Drafting/Design Engineering Technologies/Technicians at Pikes Peak State College

A debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.29 suggests this program could make financial sense, though it's worth noting that both the earnings and debt figures come from national benchmarks rather than Pikes Peak's actual graduates. Based on comparable associate's degree programs across the country, drafting and design technicians typically earn around $45,400 in their first year—a solid starting point for a two-year credential. The estimated $13,000 in debt would take less than four months of gross earnings to repay, which puts graduates in a manageable position even if their actual outcomes vary from these national patterns.

Colorado has only four schools offering this program, making it difficult to assess how Pikes Peak specifically stacks up against local competition. None of the other Colorado programs have published graduate data, so families can't compare outcomes across in-state options. The national data suggests drafting programs produce relatively consistent results, with the 75th percentile earning just $4,000 more than the median—meaning there's not huge variability in outcomes for top-performing programs.

For parents weighing this investment, the fundamentals look reasonable: low debt relative to likely earnings, and entry into a field with clear technical skills. However, you're working with educated guesses rather than school-specific track records. If your student is committed to drafting and design work, the estimated numbers suggest a worthwhile path—just know you won't have concrete data on how Pikes Peak's specific graduates fare until the DOE can publish a larger sample.