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Best Industrial Design Schools Near Fort Smith, AR (2026)
Fort Smith, Arkansas is home to about 89,496 residents. Median household income is $52,692 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 25.3% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In the Fort Smith, AR-OK metro area, the top-earning industrial design-related role is Architectural and Engineering Managers at a median $131,100 annually (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
Closest Industrial Design Schools to Fort Smith
The accredited institutions listed below are the closest in our directory that offer industrial design programs near Fort Smith, ranked by BOC Score and straight-line distance from Fort Smith city center. The list is rebuilt from federal IPEDS data on every site update.
No school data available.
Source: IPEDS / College Scorecard (2023 cohort). Browse all Arkansas schools on the Arkansas industrial design page.
Industrial Design Wages Near Fort Smith
Fort Smith is part of the Fort Smith, AR-OK metro area (BLS area code 22900). Where MSA-level wages are published, the table below shows MSA medians; otherwise it falls back to Arkansas statewide.
| Occupation | Median Wage | Source | COL-Adjusted (US=100) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Commercial and Industrial Designers | $92,540 | AR statewide | $107,730 |
| Industrial Engineers | $97,460 | Fort Smith, AR-OK | $113,458 |
| Graphic Designers | $39,590 | Fort Smith, AR-OK | $46,088 |
| Mechanical Drafters | $59,960 | AR statewide | $69,802 |
| Interior Designers | $69,990 | AR statewide | $81,478 |
| Architectural and Engineering Managers | $131,100 | Fort Smith, AR-OK | $152,619 |
| Set and Exhibit Designers | $38,700 | AR statewide | $45,052 |
| Mechanical Engineers | $78,950 | Fort Smith, AR-OK | $91,909 |
Source: BLS, May 2025 Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics publishes wage data at the metro (MSA) and state level – not by individual city.
Fort Smith at a Glance
| Metric | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 89,496 | Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003) |
| Median household income | $52,692 | Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013) |
| Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+ | 25.3% | Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003) |
| Regional Price Parity (US=100) | 85.9 (below U.S. average) | BEA RPP 2024 |
Other Fort Smith-Area Cities With Industrial Design Programs
- Van Buren, AR – 6.9 mi away (23,367 pop)
- Fayetteville, AR – 51.2 mi away (336,152 pop)
- Siloam Springs, AR – 58.4 mi away (21,136 pop)
- Springdale, AR – 59.3 mi away (78,557 pop)
- Muskogee, OK – 61.8 mi away (41,117 pop)
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the highest-paying industrial design roles near Fort Smith?
Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying industrial design-related roles near Fort Smith are: Architectural and Engineering Managers ($131,100), Industrial Engineers ($97,460), Commercial and Industrial Designers ($92,540). These reflect MSA-level medians where published, with Arkansas statewide fallback for occupations not reported at the metro level.
Should I look at programs in Van Buren instead of Fort Smith?
Van Buren, AR is 6.9 miles from Fort Smith and has its own set of local industrial design programs – see the city’s page. For online programs, distance matters less; for hybrid or in-person formats, comparing both can help.
Is Fort Smith an affordable place to study industrial design?
Fort Smith’s median household income of $52,692 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Fort Smith while attending lower-cost out-of-state schools, and Arkansas public universities often offer reduced in-state online tuition.
How do I verify a program is accredited?
Confirm institutional accreditation via the U.S. Department of Education database (U.S. Dept. of Education database), and check for any program-specific accreditation listed by the school.
Learn More About Industrial Design Programs
- Main Industrial Design degree guide
- Online Industrial Design programs in Arkansas
- Industrial Design programs by state
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Data verified: September 5, 2026. Salary, employment, and tuition figures on this page are sourced from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (OEWS May 2025; Employment Projections 2024–2034) and the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (2023 cohort). The source agency and data year are cited inline with every statistic.