South Dakota · Drafting/Design Engineering Technologies/Technicians

Best colleges for Drafting/Design Engineering Technologies/Technicians in South Dakota

Ranked by graduates a year

Western Dakota Technical College is the only South Dakota college that awards Drafting/Design Engineering Technologies/Technicians degrees and certificates: 9 graduates a year (IPEDS 2024–25).

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…

Institutions
1
offering CIP 15.13
States offered
49
with a program page
Degrees / yr
9
IPEDS completions 2024–25
Median starting salary
—
1 yr after graduation, College Scorecard
With earnings data
0
College Scorecard
Median net price
—
IPEDS 2024–25
Avg graduation rate
54%
IPEDS 2024–25
State pay · Mechanical Drafters
$56,030
BLS OEWS May 2025

1 institutions offering Drafting/Design Engineering Technologies/Technicians in South Dakota

Graduate earnings are not yet reported for these institutions; ordered by graduates a year.

Starting salary (1 yr): median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary), College Scorecard.
#InstitutionStarting salary (1 yr)Graduates / yrGrad rateNet priceMedian debt
1Western Dakota Technical College
Rapid City Public
—954%——

Colleges awarding the most Drafting/Design Engineering Technologies/Technicians degrees in South Dakota

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.

Graduates / yr: degrees and certificates awarded in a year, IPEDS completions. Starting salary (1 yr): median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary), College Scorecard.
#InstitutionGraduates / yrStarting salary (1 yr)
1Western Dakota Technical College
Rapid City Public
9Not reported

Career outlook

What this program leads to: Mechanical Drafters (SOC 17-3013).

Projected growth (2024–2034)
-6.5%
Decline
Openings / yr (US)
~3,300
BLS Employment Projections
US median wage
$68,510
typically Associate's degree

Top skills

Critical ThinkingActive LearningActive ListeningMathematicsReading ComprehensionSpeaking

What Mechanical Drafters earn in South Dakota

Jobs in South Dakota
100
BLS OEWS May 2025
State average pay
$56,030
median $52,610
Best-paying metro
—

Related careers

Architectural and Civil Drafters
$55,530 avg · 460 jobs
Mechanical Drafters
$56,030 avg · 100 jobs
Electrical and Electronics Drafters
$55,670 avg · 40 jobs
Drafters, All Other
—

Common questions

Answers for students comparing Drafting/Design Engineering Technologies/Technicians programs in South Dakota.

Which South Dakota colleges award the most Drafting/Design Engineering Technologies/Technicians degrees?+

Western Dakota Technical College is the only South Dakota college that awards Drafting/Design Engineering Technologies/Technicians degrees and certificates: 9 graduates a year (IPEDS 2024–25 completions).

How much do Mechanical Drafters earn in South Dakota?+

The average annual wage for Mechanical Drafters in South Dakota is $56,030 (median $52,610), across about 100 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).

Drafting/Design Engineering Technologies/Technicians in other statesIndianaMissouriUtahOregonKentuckyMichiganMinnesotaIdaho

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.

IPEDSFall 2025–26 release, published July 28, 2026
Enrollment, completions, graduation rates, tuition, financial aid, staffing, and finance for every U.S. institution in federal student aid programs.
College ScorecardJune 10, 2026 release (merged 2025–26 files)
Institution and field-of-study costs, graduate earnings, debt, completion, and admissions outcomes compiled from federal aid records, tax data, and IPEDS.
PSEO graduate earnings2019–21 graduation cohorts (release V4.13.0)
Earnings and employment outcomes of graduates by institution, degree level, and field of study, measured from state wage records.
BLS wages & outlookOEWS May 2025 release
Occupational employment and wage estimates plus 10-year job outlook, used to connect programs to real-world earnings.
FVT/GE program performanceProvisional preview, May 18, 2026 release
Program-level debt-to-earnings and earnings-premium measures behind the FVT/GE and STATS accountability frameworks.

Explore every U.S. college in one conversation

Clema turns plain-language questions into sourced answers across every U.S. institution — earnings, aid, acceptance, graduation, safety, and athletics from IPEDS, College Scorecard, and 10+ federal datasets, built in.

Free for teams up to 3 · No credit card