by our College Data Analytics TeamIn the latest year, 64 U.S. colleges awarded 1,433 degrees and certificates in Industrial Design. Bachelor’s degrees are the most popular award, at 83% of graduates. College Factual ranks 40 schools in its 2027 Best Industrial Design Schools ranking and compares their cost in a Best Value ranking. Graduates earn a median $32,258 one year after completing, rising to $50,151 after four years.
A major in Industrial Design covers Industrial And Product Design. A Program In The Applied Visual Arts That Prepares Individuals To Use Artistic Techniques To Effectively Communicate Ideas And Information To Business And Consumer Audiences Via The Creation Of Effective Forms, Shapes, And Packaging For Manufactured Products. Includes Instruction In Designing In A Wide Variety Of Plastic And Digital Media, Prototype Construction, Design Development And Refinement, Principles Of Cost Saving, And Product Structure And Performance Criteria Relevant To Aesthetic Design Parameters.
Source: IPEDS 2025; College Scorecard July 2026; BLS; O*NET; College Factual rankings 2027. Data as of: July 2026.
In the U.S., industrial design is a widely-pursued major, with 1,433 degrees awarded annually. 64 colleges award industrial design degrees, an average of 22 graduates per school; the largest program awarded 115.
By level, the 1,433 awards include 25 associate degrees, 1,194 bachelor’s degrees and 214 master’s degrees.
Women earned 51% of industrial design degrees and certificates in the latest year (727 of 1,433). The largest groups of graduates by race and ethnicity are White (739) and Hispanic or Latino (209), and international students earned 177.
College Factual ranks 40 schools in its 2027 Best Industrial Design Schools ranking, including 4 for associate degrees, 36 for bachelor’s degrees and 8 for master’s degrees. It also ranks industrial design schools within 21 states. In all, 64 colleges offer industrial design programs; compare them by degree level below or in the Best Value Industrial Design Colleges ranking, which weighs quality against cost.
The most common industrial design credential is the bachelor’s degree: 1,194 of the 1,433 awarded in the latest year. Jobs related to industrial design call most for Speaking, Active Listening and Reading Comprehension, and for knowledge of Fine Arts, English Language and Education and Training, according to O*NET. The most important abilities are Oral Expression, Written Comprehension and Oral Comprehension.
Top skills, rated 0–5:
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How long an industrial design degree takes:
| Degree | Typical Program Length | Graduates Annually |
|---|---|---|
| Associate Degree | 2 years | 25 |
| Bachelor’s Degree | 4 years | 1,194 |
| Master’s Degree | 1-3 years | 214 |
Bachelor’s degree is the most common level of education among workers in jobs related to industrial design, at 33.9%.
| Level of Education | Percentage of Workers |
|---|---|
| Bachelor’s degree | 33.9% |
| Master’s degree | 33.1% |
| Doctoral degree | 19.7% |
| Associate’s degree (or other 2-year) | 4.4% |
| Some college courses | 4.1% |
| High school diploma or equivalent | 3.4% |
| Post-master’s certificate | 1.0% |
| Post-baccalaureate certificate | 0.4% |
| Postsecondary certificate | 0.1% |
Source: O*NET Online.
4 occupations are related to Industrial Design, with an average median salary of $60,790; the strongest outlook belongs to Commercial and Industrial Designers, at 12.4% projected job growth. Typical job titles include Adjunct Lecturer, Professor, Music Theory Professor and Media Arts Professor.
The occupation related to industrial design with the most projected jobs is Art, Drama, and Music Teachers, Postsecondary, at 1,074,154.
| Occupation | Projected Jobs | Expected Growth |
|---|---|---|
| Art, Drama, and Music Teachers, Postsecondary | 1,074,154 | 9.1% |
| Commercial and Industrial Designers | 387,029 | 12.4% |
| Graphic Designers | 267,813 | 4.6% |
| Designers, All Other | 45,592 | 3.0% |
Industrial Design graduates earn a median $32,258 one year after completing their program, $50,151 after four years and $47,460 after five years, according to the U.S. Department of Education’s College Scorecard.
| Years Out | Median Earnings |
|---|---|
| 1 year | $32,258 |
| 4 years | $50,151 |
| 5 years | $47,460 |
Source: College Scorecard.
The highest-paying occupation related to industrial design is Designers, All Other, with a median salary of $73,407.
| Occupation | Median Annual Salary |
|---|---|
| Designers, All Other | $73,407 |
| Graphic Designers | $66,386 |
| Commercial and Industrial Designers | $56,384 |
| Art, Drama, and Music Teachers, Postsecondary | $46,983 |
Industrial Design has 9 similar majors in the Visual & Performing Arts field, which together award 38,473 degrees a year; the largest are Graphic Design (10,828), Design and Visual Communications, General (6,817) and Interior Design (5,801). Browse all Visual & Performing Arts majors or the full list of college majors.
| Related Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| Graphic Design | 10,828 |
| Design and Visual Communications, General | 6,817 |
| Interior Design | 5,801 |
| Fashion/Apparel Design | 3,254 |
| Illustration | 3,183 |
| Commercial and Advertising Art | 3,106 |
| Game and Interactive Media Design | 2,975 |
| Design and Applied Arts, Other | 1,743 |
| Commercial Photography | 766 |
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