Drafting/Design Engineering Technologies at York Technical College
SC · Associate's Degree · CIP 15.13
Executive Summary
Graduates with a Drafting/Design Engineering Technologies degree from York Technical College earn a median salary of $60,908 within five years of graduation. Adjusted for the cost of living in SC, this represents a national purchasing power equivalent of $63,979. The degree typically pays for itself in 8.3 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
$51,086
Typical Career
$60,908
Top Performers
$74,036
Estimated break-even: 8.3 years.
Debt-to-Income Check
$406
Estimated comfortable monthly loan payment
Typical monthly pay is approximately $5,076. Most students can comfortably afford about a $406 monthly loan payment with this degree.
Comparison Bench
This degree earns 1.6x more than the average US high school graduate and 0.8x more than the average college graduate.
Purchasing Power Context
A dollar in South Carolina buys what costs $0.95 nationally.
Industry Breadcrumbs
Top industries for bachelor's graduates from this school: Health Care & Social Assistance, Manufacturing, Retail Trade.
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
$63,979
Nominal: $60,908 in South Carolina (COL 95.2% of national avg) · 5% 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 | $35,374 | $45,300 | $54,129 |
| 5 Years After Graduation | $51,086 | $60,908 | $74,036 |
| 10 Years After Graduation | $49,399 | $69,154 | $86,367 |
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 $60,908 is reported by the US Census Bureau's Post-Secondary Employment Outcomes (PSEO) dataset for graduates working in SC, which has a cost-of-living index of 95.2% of the national average.
Formula: Adjusted Salary = Nominal × (1.0 ÷ COL Index)
= $60,908 × (1.0 ÷ 0.9520)
= $63,979 National Average equivalent.
COL index source: BLS Regional Consumer Price Index & MIT Living Wage Project, 2023. Full methodology →
Career Verdict
The majority of graduates enter the Health Care & Social Assistance sector, with a significant distribution of 45.3%, 27.0%, and 24.8% across various roles within this industry. Considering the estimated break-even point of approximately 8.9 years compared to a high-school-only path, the return on investment for pursuing this program appears favorable. This suggests that students can expect a reasonable payoff for their educational investment over time, particularly in a growing field like health care.
Compare with Another School
See how the Drafting/Design Engineering Technologies degree at York Technical College stacks up against another institution side-by-side.
Ready to apply?
Start your application for Drafting/Design Engineering Technologies at York Technical College.
Explore More
Other Degrees at York Technical College
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.