2026 Best Value Aerospace & Aeronautical Engineering Schools in the Far Western Region
[Aerospace & Aeronautical Engineering](/majors/engineering/aerospace-and-aeronautical-engineering/aerospace-aeronautical-space-engineering/) is a field worth comparing on the balance of cost and outcomes. The schools below stand out for delivering a strong aerospace & aeronautical engineering education at a price that pays off.
To produce this 2026 ranking, College Factual evaluated 17 schools on the balance of cost and outcomes for aerospace & aeronautical engineering students.
What’s on this page:
2026 Best Value Aerospace & Aeronautical Engineering Schools in the Far Western Region
If you want to know which schools deliver the best value for the aerospace & aeronautical engineering degrees they offer, see the list below.
Best Value Aerospace & Aeronautical Engineering Schools
Leading the list is California State University Long Beach, our #1 best value for aerospace & aeronautical engineering in the Far Western Region. Located in the city of Long Beach, California State University Long Beach is a very large public university. Students from in state pay about $7,374 in tuition and fees, with out-of-state students paying around $19,974. Aerospace & Aeronautical Engineering graduates carry a median of $25,300 in student loans. Soon after graduation, aerospace & aeronautical engineering degree recipients from California State University Long Beach generally make around $66,477. Set against $25,300 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 46% of applicants are accepted.
California State Polytechnic University Pomona is a great value for students pursuing a degree in aerospace & aeronautical engineering, landing the #2 spot this year. Located in the suburb of Pomona, California State Polytechnic University Pomona is a very large public university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $7,781, compared with $20,381 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $26,295 to complete the aerospace & aeronautical engineering program here. Soon after graduation, aerospace & aeronautical engineering degree recipients from California State Polytechnic University Pomona generally make around $78,320. Set against $26,295 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 75% of applicants are accepted.
Students looking for strong value in aerospace & aeronautical engineering will find it at University Of California San Diego, which ranked #3. University Of California San Diego is a very large public school located in the city of La Jolla. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $15,788, while out-of-state students pay about $47,676. Aerospace & Aeronautical Engineering graduates carry a median of $21,305 in student loans. Early-career aerospace & aeronautical engineering graduates make about $65,401. Set against $21,305 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 27% of applicants are accepted.
Stanford University came in at #4 on our 2026 list of the best value aerospace & aeronautical engineering schools. Located in the suburb of Stanford, Stanford University is a very large private not-for-profit university. Students from in state pay about $65,910 in tuition and fees. Aerospace & Aeronautical Engineering graduates carry a median of $10,492 in student loans. Aerospace & Aeronautical Engineering graduates of Stanford University earn a median of $111,760 early in their careers. Set against $10,492 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 4%.
Students looking for strong value in aerospace & aeronautical engineering will find it at University Of California Irvine, which ranked #5. Set in the city of Irvine, University Of California Irvine is a very large public institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $14,752, with out-of-state students paying around $46,640. Aerospace & Aeronautical Engineering graduates carry a median of $18,950 in student loans. Aerospace & Aeronautical Engineering graduates of University Of California Irvine earn a median of $67,425 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. University Of California Irvine admits about 29% of applicants.
University Of Washington Seattle Campus came in at #6 for value in aerospace & aeronautical engineering this year. University Of Washington Seattle Campus is a very large public school located in the city of Seattle. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $12,973, with out-of-state students paying around $43,209. Students borrow a median of $12,000 to complete the aerospace & aeronautical engineering program here. Early-career aerospace & aeronautical engineering graduates make about $93,709. That is a strong return on a $12,000 median debt. University Of Washington Seattle Campus admits about 39% of applicants.
San Jose State University placed #7 among the best values for aerospace & aeronautical engineering. Set in the city of San Jose, San Jose State University is a very large public institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $8,410, compared with $21,010 for out-of-state students. Graduates go on to earn a median of $78,988 ten years after entry. Roughly 85% of applicants are accepted.
University Of California Los Angeles earned the #8 position for value in aerospace & aeronautical engineering this year. University Of California Los Angeles is a very large public school located in the city of Los Angeles. In-state tuition and fees average $14,233, compared with $46,121 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for aerospace & aeronautical engineering graduates is $19,000. Early-career aerospace & aeronautical engineering graduates make about $90,170. Set against $19,000 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 9% of applicants are accepted.
University Of California Davis came in at #9 for value in aerospace & aeronautical engineering this year. Located in the suburb of Davis, University Of California Davis is a very large public university. In-state tuition and fees average $15,804, with out-of-state students paying around $47,692. Students borrow a median of $19,058 to complete the aerospace & aeronautical engineering program here. Early-career aerospace & aeronautical engineering graduates make about $71,633. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 42% of applicants are accepted.
California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo placed #10 among the best values for aerospace & aeronautical engineering. Set in the suburb of San Luis Obispo, California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo is a very large public institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $12,161, with out-of-state students paying around $33,230. Aerospace & Aeronautical Engineering graduates carry a median of $22,500 in student loans. Aerospace & Aeronautical Engineering graduates of California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo earn a median of $96,072 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $22,500 median debt. California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo admits about 31% of applicants.
San Diego State University came in at #11 for value in aerospace & aeronautical engineering this year. San Diego State University is a very large public school located in the city of San Diego. In-state tuition and fees average $8,728, while out-of-state students pay about $21,328. Students borrow a median of $23,000 to complete the aerospace & aeronautical engineering program here. Aerospace & Aeronautical Engineering graduates of San Diego State University earn a median of $74,375 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 36% of applicants are accepted.
California Institute Of Technology earned the #12 position for value in aerospace & aeronautical engineering this year. Located in the city of Pasadena, California Institute Of Technology is a mid-sized private not-for-profit university. Students from in state pay about $65,898 in tuition and fees. Aerospace & Aeronautical Engineering graduates of California Institute Of Technology earn a median of $173,344 early in their careers. California Institute Of Technology admits about 3% of applicants.
University Of Southern California placed #13 among the best values for aerospace & aeronautical engineering. University Of Southern California is a very large private not-for-profit school located in the city of Los Angeles. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $71,647. Students borrow a median of $21,140 to complete the aerospace & aeronautical engineering program here. Soon after graduation, aerospace & aeronautical engineering degree recipients from University Of Southern California generally make around $95,562. Set against $21,140 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. University Of Southern California admits about 10% of applicants.
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Notes and References
The ranking above is published by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 edition. The methodology weighs the cost of a degree against the earnings graduates go on to achieve, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Ranking method: College Major Best Value · 17 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 11 ranked schools only.
- The Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), a branch of the U.S. Department of Education (DOE), serves as the core of our data about colleges.
- Some other college data, including much of the graduate earnings data, comes from the U.S. Department of Education’s (College Scorecard).
More about our data sources and methodologies.
