by our College Data Analytics TeamDo you want to be a rocket scientist? A major in Aerospace & Aeronautical Engineering will give you the knowledge needed to design, develop, and test aircrafts, missiles, space vehicles, and their systems. You will learn about all types of flight: airplanes, spacecrafts, helicopters, you name it. You also get to supervise the manufacturing of the product to make sure it's both accurate and effective. Along with learning the science and math of aerospace and aeronautical engineering, you will learn how to properly assess projects to see if they are both financially and technically doable. This is a great major for anyone who is interested in aviation or space exploration.
The required courses will vary depending on the college you decide to attend. However some courses that you may be required to take could include physics, calculus, trigonometry, aerodynamics, aerospace structures, mechanics, and general engineering principles.
In 2021-2022, aerospace & aeronautical engineering was the 94th most popular major nationwide with 8,671 degrees awarded. This year's Best Aerospace & Aeronautical Engineering Schools ranking compares 70 of them to identify the best overall programs in the country. Explore this or one of our many other custom aerospace engineering rankings further below.
This is a rigorous, difficult, and time consuming program that is not for the faint of heart. As an Aerospace or Aeronautical Engineer you need to be focused and determined. Math and science should be something you enjoy working with daily. Your four years at school will be intense, but if you can survive them, you will graduate with an understanding of atmospheric and space flight and will have the ability to research, analyze, and design aircrafts and space vehicles.
You need to be disciplined and ready to work hard to meet your goals. Be prepared to try and try again to produce a product that works. Students who feel comfortable asking questions and obtaining help will do the best. You will also need to be good at collaborating when working with a team in order to design and build an aircraft, spacecraft, or their components. College is a good time to practice communication as you work with others to achieve a common goal; this is a skill you will employ throughout your career.
You will need strong analytical skills to help identify different design elements and figure out how to improve their performance. Knowledge of the law is helpful in order to meet federal government standards.
Many programs will require an internship in order to get hands on experience in the actual field.
New students will need to have completed high school or a GED program and each school will have their own minimum GPA and SAT/ACT test requirements. Specific aerospace engineering careers may require a certain level of degree attainment or additional certifications beyond that.
There are various different levels of aerospace engineering degrees. You can get anything from a in aerospace & aeronautical engineering to the highest aerospace engineering degree, a . Depending on the aerospace & aeronautical engineering degree you choose, obtaining your diploma can take anwhere from 1 to 4+ years.
| Degree | Credit Requirements | Typical Program Length |
|---|---|---|
| Associate Degree | 60-70 credits | 2 years |
| Bachelor’s Degree | 120 credits | 4 years |
| Master’s Degree | 50-70 credits | 1-3 years |
| Doctorate | Program required coursework including thesis or dissertation | At least 4 years |
A bachelor's degree is the most common level of education achieved by those in careers related to aerospace engineering, with approximately 39.0% of workers getting one. See the the most common levels of education for aerospace engineering workers below.
| Level of Education | Percentage of Workers |
|---|---|
| Bachelor’s Degree | 46.7% |
| Master’s Degree | 27.1% |
| Doctoral Degree | 11.4% |
| Post-Baccalaureate Certificate | 4.9% |
| Post-Doctoral Training | 3.4% |
Most workers in aerospace engineering have at least a master's degree. View the chart below to get an idea of what degree level most of those in aerospace & aeronautical engineering careers have.
This of course varies depending on which aerospace engineering career you choose.
The aerospace industry is a large industry in the United States and jobs tend to be very lucrative depending on the company. Many aerospace engineers work with manufacturing industries that are projected to grow slowly. Much of the new technology focuses on reducing noise or pollution. A lot of the jobs need to stay in the United States because of the security clearances and regulations that go hand in hand with their work.
Want a job when you graduate with your aerospace engineering degree? Aerospace & Aeronautical Engineering careers are expected to grow 7.1% between 2016 and 2026.
The following options are some of the most in-demand careers related to aerospace & aeronautical engineering.
| Occupation Name | Projected Jobs | Expected Growth |
|---|---|---|
| Architectural and Engineering Managers | 190,000 | 5.5% |
| Aerospace Engineers | 73,800 | 6.0% |
| Engineering Professors | 54,600 | 14.7% |
Recently graduated aerospace & aeronautical engineering students earned an average of $77,284 in <nil>. Earnings can range from as low as $57,456 to as high as $128,330. As you might expect, salaries for aerospace engineering graduates vary depending on the level of education that was acquired.
Salaries for aerospace & aeronautical engineering graduates can vary widely by the occupation you choose as well. The following table shows the top highest paying careers aerospace engineering grads often go into.
| Occupation Name | Median Average Salary |
|---|---|
| Architectural and Engineering Managers | $148,970 |
| Aerospace Engineers | $117,100 |
| Engineering Professors | $113,680 |
With over 228 different aerospace engineering degree programs to choose from, finding the best fit for you can be a challenge. Fortunately you have come to the right place. We have analyzed all of these schools to come up with hundreds of unbiased aerospace engineering school rankings to help you with this.
One of 41 majors within the Engineering area of study, Aerospace & Aeronautical Engineering has other similar majors worth exploring.
| Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| Aerospace & Aeronautical Engineering | 8,668 |
| Astronautical Engineering | 3 |
| Related Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| Mechanical Engineering | 44,794 |
| Electrical Engineering | 26,528 |
| Civil Engineering | 20,655 |
| Computer Engineering | 16,954 |
| Biomedical Engineering | 13,222 |
