Drafting/Design Engineering Technologies/Technicians at Red Rocks Community College

Colorado's drafting and design programs serve a solid niche in construction and manufacturing, and comparable programs nationally suggest Red Rocks graduates can expect starting pay around $45,400—rising to nearly $58,000 by year four. That $12,500 jump represents meaningful career progression in a field where technical skills compound with workplace experience. The estimated debt load of roughly $13,000 translates to a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.29, well below the warning threshold of 1.0 and manageable on a drafter's salary.

What makes this trajectory encouraging is the four-year outlook. While the starting salary is modest, the climb to $58,000 suggests employers value experienced drafters, and the technical nature of CAD work means your skills become harder to replace over time. Peer programs across the country show similar patterns—drafting isn't a get-rich-quick field, but it offers stable employment in industries that need these specialists.

The main uncertainty here is program-specific: with both earnings and debt figures derived from national comparables, you're betting that Red Rocks graduates perform similarly to the typical drafting program. Given Colorado's construction activity and aerospace presence around Denver, local demand could actually push outcomes higher. For a student who enjoys precision work and can see themselves in engineering support roles, this represents a relatively safe investment in a skills-based credential.