Best Industrial Design Schools Near Paducah, KY (2026)

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

Paducah, Kentucky is home to about 26,894 residents. Median household income is $51,243 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 28.4% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In the Paducah, KY-IL metro area, the top-earning industrial design-related role is Architectural and Engineering Managers at a median $143,940 annually (BLS OEWS, May 2025).

Closest Industrial Design Schools to Paducah

The accredited institutions listed below are the closest in our directory that offer industrial design programs near Paducah, ranked by BOC Score and straight-line distance from Paducah 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 Paducah. Advertising never affects these rankings. Read the full methodology.

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

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#1

University of Kentucky

Lexington, KY 236.3 miles from Paducah
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
  • Accredited
70.9 BOC Score
Acceptance rate 93%
Graduation rate 71%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $59,025
Avg net price $18,851/yr
Tuition
In‑state$13,502
Out‑of‑state$34,140
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 87%
  • Programs offered: 217

Source:Accreditor: Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on CollegesIPEDSCollege Scorecard

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

Industrial Design Wages Near Paducah

Paducah is part of the Paducah, KY-IL metro area (BLS area code 37140). Where MSA-level wages are published, the table below shows MSA medians; otherwise it falls back to Kentucky statewide.

Occupation Median Wage Source COL-Adjusted (US=100)
Commercial and Industrial Designers $76,100 KY statewide $88,386
Industrial Engineers $102,270 Paducah, KY-IL $118,780
Graphic Designers $52,960 KY statewide $61,510
Mechanical Drafters $68,880 KY statewide $80,000
Interior Designers $59,240 KY statewide $68,804
Architectural and Engineering Managers $143,940 Paducah, KY-IL $167,178
Set and Exhibit Designers $53,260 KY statewide $61,858
Mechanical Engineers $94,060 Paducah, KY-IL $109,245

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.

Paducah at a Glance

Metric Value Source
Population 26,894 Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income $51,243 Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+ 28.4% Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)
Regional Price Parity (US=100) 86.1 (below U.S. average) BEA RPP 2024

Other Paducah-Area Cities With Industrial Design Programs

Frequently Asked Questions

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

Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying industrial design-related roles near Paducah are: Architectural and Engineering Managers ($143,940), Industrial Engineers ($102,270), Mechanical Engineers ($94,060). These reflect MSA-level medians where published, with Kentucky statewide fallback for occupations not reported at the metro level.

Should I look at programs in Murray instead of Paducah?

Murray, KY is 36.2 miles from Paducah 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 Paducah an affordable place to study industrial design?

Paducah’s median household income of $51,243 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Paducah while attending lower-cost out-of-state schools, and Kentucky 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 Paducah

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

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.

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