Best Industrial Design Schools Near Kill Devil Hills, NC

Kill Devil Hills, North Carolina is home to about 7,727 residents. Median household income is $85,747 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 44.1% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In North Carolina, the top-earning industrial design-related role is Architectural and Engineering Managers at a median $167,840 annually (BLS, May 2025).


Closest Industrial Design Schools to Kill Devil Hills

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

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

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#1

North Carolina State University at Raleigh

Raleigh, NC 168.9 miles from Kill Devil Hills
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
84.6 BOC Score
Graduation rate 85%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $68,758
Avg net price $17,303/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 94%
  • Programs offered: 152

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#2

Appalachian State University

Boone, NC 335.7 miles from Kill Devil Hills
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
69.9 BOC Score
Graduation rate 75%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $51,836
Avg net price $16,836/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 84%
  • Programs offered: 108

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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


Industrial Design Wages Near Kill Devil Hills

Occupation Median Annual Wage (North Carolina, statewide)
Commercial and Industrial Designers $80,620
Industrial Engineers $99,310
Graphic Designers $58,450
Mechanical Drafters $59,050
Interior Designers $61,400
Architectural and Engineering Managers $167,840
Set and Exhibit Designers $49,410
Mechanical Engineers $100,720

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.


Kill Devil Hills at a Glance

Metric Value Source
Population 7,727 Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income $85,747 Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+ 44.1% Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)

Other Kill Devil Hills-Area Cities With Industrial Design Programs


Frequently Asked Questions

What are the highest-paying industrial design roles in North Carolina?

Based on BLS May 2025 state wage data, the top-paying industrial design-related roles in North Carolina are: Architectural and Engineering Managers ($167,840), Mechanical Engineers ($100,720), Industrial Engineers ($99,310). Wages for Kill Devil Hills workers will track these statewide medians, adjusted for local cost of living.

Should I look at programs in Elizabeth City instead of Kill Devil Hills?

Elizabeth City, NC is 36.9 miles from Kill Devil Hills 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 Kill Devil Hills an affordable place to study industrial design?

Kill Devil Hills’s median household income of $85,747 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Kill Devil Hills while attending lower-cost out-of-state schools, and North Carolina 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 Kill Devil Hills

Compare every accredited online degree program with city-level data for Kill Devil Hills:

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 2024โ€“2034) and the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (2023 cohort). The source agency and data year are cited inline with every statistic.