Best colleges for Drafting/Design Engineering Technologies/Technicians in Illinois
Ranked by graduates a year
Elgin Community College, College of Lake County and Lewis and Clark Community College award the most Drafting/Design Engineering Technologies/Technicians degrees and certificates in Illinois: 67, 39 and 34 graduates a year (IPEDS 2024–25). 26 Illinois colleges offer Drafting/Design Engineering Technologies/Technicians and award 531 degrees and certificates a year in all.
The Drafting/Design Engineering Technologies/Technicians program equips students with the skills needed to create detailed design drawings and specifications for various engineering projects. This program is ideal for individuals…
26 institutions offering Drafting/Design Engineering Technologies/Technicians in Illinois
Graduate earnings are not yet reported for these institutions; ordered by graduates a year.
| # | Institution | Starting salary (1 yr) | Graduates / yr | Grad rate | Net price | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | City Colleges of Chicago-Harold Washington College Chicago Public | — | 82 | 26% | — | — |
| 2 | Triton College River Grove Public | — | 72 | 29% | — | — |
| 3 | Elgin Community College Elgin Public | — | 67 | 41% | — | — |
| 4 | College of Lake County Grayslake Public | — | 39 | 37% | — | — |
| 5 | Lewis and Clark Community College Godfrey Public | — | 34 | 44% | — | — |
| 6 | Joliet Junior College Joliet Public | — | 27 | 21% | — | — |
| 7 | Kaskaskia College Centralia Public | — | 27 | 49% | — | — |
| 8 | William Rainey Harper College Palatine Public | — | 27 | 48% | — | — |
| 9 | College of DuPage Glen Ellyn Public | — | 26 | 25% | — | — |
| 10 | Waubonsee Community College Sugar Grove Public | — | 22 | 39% | — | — |
| 11 | Oakton College Des Plaines Public | — | 21 | 37% | — | — |
| 12 | Illinois Valley Community College Oglesby Public | — | 18 | 42% | — | — |
| 13 | Lake Land College Mattoon Public | — | 14 | 58% | — | — |
| 14 | McHenry County College Crystal Lake Public | — | 12 | 37% | — | — |
| 15 | Morton College Cicero Public | — | 9 | 31% | — | — |
| 16 | Rock Valley College Rockford Public | — | 7 | 37% | — | — |
| 17 | Southwestern Illinois College Belleville Public | — | 4 | 36% | — | — |
| 18 | City Colleges of Chicago-Harry S Truman College Chicago Public | — | 4 | 32% | — | — |
| 19 | Illinois Central College East Peoria Public | — | 4 | 49% | — | — |
| 20 | City Colleges of Chicago-Richard J Daley College Chicago Public | — | 3 | 27% | — | — |
| 21 | Moraine Valley Community College Palos Hills Public | — | 3 | 40% | — | — |
| 22 | Parkland College Champaign Public | — | 3 | 32% | — | — |
| 23 | John Wood Community College Quincy Public | — | 2 | 49% | — | — |
| 24 | Prairie State College Chicago Heights Public | — | 2 | 21% | — | — |
| 25 | City Colleges of Chicago-Wilbur Wright College Chicago Public | — | 1 | 31% | — | — |
| 26 | Danville Area Community College Danville Public | — | 1 | 45% | — | — |
Colleges awarding the most Drafting/Design Engineering Technologies/Technicians degrees in Illinois
Top 10 by graduates a year (IPEDS 2024–25 completions). Online, degree-completion and graduate-only schools, and schools with a graduation rate under 30% are listed in full below.
| # | Institution | Graduates / yr | Starting salary (1 yr) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Elgin Community College Elgin Public | 67 | Not reported |
| 2 | College of Lake County Grayslake Public | 39 | Not reported |
| 3 | Lewis and Clark Community College Godfrey Public | 34 | Not reported |
| 4 | Kaskaskia College Centralia Public | 27 | Not reported |
| 5 | William Rainey Harper College Palatine Public | 27 | Not reported |
| 6 | Waubonsee Community College Sugar Grove Public | 22 | Not reported |
| 7 | Oakton College Des Plaines Public | 21 | Not reported |
| 8 | Illinois Valley Community College Oglesby Public | 18 | Not reported |
| 9 | Lake Land College Mattoon Public | 14 | Not reported |
| 10 | McHenry County College Crystal Lake Public | 12 | Not reported |
ShowHide the other 16 Illinois colleges offering Drafting/Design Engineering Technologies/Technicians
| Institution | City | Control | Graduates / yr |
|---|---|---|---|
| City Colleges of Chicago-Harold Washington College | Chicago | Public | 82 |
| Triton College | River Grove | Public | 72 |
| Joliet Junior College | Joliet | Public | 27 |
| College of DuPage | Glen Ellyn | Public | 26 |
| Morton College | Cicero | Public | 9 |
| Rock Valley College | Rockford | Public | 7 |
| Southwestern Illinois College | Belleville | Public | 4 |
| City Colleges of Chicago-Harry S Truman College | Chicago | Public | 4 |
| Illinois Central College | East Peoria | Public | 4 |
| City Colleges of Chicago-Richard J Daley College | Chicago | Public | 3 |
| Moraine Valley Community College | Palos Hills | Public | 3 |
| Parkland College | Champaign | Public | 3 |
| John Wood Community College | Quincy | Public | 2 |
| Prairie State College | Chicago Heights | Public | 2 |
| City Colleges of Chicago-Wilbur Wright College | Chicago | Public | 1 |
| Danville Area Community College | Danville | Public | 1 |
Career outlook
What this program leads to: Mechanical Drafters (SOC 17-3013).
Top skills
What Mechanical Drafters earn in Illinois
Related careers
Common questions
Answers for students comparing Drafting/Design Engineering Technologies/Technicians programs in Illinois.
Which Illinois colleges award the most Drafting/Design Engineering Technologies/Technicians degrees?+
Elgin Community College (67 graduates a year), College of Lake County (39 graduates a year) and Lewis and Clark Community College (34 graduates a year) award the most Drafting/Design Engineering Technologies/Technicians degrees and certificates in Illinois, per IPEDS 2024–25 completions. In all, 26 Illinois colleges offer Drafting/Design Engineering Technologies/Technicians.
How much do Mechanical Drafters earn in Illinois?+
The average annual wage for Mechanical Drafters in Illinois is $71,290 (median $63,320), across about 450 jobs. Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025.
What is the focus of the Drafting/Design Engineering Technologies/Technicians program?+
The Drafting/Design Engineering Technologies/Technicians program equips students with the skills needed to create detailed design drawings and specifications for various engineering projects. This program is ideal for individuals…
What skills will I develop in this program?+
You will develop critical thinking, active learning, active listening, mathematics, and related professional skills.
What is the job outlook for Mechanical Drafters?+
The national job outlook is about -6.5% growth with around 3,300 annual openings (BLS Employment Projections 2024–2034).
What is the typical education requirement?+
A Associate's degree is the typical entry-level education for this field (BLS).
About the data on this page
Every figure comes from an official federal or public source. Here is each one and the release it is currently on.
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