Drafting/Design Engineering Technologies at Ivy Tech Community College of Indiana - Region 7
IN · Associate's Degree · CIP 15.13
Executive Summary
Graduates with a Drafting/Design Engineering Technologies degree from Ivy Tech Community College of Indiana - Region 7 earn a median salary of $58,065 within five years of graduation. Adjusted for the cost of living in IN, this represents a national purchasing power equivalent of $64,231. The degree typically pays for itself in 8.1 years.
Quick Insights
How this degree looks at a glance
A fast read on salary range, break-even speed, living-cost impact, and where graduates from this school usually land.
Salary Ranges
Starting Range
$43,820
Typical Career
$58,065
Top Performers
$77,044
Estimated break-even: 8.1 years.
Debt-to-Income Check
$387
Estimated comfortable monthly loan payment
Typical monthly pay is approximately $4,839. Most students can comfortably afford about a $387 monthly loan payment with this degree.
Comparison Bench
This degree earns 1.5x more than the average US high school graduate and 0.7x more than the average college graduate.
Purchasing Power Context
A dollar in Indiana buys what costs $0.90 nationally.
Industry Breadcrumbs
Top industries for bachelor's graduates from this school: Health Care & Social Assistance, Construction, Manufacturing.
Where Associate's Graduates from This School Work
Institution-wide industry mix for graduates, 5 years after graduation. This is not major-specific. Source: Census PSEO Flows.
5-Year Median Salary — National Purchasing Power Equivalent
$64,231
Nominal: $58,065 in Indiana (COL 90.4% of national avg) · 10.6% higher purchasing power
10-Year Earnings Curve
Break-Even Timeline
How long until cumulative earnings advantage exceeds total college investment (tuition + opportunity cost vs. entering workforce directly after high school).
Total Investment
$155,168
4yr tuition + 4yr opportunity cost
HS Graduate Baseline
$38,792/yr
BLS 2023 median, HS diploma
View Raw Data: Median Earnings by Year
| Timeframe | 25th Pct. | Median (50th) | 75th Pct. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 Year After Graduation | $34,421 | $50,441 | $65,986 |
| 5 Years After Graduation | $43,820 | $58,065 | $77,044 |
| 10 Years After Graduation | $55,464 | $71,899 | $86,717 |
Source: US Census Bureau Post-Secondary Employment Outcomes (PSEO), 2025 release. Earnings shown for Bachelor's degree graduates (all cohorts combined).
How We Calculate Purchasing Power
The median salary of $58,065 is reported by the US Census Bureau's Post-Secondary Employment Outcomes (PSEO) dataset for graduates working in IN, which has a cost-of-living index of 90.4% of the national average.
Formula: Adjusted Salary = Nominal × (1.0 ÷ COL Index)
= $58,065 × (1.0 ÷ 0.9040)
= $64,231 National Average equivalent.
COL index source: BLS Regional Consumer Price Index & MIT Living Wage Project, 2023. Full methodology →
Career Verdict
Graduates primarily enter the Health Care & Social Assistance sectors, with 44.7% of them employed in this field, followed by 41.4% and 29.2% in similar roles. The estimated break-even point for this educational path compared to a high-school-only route is approximately 8.1 years, suggesting a reasonable return on investment for students. Overall, the data indicates that pursuing a degree in Drafting/Design Engineering Technologies at Ivy Tech can lead to a solid career trajectory and financial stability in key industries.
Compare with Another School
See how the Drafting/Design Engineering Technologies degree at Ivy Tech Community College of Indiana - Region 7 stacks up against another institution side-by-side.
Explore More
Other Degrees at Ivy Tech Community College of Indiana - Region 7
Data sources: US Census Bureau Post-Secondary Employment Outcomes (PSEO). Cost-of-living index: BLS Regional CPI & MIT Living Wage Project. Cost of attendance: IPEDS. For informational use only; data may be suppressed for small cohort sizes.