by our College Data Analytics TeamIn the latest year, 97 U.S. colleges awarded 10,170 degrees and certificates in Aerospace & Aeronautical Engineering. Bachelor’s degrees are the most popular award, at 67% of graduates. College Factual ranks 76 schools in its 2027 Best Aerospace & Aeronautical Engineering Schools ranking and compares their cost in a Best Value ranking. Graduates earn a median $77,688 one year after completing, rising to $102,804 after four years.
Do 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.
Studying Aerospace & Aeronautical Engineering involves the study of Aerospace, Aeronautical, And Astronautical/space Engineering.
Source: IPEDS 2025; College Scorecard July 2026; BLS; O*NET; College Factual rankings 2027. Data as of: July 2026.
Across the country, aerospace & aeronautical engineering is a widely-pursued major, with 10,170 degrees awarded annually. 97 colleges award aerospace & aeronautical engineering degrees, an average of 105 graduates per school; the largest program awarded 668.
By level, the 10,170 awards include 39 associate degrees, 6,849 bachelor’s degrees, 2,821 master’s degrees and 461 doctorates.
Women earned 20% of aerospace & aeronautical engineering degrees and certificates in the latest year (2,012 of 10,170). The largest groups of graduates by race and ethnicity are White (5,547) and Hispanic or Latino (1,266), and international students earned 1,092.
College Factual ranks 76 schools in its 2027 Best Aerospace & Aeronautical Engineering Schools ranking, including 1 for associate degrees, 67 for bachelor’s degrees, 48 for master’s degrees and 17 for doctorates. It also ranks aerospace & aeronautical engineering schools within 29 states. In all, 97 colleges offer aerospace & aeronautical engineering programs; compare them by degree level below or in the Best Value Aerospace & Aeronautical Engineering Colleges ranking, which weighs quality against cost.
The most common aerospace & aeronautical engineering credential is the bachelor’s degree: 6,849 of the 10,170 awarded in the latest year. Jobs related to aerospace & aeronautical engineering call most for Speaking, Reading Comprehension and Active Listening, and for knowledge of Engineering and Technology, English Language and Mathematics, according to O*NET. The most important abilities are Oral Expression, Written Comprehension and Oral Comprehension.
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.
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How long an aerospace & aeronautical engineering degree takes:
| Degree | Typical Program Length | Graduates Annually |
|---|---|---|
| Associate Degree | 2 years | 39 |
| Bachelor’s Degree | 4 years | 6,849 |
| Master’s Degree | 1-3 years | 2,821 |
| Doctorate | At least 4 years | 461 |
Doctoral degree is the most common level of education among workers in jobs related to aerospace & aeronautical engineering, at 34.5%.
| Level of Education | Percentage of Workers |
|---|---|
| Doctoral degree | 34.5% |
| Bachelor’s degree | 18.1% |
| Master’s degree | 12.3% |
| Post-master’s certificate | 11.1% |
| Post-doctoral training | 10.4% |
| Postsecondary certificate | 5.4% |
| Associate’s degree (or other 2-year) | 3.6% |
| High school diploma or equivalent | 2.0% |
| First professional degree | 1.0% |
| Some college courses | 0.8% |
| Post-baccalaureate certificate | 0.8% |
Source: O*NET Online.
6 occupations are related to Aerospace & Aeronautical Engineering, with an average median salary of $73,862; the strongest outlook belongs to Aerospace Engineering and Operations Technologists and Technicians, at 10.6% projected job growth. Typical job titles include Radar Engineering Teacher, Professor, Chemical Engineering Teacher and Metallurgical Engineering Teacher.
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.
The occupation related to aerospace & aeronautical engineering with the most projected jobs is Engineering Teachers, Postsecondary, at 1,297,204.
| Occupation | Projected Jobs | Expected Growth |
|---|---|---|
| Engineering Teachers, Postsecondary | 1,297,204 | -2.0% |
| Avionics Technicians | 487,959 | 5.2% |
| Biofuels/Biodiesel Technology and Product Development Managers | 440,884 | 8.0% |
| Aerospace Engineering and Operations Technologists and Technicians | 214,833 | 10.6% |
| Architectural and Engineering Managers | 207,139 | 9.0% |
| Aerospace Engineers | 138,496 | 5.1% |
Aerospace & Aeronautical Engineering graduates earn a median $77,688 one year after completing their program, $102,804 after four years and $101,440 after five years, according to the U.S. Department of Education’s College Scorecard.
| Years Out | Median Earnings |
|---|---|
| 1 year | $77,688 |
| 4 years | $102,804 |
| 5 years | $101,440 |
Source: College Scorecard.
The highest-paying occupation related to aerospace & aeronautical engineering is Architectural and Engineering Managers, with a median salary of $101,277.
| Occupation | Median Annual Salary |
|---|---|
| Architectural and Engineering Managers | $101,277 |
| Biofuels/Biodiesel Technology and Product Development Managers | $89,263 |
| Engineering Teachers, Postsecondary | $79,889 |
| Aerospace Engineering and Operations Technologists and Technicians | $77,835 |
| Aerospace Engineers | $63,328 |
| Avionics Technicians | $31,577 |
Aerospace & Aeronautical Engineering includes 3 concentrations that together award 10,170 degrees a year; by graduates, the largest are Aerospace, Aeronautical, and Astronautical/Space Engineering, General (10,161), Astronautical Engineering (8) and Aerospace, Aeronautical, and Astronautical/Space Engineering, Other (1). It has 40 similar majors in the Engineering field, which together award 192,865 degrees a year; the largest are Mechanical Engineering (43,874), Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering (27,513) and Computer Engineering (21,335). Browse all Engineering majors or the full list of college majors.
| Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| Aerospace, Aeronautical, and Astronautical/Space Engineering, General | 10,161 |
| Astronautical Engineering | 8 |
| Aerospace, Aeronautical, and Astronautical/Space Engineering, Other | 1 |
| Related Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| Mechanical Engineering | 43,874 |
| Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering | 27,513 |
| Computer Engineering | 21,335 |
| Civil Engineering | 19,856 |
| Engineering, General | 14,789 |
| Biomedical/Medical Engineering | 14,592 |
| Chemical Engineering | 10,559 |
| Industrial Engineering | 8,023 |
| Systems Engineering | 4,489 |
| Engineering, Other | 3,344 |
More about our data sources and methodologies.
