar programs across Wisconsin show solid earning potential, with some technical colleges reporting outcomes above $50,000, though others come in slightly lower.

What makes this field appealing is its consistency. Drafting and design technology roles tend to offer stable entry into manufacturing and engineering sectors—industries with strong presence in Wisconsin. The estimated earnings align closely with both state and national medians for this credential, suggesting the market for these skills is fairly uniform. Parents should note, however, that these figures come from peer programs since Madison Area Technical College's specific graduate cohort was too small for the Department of Education to report publicly.

The bottom line: if your child has aptitude for technical drawing and design work, this appears to be a practical path with reasonable debt and steady earning potential. Just recognize you're making this decision with industry-wide data rather than this school's track record.