Drafting/Design Engineering Technologies/Technicians at St Cloud Technical and Community College

St Cloud Technical's drafting program charges half what you'd pay at most schools—with $11,500 in typical debt versus $14,697 statewide—but graduates earn noticeably less than their Minnesota peers. First-year earnings of $45,565 land in the 40th percentile among state programs, roughly $2,000 below the median and $10,000 behind top-performing Dunwoody College. Nationally, this program sits right at average, so the value gap is specifically a Minnesota competitiveness issue.

The debt-to-earnings math works cleanly: graduates owe about three months of salary, making this manageable even with modest wages. Earnings tick up slightly to $47,093 by year four, though that's barely outpacing inflation. For a technical field where skilled workers command premiums, this program delivers middle-of-the-pack results without positioning graduates for the stronger earnings seen at Hennepin Tech or other state competitors.

The small sample size matters here—we're drawing conclusions from under 30 graduates, so your child's experience could vary considerably. If they're set on drafting and prioritize minimal debt over maximum earning potential, this works. But families banking on technical training to deliver above-average wages should recognize this program trails other Minnesota options by a meaningful margin.