Drafting/Design Engineering Technologies/Technicians at Remington College-Houston Southeast Campus

At under $13,000 in debt, this program keeps borrowing refreshingly low—landing in the 25th percentile nationally means three-quarters of similar programs saddle students with more debt. That's meaningful for the 92% of students here receiving Pell grants, who are already starting from limited financial resources. The first-year earnings of $29,323 hit exactly at both state and national medians, putting this squarely in the middle of the pack for drafting certificate programs.

The concern is what happens next: earnings actually slip to $28,432 by year four, a 3% decline that suggests these skills may not command growing wages over time. When you compare to Austin Community College's drafting program, where graduates earn $45,343—55% more than Remington Houston Southeast—the gap is substantial. The 60th percentile ranking among Texas programs means this beats most in-state alternatives, but that's largely because many perform even worse, not because outcomes here are particularly strong.

The modest debt keeps this from being a financial trap, but parents should recognize they're looking at wages that will likely hover around $28,000-$29,000 annually. For students who need technical skills quickly and can't afford a longer program, the low debt makes this viable. Just know that higher-earning drafting careers—the ones breaking $40,000+—typically require either better-connected programs or additional credentials down the road.