Drafting/Design Engineering Technologies/Technicians at Pasco-Hernando State College

Borrowing around $13,000 to earn $45,000 in your first year produces a manageable debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.29—well within the safe zone for technical credentials. While these figures are drawn from comparable drafting and design programs nationally rather than Pasco-Hernando's specific outcomes, they align closely with what Florida's similar programs deliver. Valencia College, for instance, reports first-year earnings of $45,701 for its drafting graduates, nearly identical to what peer programs suggest for this field. The consistency across these benchmarks indicates that drafting programs, whether at community colleges in Florida or nationwide, tend to produce similar early outcomes.

The practical picture looks solid: graduates could feasibly pay off this level of debt within a few years while working in a technical field with clear career pathways. Drafting and design technicians support engineers and architects across construction, manufacturing, and infrastructure—industries with steady demand in Florida's growing market. At 30% Pell enrollment, Pasco-Hernando serves students who need credentials that lead to middle-class earnings without crushing debt, and this program appears structured to deliver on that promise.

The caveat is real: without program-specific data, you're making an informed bet based on how similar programs perform rather than confirmed outcomes from this school. If drafting aligns with your child's skills and interests, the estimated numbers suggest reasonable value, but connecting with recent graduates or the program director could fill in gaps that national averages can't answer.