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2025 Best Drafting & Design Engineering Technology Associate Degree Schools in the Southwest Region

8 Colleges in the Southwest Region
431 Associate Degrees
$46,625 Avg Early-Career Salary
Drafting & Design Engineering Technology is above average in terms of popularity with it being the #48 most popular associate degree program in the country. So, you have a fair amount of options to choose from when looking for a school.

In 2025, College Factual analyzed 8 schools in order to identify the top ones for its Best Drafting & Design Engineering Technology Associate Degree Schools in the Southwest Region ranking. Combined, these schools handed out 431 associate degrees in drafting & design engineering technology to qualified students.

What's on this page: * Our Methodology

Choosing a Great Drafting & Design Engineering Technology School for Your Associate Degree

Best Drafting & Design Engineering Technology Associate Degree Schools in the Southwest Region Your choice of drafting & design engineering technology for getting your associate degree school matters. Important measures of a quality design engineering tech program can vary widely even among the top schools. Below we explain some of the most important factors to consider before making your choice:

Overall Quality Is a Must

A school that excels in educating for a particular major and degree level must be a great school overall as well. To take this into account we include a college's overall Best Colleges ranking which itself looks at a combination of various factors like degree completion, educational resources, student body caliber and post-graduation earnings for the school as a whole.

Average Early-Career Salaries

To determine the overall quality of a graduate school, one factor we look at is the average early-career salary of those receiving their associate degree from the school. After all, your associate degree won't mean much if it doesn't help you find a job that will help you earn a living.

Other Factors We Consider

The metrics below are just some of the other metrics that we use to determine our rankings.

Our full ranking methodology documents in more detail how we consider these factors to identify the best colleges for drafting & design engineering technology students working on their associate degree.

More Ways to Rank Drafting & Design Engineering Technology Schools

Rankings by Location Check Out Other Locales
More Design Engineering Tech Rankings Other Ranking Categories

The design engineering tech school you choose to invest your time and money in matters. To help you make the decision that is right for you, we've developed a number of major-specific rankings, including this list of the Best Drafting & Design Engineering Technology Associate Degree Schools in the Southwest Region.

Best Schools for Associate Students to Study Drafting & Design Engineering Technology in the Southwest Region

The following list ranks the best colleges and universities for pursuing an associate degree in drafting & design engineering technology.

Top Southwest Region Schools for an Associate in Design Engineering Tech

1
El Centro College crest
El Centro College
Dallas, TX
31 Annual Graduates

El Centro College is a great decision for students pursuing an associate degree in drafting & design engineering technology. Located in the large city of Dallas, El Centro College is a public college with a very large student population.More information about a associate in drafting & design engineering technology from El Centro College

2

Every student who is interested in an associate degree in drafting & design engineering technology needs to take a look at Austin Community College District. Located in the city of Austin, Austin Community College District is a public college with a very large student population.

Those drafting & design engineering technology students who get their associate degree from Austin Community College District earn $3,959 more than the standard design engineering tech student.

More information about a associate in drafting & design engineering technology from Austin Community College District

3

Houston Community College is a wonderful decision for students interested in an associate degree in drafting & design engineering technology. Houston Community College is a fairly large public college located in the city of Houston.

Soon after graduation, design engineering tech associate recipients typically make around $45,548 in the first five years of their career.

More information about a associate in drafting & design engineering technology from Houston Community College

4
11 Annual Graduates

It is hard to beat Tarrant County College District if you wish to pursue an associate degree in drafting & design engineering technology. Located in the large city of Fort Worth, Tarrant County College is a public college with a fairly large student population.More information about a associate in drafting & design engineering technology from Tarrant County College District

5
54 Annual Graduates

Located in the medium-sized city of Pasadena, San Jacinto College is a public college with a fairly large student population.More information about a associate in drafting & design engineering technology from San Jacinto Community College

6
14 Annual Graduates

Tyler Junior College is a large public college located in the medium-sized city of Tyler.More information about a associate in drafting & design engineering technology from Tyler Junior College

7
20 Annual Graduates

Located in the city of Beaumont, Lamar Institute of Technology is a public school with a moderately-sized student population.More information about a associate in drafting & design engineering technology from Lamar Institute of Technology

8
Amarillo College crest
Amarillo College
Amarillo, TX
15 Annual Graduates

Located in the city of Amarillo, Amarillo College is a public college with a moderately-sized student population.More information about a associate in drafting & design engineering technology from Amarillo College

Best Drafting & Design Engineering Technology Colleges by State

Explore the best drafting & design engineering technology colleges for a specific state in the Southwest Region .

State Colleges Degrees Awarded
Texas 200 384
Arizona 169 38
New Mexico 140 15
Oklahoma 136 23

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Drafting & Design Engineering Technology is one of 18 different types of Engineering Technologies programs to choose from.

Design Engineering Tech Focus Areas

Major Annual Graduates
General Drafting & Design Technology 305
Architectural Drafting & Architectural CAD/CADD 67
CAD/CADD Drafting &/or Design Technology 32
Mechanical Drafting & Mechanical Drafting CAD/CADD 13
Civil Drafting & Civil Engineering CAD/CADD 8
Electrical/Electronics Drafting & Electrical/Electronics CAD/CADD 4
Other Drafting/Design Engineering Technologies 2

Related Major Annual Graduates
Electromechanical Engineering Technology 869
Electronics Engineering Technology 231
Industrial Production Technology 226
Environmental Control Technology 216
Construction Engineering Technology 203
Quality Control Technology 174
Energy Systems Technologies 80
Engineering-Related Technologies 78
Computer Engineering Technology 50
Mining & Petroleum Technology 41

Notes and References

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