Best Industrial Design Schools Near Monroe, MI (2026)

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

Monroe, Michigan has 5 accredited schools offering industrial design programs. Monroe has a population of about 20,330. Median household income is $59,532 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 21.5% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In the Monroe, MI metro area, the top-earning industrial design-related role is Architectural and Engineering Managers at a median $158,170 annually (BLS OEWS, May 2025).

Closest Industrial Design Schools to Monroe

The accredited institutions listed below are the closest in our directory that offer industrial design programs near Monroe, ranked by BOC Score and straight-line distance from Monroe 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 Monroe. 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 Michigan-Ann Arbor

Ann Arbor, MI 30.8 miles from Monroe
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
93.4 BOC Score
Graduation rate 94%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $83,648
Avg net price $13,138/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 98%
  • Programs offered: 206

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#2

Lawrence Technological University

Southfield, MI 39.2 miles from Monroe
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
57.8 BOC Score
Graduation rate 61%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $69,151
Avg net price $32,918/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 77%
  • Programs offered: 45

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

Sponsored Ad
#3

Cranbrook Academy of Art

Bloomfield Hills, MI 45.7 miles from Monroe
  • 4 year
  • Accredited
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 10

Source:Accreditor: Higher Learning CommissionIPEDSCollege Scorecard

#4

Jackson College

Jackson, MI 55.0 miles from Monroe
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
52.2 BOC Score
Graduation rate 19%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $36,898
Avg net price $7,761/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 46

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

Sponsored Ad
#5

Western Michigan University

Kalamazoo, MI 117.0 miles from Monroe
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
63.3 BOC Score
Graduation rate 61%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $53,562
Avg net price $15,273/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 80%
  • Programs offered: 188

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#6

Ferris State University

Big Rapids, MI 162.1 miles from Monroe
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
64.7 BOC Score
Graduation rate 60%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $54,735
Avg net price $8,624/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 75%
  • Programs offered: 126

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

Sponsored Ad

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

Industrial Design Wages Near Monroe

Monroe is part of the Monroe, MI metro area (BLS area code 33780). Where MSA-level wages are published, the table below shows MSA medians; otherwise it falls back to Michigan statewide.

Occupation Median Wage Source COL-Adjusted (US=100)
Commercial and Industrial Designers $102,160 MI statewide $109,262
Industrial Engineers $97,770 Monroe, MI $104,567
Graphic Designers $57,350 MI statewide $61,337
Mechanical Drafters $72,280 MI statewide $77,305
Interior Designers $59,340 MI statewide $63,465
Architectural and Engineering Managers $158,170 Monroe, MI $169,166
Set and Exhibit Designers $50,910 MI statewide $54,449
Mechanical Engineers $95,190 Monroe, MI $101,807

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.

Monroe at a Glance

Metric Value Source
Population 20,330 Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income $59,532 Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+ 21.5% Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)
Regional Price Parity (US=100) 93.5 (below U.S. average) BEA RPP 2024

Other Monroe-Area Cities With Industrial Design Programs

Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited industrial design schools are near Monroe, MI?

Our directory has 5 accredited schools offering industrial design programs near Monroe. The closest is University of Michigan-Ann Arbor in Ann Arbor, MI (30.8 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is Cleveland Institute of Art (96.1 miles). 3 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.

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

Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying industrial design-related roles near Monroe are: Architectural and Engineering Managers ($158,170), Commercial and Industrial Designers ($102,160), Industrial Engineers ($97,770). These reflect MSA-level medians where published, with Michigan statewide fallback for occupations not reported at the metro level.

Should I look at programs in Oregon instead of Monroe?

Oregon, OH is 18.1 miles from Monroe 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 Monroe an affordable place to study industrial design?

Monroe’s median household income of $59,532 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Monroe while attending lower-cost out-of-state schools, and Michigan 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 Monroe

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

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 Michigan (2026)