Best Industrial Design Schools Near Pontiac, MI (2026)

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

Pontiac, Michigan has 4 accredited schools offering industrial design programs. Pontiac has a population of about 61,914. Median household income is $42,791 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 16.2% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In the Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI metro area, the top-earning industrial design-related role is Architectural and Engineering Managers at a median $168,550 annually (BLS OEWS, May 2025).

Closest Industrial Design Schools to Pontiac

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

Cranbrook Academy of Art

Bloomfield Hills, MI 5.9 miles from Pontiac
  • 4 year
  • Accredited
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 10

Source:Accreditor: Higher Learning CommissionIPEDSCollege Scorecard

#2

Lawrence Technological University

Southfield, MI 12.3 miles from Pontiac
  • 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

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#3

University of Michigan-Ann Arbor

Ann Arbor, MI 34.3 miles from Pontiac
  • 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

#4

Jackson College

Jackson, MI 66.1 miles from Pontiac
  • 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

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#5

Western Michigan University

Kalamazoo, MI 121.2 miles from Pontiac
  • 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 131.8 miles from Pontiac
  • 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

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

Industrial Design Wages Near Pontiac

Pontiac is part of the Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI metro area (BLS area code 19820). 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 $108,180 Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI $107,856
Industrial Engineers $104,110 Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI $103,799
Graphic Designers $60,210 Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI $60,030
Mechanical Drafters $75,050 Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI $74,826
Interior Designers $59,210 Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI $59,033
Architectural and Engineering Managers $168,550 Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI $168,046
Set and Exhibit Designers $45,640 Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI $45,503
Mechanical Engineers $109,470 Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI $109,143

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.

Pontiac at a Glance

Metric Value Source
Population 61,914 Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income $42,791 Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+ 16.2% Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)
Regional Price Parity (US=100) 100.3 (above U.S. average) BEA RPP 2024

Other Pontiac-Area Cities With Industrial Design Programs

Frequently Asked Questions

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

Our directory has 4 accredited schools offering industrial design programs near Pontiac. The closest is Cranbrook Academy of Art in Bloomfield Hills, MI (5.9 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is Jackson College (66.1 miles). 3 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.

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

Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying industrial design-related roles near Pontiac are: Architectural and Engineering Managers ($168,550), Mechanical Engineers ($109,470), Commercial and Industrial Designers ($108,180). 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 Auburn Hills instead of Pontiac?

Auburn Hills, MI is 2.8 miles from Pontiac 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 Pontiac an affordable place to study industrial design?

Pontiac’s median household income of $42,791 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Pontiac 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 Pontiac

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

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)