2027 Best Industrial Design Schools in the The Plains States Region
Industrial Design degree programs prepare students for a range of careers in the field. While the number of schools offering the program varies, there are still top-quality ones to be found.
For its 2027 ranking, College Factual looked at 3 schools in the United States to determine which ones were the best for industrial design students pursuing a degree.
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Best Schools for Industrial Design in the The Plains States Region
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest overall industrial design education in the The Plains States Region.
Top Schools in Industrial Design
No school ranked higher than University Of Minnesota Twin Cities this year for industrial design. Set in the city of Minneapolis, University Of Minnesota Twin Cities is a very large public institution. University Of Minnesota Twin Cities graduates 85% of students within six years. There were roughly 31 industrial design students who graduated with this degree at University Of Minnesota Twin Cities in the most recent data year. Graduates of the industrial design program make about $42,462 in their early career. University Of Minnesota Twin Cities graduates carry a median of $24,000 in student loans.
Read more about the industrial design program at University Of Minnesota Twin Cities
Students looking for a strong industrial design program will find one at Kansas State University, which ranked #2. Kansas State University is a very large public school located in the city of Manhattan. The six-year graduation rate is 71%. There were roughly 14 industrial design students who graduated with this degree at Kansas State University in the most recent data year. Industrial Design graduates of Kansas State University earn a median of $43,992 early in their careers. Typical student debt for the program is $23,546.
See the full industrial design program report for Kansas State University
Iowa State University came in at #3 on our 2027 list of the best industrial design schools. Set in the city of Ames, Iowa State University is a very large public institution. About 75% of students finish within six years. Iowa State University awarded about 25 industrial design degrees in the most recent data year. Industrial Design graduates of Iowa State University earn a median of $36,634 early in their careers. Typical student debt for the program is $27,000.
More information about a degree in industrial design from Iowa State University
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Notes and References
This list is compiled by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2027 edition. Schools are scored on a blend of student outcomes (graduation rate, post-graduation earnings), affordability, and program focus, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Ranking method: College Major Top Ranked · 3 schools evaluated.
- The Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), a branch of the U.S. Department of Education (DOE), serves as the core of our data about colleges.
- Some other college data, including much of the graduate earnings data, comes from the U.S. Department of Education’s (College Scorecard).
More about our data sources and methodologies.
