Best Industrial Design Schools Near Parkersburg, WV (2026)

Parkersburg, West Virginia has 2 accredited schools offering industrial design programs. Parkersburg has a population of about 29,461. Median household income is $44,675 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 18.5% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In West Virginia, the top-earning industrial design-related role is Architectural and Engineering Managers at a median $149,430 annually (BLS, May 2025).


Closest Industrial Design Schools to Parkersburg

The accredited institutions listed below are the closest in our directory that offer industrial design programs near Parkersburg, ranked by BOC Score and straight-line distance from Parkersburg city center. The list is rebuilt from federal IPEDS data on every site update.

No school data available.

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


Industrial Design Wages Near Parkersburg

Parkersburg is part of the Parkersburg-Vienna, WV metro area (BLS area code 37620). Where MSA-level wages are published, the table below shows MSA medians; otherwise it falls back to West Virginia statewide.

Occupation Median Wage Source COL-Adjusted (US=100)
Commercial and Industrial Designers $73,030 WV statewide $83,846
Industrial Engineers $108,360 WV statewide $124,409
Graphic Designers $39,250 Parkersburg-Vienna, WV $45,063
Mechanical Drafters $65,100 WV statewide $74,742
Interior Designers $49,800 WV statewide $57,176
Architectural and Engineering Managers $149,430 WV statewide $171,561
Set and Exhibit Designers N/A WV statewide
Mechanical Engineers $109,370 Parkersburg-Vienna, WV $125,568

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.


Parkersburg at a Glance

Metric Value Source
Population 29,461 Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income $44,675 Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+ 18.5% Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)
Regional Price Parity (US=100) 87.1 (below U.S. average) BEA RPP 2024

Other Parkersburg-Area Cities With Industrial Design Programs


Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited industrial design schools are near Parkersburg, WV?

Our directory has 2 accredited schools offering industrial design programs near Parkersburg. The closest is Columbus College of Art & Design in Columbus, OH (91.1 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is Ohio State University-Main Campus (93.2 miles). 2 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.

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

Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying industrial design-related roles near Parkersburg are: Architectural and Engineering Managers ($149,430), Mechanical Engineers ($109,370), Industrial Engineers ($108,360). These reflect MSA-level medians where published, with West Virginia statewide fallback for occupations not reported at the metro level.

Should I look at programs in Marietta instead of Parkersburg?

Marietta, OH is 12.3 miles from Parkersburg 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 Parkersburg an affordable place to study industrial design?

Parkersburg’s median household income of $44,675 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Parkersburg while attending lower-cost out-of-state schools, and West Virginia 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 Parkersburg

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

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.