Best Industrial Design Schools Near Mankato, MN (2026)

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

Mankato, Minnesota has 2 accredited schools offering industrial design programs. Mankato has a population of about 44,882. Median household income is $64,826 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 36.2% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In the Mankato, MN metro area, the top-earning industrial design-related role is Architectural and Engineering Managers at a median $158,750 annually (BLS OEWS, May 2025).

Closest Industrial Design Schools to Mankato

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

Minneapolis College of Art and Design

Minneapolis, MN 64.4 miles from Mankato
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
44.3 BOC Score
Graduation rate 64%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $40,873
Avg net price $29,926/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 78%
  • Programs offered: 16

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#2

University of Minnesota-Twin Cities

Minneapolis, MN 66.3 miles from Mankato
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
83.9 BOC Score
Graduation rate 83%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $69,020
Avg net price $16,778/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 91%
  • Programs offered: 250

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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

Industrial Design Wages Near Mankato

Mankato is part of the Mankato, MN metro area (BLS area code 31860). Where MSA-level wages are published, the table below shows MSA medians; otherwise it falls back to Minnesota statewide.

Occupation Median Wage Source COL-Adjusted (US=100)
Commercial and Industrial Designers $94,370 MN statewide $103,703
Industrial Engineers $96,110 Mankato, MN $105,615
Graphic Designers $54,150 Mankato, MN $59,505
Mechanical Drafters $67,250 Mankato, MN $73,901
Interior Designers $73,270 MN statewide $80,516
Architectural and Engineering Managers $158,750 Mankato, MN $174,451
Set and Exhibit Designers $66,090 MN statewide $72,626
Mechanical Engineers $101,350 Mankato, MN $111,374

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.

Mankato at a Glance

Metric Value Source
Population 44,882 Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income $64,826 Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+ 36.2% Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)
Regional Price Parity (US=100) 91.0 (below U.S. average) BEA RPP 2024

Other Mankato-Area Cities With Industrial Design Programs

Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited industrial design schools are near Mankato, MN?

Our directory has 2 accredited schools offering industrial design programs near Mankato. The closest is Minneapolis College of Art and Design in Minneapolis, MN (64.4 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is University of Minnesota-Twin Cities (66.3 miles). 2 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.

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

Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying industrial design-related roles near Mankato are: Architectural and Engineering Managers ($158,750), Mechanical Engineers ($101,350), Industrial Engineers ($96,110). These reflect MSA-level medians where published, with Minnesota statewide fallback for occupations not reported at the metro level.

Should I look at programs in Faribault instead of Mankato?

Faribault, MN is 35.7 miles from Mankato 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 Mankato an affordable place to study industrial design?

Mankato’s median household income of $64,826 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Mankato while attending lower-cost out-of-state schools, and Minnesota 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 Mankato

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

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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