Did you grow up wanting to design cars, toys, and products of the future? Are you someone with a curiosity for life but also the need to create things? Well, buckle up and get behind a career that drives innovation, builds business success, and leads to a better quality of life. Of course, we’re talking about industrial designers. Below are just under 40 design schools you can consider.
Calculator Olivetti Divisumma 24 designed in 1956 by Marcello Nizzoli
WHAT IS INDUSTRIAL DESIGN?
Industrial designers shape culture and influence daily life so profoundly that historians frequently document their work. According to the Industrial Designers Society of America (IDSA), Industrial Design is the professional practice of creating products, devices, objects, and services used by millions worldwide every day. It is industrial designers who introduce groundbreaking innovations, drive cultural shifts, and help pull societies out of economic downturns—making it one of the most impactful careers available.
If you’re considering this path, be aware that some schools offer pre-industrial design programs during the summer. Industrial designers thrive on being ahead of the curve, so getting an early start is a smart move if you’re looking to gain an edge.
STEPS TO BECOMING AN INDUSTRIAL DESIGNER
- Some art schools are a Bachelor of science program, others are art schools. Both require a strong portfolio before being accepted. Brush up on your drawing skills before you apply to an art college.
- Do your research online. IDSA is the non-profit organization to visit first. https://www.idsa.org/
- Earn a bachelor’s degree – Check out the list we organized below for some great school recommendations.
- Brush up on software skills – Software skills are important to an industrial designer so be sure to gain knowledge in programs such as Rhino, SOLIDWORKS, Adobe, Creo, and more…
- Organize a portfolio – When putting together your portfolio be sure to focus on quality over quantity.
- Prepare a resume
- Gain some professional experience
- Network, network, network
Photo by Liz Wisdom
concept sketch by Jake Rynkiewicz
UNIVERSITIES TO CONSIDER within the United States
Here we have organized an in-depth list of design schools to obtain an education in ID. The best idea is to visit a design school as a junior in high school or sooner and check it out.
- Academy of Art University
- Auburn University
- Carnegie Mellon School of Design
- Integrated Product Design at Penn State, Philadelphia, PA
- GA Tech Industrial Design Program Atlanta GA
- Michael Graves College (Kean University)
- Paier College
- RIT College of Art & Design
- San Francisco State University
- The International Center for Creativity
- Thomas Jefferson University
- University of Cincinnati
- University of Houston
- UIC
- University of Oregon
- University of South California Iovine and Young Academy
- Western Washington University
Photo by Bart Brejcha
Outside the United States
Here we have organized an in-depth list of design schools to obtain an education in ID.
- Royal College of Art UK
- Delft University of Technology Netherlands
- Politecnico di Milano Italy
- Technical University of Munich Germany
- Lund University Sweden
- Royal Academy of Fine Arts Belgium
- École Nationale Supérieure des Arts Décoratifs France
- University of Arts Berlin Germany)
- Aalto University Finland
- Technical University of Denmark
- National University of Singapore
- Technical University of Eindhoven Netherlands
- University of Applied Arts Vienna Austria
- University of Liverpool UK
- Domus Academy Italy
- Hong Kong Polytechnic University
- Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology Australia
- University of New South Wales Australia
- National Taiwan University of Science and Technology
- National Chiao Tung University Taiwan
Want to brush up on your software skills? Check out some of our classes geared toward industrial designers.