Best Industrial Design Schools Near Pekin, IL (2026)

Updated September 5, 2026 BLS data College Scorecard On this page

Pekin, Illinois is home to about 31,812 residents. Median household income is $58,355 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 18.9% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In the Peoria, IL metro area, the top-earning industrial design-related role is Architectural and Engineering Managers at a median $212,820 annually (BLS OEWS, May 2025).

Closest Industrial Design Schools to Pekin

The accredited institutions listed below are the closest in our directory that offer industrial design programs near Pekin, ranked by BOC Score and straight-line distance from Pekin city center. The list is rebuilt from federal IPEDS data on every site update.

How We Rank Schools

Every school list on this site is ordered by the BOC Score, computed from the most recent school-level data published by the U.S. Department of Education (College Scorecard and IPEDS). To qualify, a school must be currently operating and accredited by an agency recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. Each eligible school is then scored on five measures, percentile-ranked against schools at the same credential level:

  • Graduation rate 30%
  • Median earnings, 10 years after entry 25%
  • Average net price (lower is better) 20%
  • Retention rate 15%
  • Fully online availability 10%

Schools without enough outcome data appear after ranked schools, without a score. On this page, schools are ordered by distance from Pekin. Advertising never affects these rankings. Read the full methodology.

Ranked by BOC Score — U.S. Dept. of Education outcome data. Advertising never affects rankings.

Sort:
#1

University of Illinois Chicago

Chicago, IL 136.6 miles from Pekin
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
79.6 BOC Score
Graduation rate 70%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $68,740
Avg net price $10,974/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 79%
  • Programs offered: 140

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#2

DePaul University

Chicago, IL 137.8 miles from Pekin
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
66.4 BOC Score
Graduation rate 68%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $68,751
Avg net price $30,902/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 86%
  • Programs offered: 166

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

Sponsored Ad

Source: IPEDS / College Scorecard (2023 cohort). Browse all Illinois schools on the Illinois industrial design page.

Industrial Design Wages Near Pekin

Pekin is part of the Peoria, IL metro area (BLS area code 37900). Where MSA-level wages are published, the table below shows MSA medians; otherwise it falls back to Illinois statewide.

Occupation Median Wage Source COL-Adjusted (US=100)
Commercial and Industrial Designers N/A IL statewide –
Industrial Engineers $117,180 Peoria, IL $128,487
Graphic Designers $56,450 Peoria, IL $61,897
Mechanical Drafters $63,320 IL statewide $69,430
Interior Designers $76,290 IL statewide $83,651
Architectural and Engineering Managers $212,820 Peoria, IL $233,355
Set and Exhibit Designers N/A IL statewide –
Mechanical Engineers $128,710 Peoria, IL $141,129

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.

Pekin at a Glance

Metric Value Source
Population 31,812 Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income $58,355 Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+ 18.9% Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)
Regional Price Parity (US=100) 91.2 (below U.S. average) BEA RPP 2024

Other Pekin-Area Cities With Industrial Design Programs

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the highest-paying industrial design roles near Pekin?

Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying industrial design-related roles near Pekin are: Architectural and Engineering Managers ($212,820), Mechanical Engineers ($128,710), Industrial Engineers ($117,180). These reflect MSA-level medians where published, with Illinois statewide fallback for occupations not reported at the metro level.

Should I look at programs in East Peoria instead of Pekin?

East Peoria, IL is 8.6 miles from Pekin 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 Pekin an affordable place to study industrial design?

Pekin’s median household income of $58,355 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Pekin while attending lower-cost out-of-state schools, and Illinois 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

Other Programs Available in Pekin

Compare every accredited online degree program with city-level data for Pekin:

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.

Back to Best Industrial Design Schools in Illinois (2026)