by our College Data Analytics TeamIn the latest year, 97 U.S. colleges awarded 10,161 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.
Studying Aerospace & Aeronautical Engineering involves the study of Aerospace, Aeronautical, And Astronautical/space Engineering, General. A Program That Prepares Individuals To Apply Mathematical And Scientific Principles To The Design, Development And Operational Evaluation Of Aircraft, Missiles, Space Vehicles, And Their Systems; Applied Research On Flight And Orbital Characteristics; And The Development Of Systems And Procedures For The Launching, Guidance, And Control Of Air And Space Vehicles. Examples: [Space Systems Engineering], [Space Facilities Engineering], [Missile Systems Engineering], [Air-Breathing Propulsion], [Aerospace Navigation], [Rocket Propulsion].
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 draws strong interest, with 10,161 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 10,161 awards include 39 associate degrees, 6,849 bachelor’s degrees, 2,812 master’s degrees and 461 doctorates.
Women earned 20% of aerospace & aeronautical engineering degrees and certificates in the latest year (2,010 of 10,161). The largest groups of graduates by race and ethnicity are White (5,544) and Hispanic or Latino (1,265), and international students earned 1,088.
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 10,161 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, Mathematics and English Language, according to O*NET. The most important abilities are Oral Expression, Written Comprehension and Speech Clarity.
Top skills, rated 0–5:
Top knowledge areas, rated 0–5:
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 | 2,812 |
| 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 38.1%.
| Level of Education | Percentage of Workers |
|---|---|
| Doctoral degree | 38.1% |
| Bachelor’s degree | 19.6% |
| Master’s degree | 13.6% |
| Post-master’s certificate | 12.3% |
| Post-doctoral training | 11.5% |
| Associate’s degree (or other 2-year) | 1.8% |
| First professional degree | 1.1% |
| Postsecondary certificate | 0.9% |
| Post-baccalaureate certificate | 0.9% |
| High school diploma or equivalent | 0.3% |
Source: O*NET Online.
4 occupations are related to Aerospace & Aeronautical Engineering, with an average median salary of $83,439; the strongest outlook belongs to Architectural and Engineering Managers, at 9.0% projected job growth. Typical job titles include Research Professor, Ship Design Teacher, Electrical Engineering Teacher and Manufacturing Engineering Professor.
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% |
| Biofuels/Biodiesel Technology and Product Development Managers | 440,884 | 8.0% |
| 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 same occupation is also the highest-paying one related to aerospace & aeronautical engineering, 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 Engineers | $63,328 |
Aerospace & Aeronautical Engineering has 2 similar majors in the Engineering field, which together award 9 degrees a year; the largest are Astronautical Engineering (8) and Aerospace, Aeronautical, and Astronautical/Space Engineering, Other (1). Browse all Engineering majors or the full list of college majors.
| Related Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| Astronautical Engineering | 8 |
| Aerospace, Aeronautical, and Astronautical/Space Engineering, Other | 1 |
More about our data sources and methodologies.
