2027 Best Value Aerospace & Aeronautical Engineering Schools in the Great Lakes 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. A high-value program keeps cost low while graduates go on to earn well.
For its 2027 best-value ranking, College Factual looked at 12 schools to find the best return on investment for aerospace & aeronautical engineering students.
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2027 Best Value Aerospace & Aeronautical Engineering Schools in the Great Lakes Region
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in aerospace & aeronautical engineering, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value Aerospace & Aeronautical Engineering Schools
University Of Michigan Ann Arbor tops our 2027 list of the best value aerospace & aeronautical engineering schools in the Great Lakes Region. University Of Michigan Ann Arbor is a very large public school located in the city of Ann Arbor. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $18,848, while out-of-state students pay about $63,081. Aerospace & Aeronautical Engineering graduates carry a median of $21,603 in student loans. Aerospace & Aeronautical Engineering graduates of University Of Michigan Ann Arbor earn a median of $94,124 early in their careers. Set against $21,603 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 16%.
University Of Illinois At Urbana Champaign came in at #2 on our 2027 list of the best value aerospace & aeronautical engineering schools. Set in the city of Champaign, University Of Illinois At Urbana Champaign is a very large public institution. Students from in state pay about $18,267 in tuition and fees, with out-of-state students paying around $40,096. Students borrow a median of $23,951 to complete the aerospace & aeronautical engineering program here. Early-career aerospace & aeronautical engineering graduates make about $87,496. Set against $23,951 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 42% of applicants are accepted.
University Of Akron Main Campus is a great value for students pursuing a degree in aerospace & aeronautical engineering, landing the #3 spot this year. Set in the city of Akron, University Of Akron Main Campus is a large public institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $13,135, with out-of-state students paying around $20,815. Students borrow a median of $25,347 to complete the aerospace & aeronautical engineering program here. Soon after graduation, aerospace & aeronautical engineering degree recipients from University Of Akron Main Campus generally make around $49,045. That is a strong return on a $25,347 median debt. University Of Akron Main Campus admits about 60% of applicants.
Students looking for strong value in aerospace & aeronautical engineering will find it at Purdue University Main Campus, which ranked #4. Purdue University Main Campus is a very large public school located in the city of West Lafayette. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $9,992, while out-of-state students pay about $28,794. Aerospace & Aeronautical Engineering graduates carry a median of $21,500 in student loans. Aerospace & Aeronautical Engineering graduates of Purdue University Main Campus earn a median of $88,159 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $21,500 median debt. Roughly 50% of applicants are accepted.
Western Michigan University came in at #5 on our 2027 list of the best value aerospace & aeronautical engineering schools. Set in the city of Kalamazoo, Western Michigan University is a large public institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $15,987, while out-of-state students pay about $19,952. Aerospace & Aeronautical Engineering graduates carry a median of $28,021 in student loans. Early-career aerospace & aeronautical engineering graduates make about $69,514. Set against $28,021 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 85% of applicants are accepted.
Ohio State University Main Campus earned the #6 position for value in aerospace & aeronautical engineering this year. Set in the city of Columbus, Ohio State University Main Campus is a very large public institution. Students from in state pay about $13,244 in tuition and fees, compared with $40,022 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $25,853 to complete the aerospace & aeronautical engineering program here. Aerospace & Aeronautical Engineering graduates of Ohio State University Main Campus earn a median of $72,062 early in their careers. Set against $25,853 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 61%.
Illinois Institute Of Technology came in at #7 for value in aerospace & aeronautical engineering this year. Set in the city of Chicago, Illinois Institute Of Technology is a large private not-for-profit institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $52,202. Students borrow a median of $27,000 to complete the aerospace & aeronautical engineering program here. Early-career aerospace & aeronautical engineering graduates make about $63,169. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 55% of applicants are accepted.
Kent State University At Kent placed #8 among the best values for aerospace & aeronautical engineering. Located in the suburb of Kent, Kent State University At Kent is a very large public university. Students from in state pay about $12,220 in tuition and fees, with out-of-state students paying around $21,575. Typical student debt for aerospace & aeronautical engineering graduates is $25,174. Early-career aerospace & aeronautical engineering graduates make about $44,776. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Kent State University At Kent admits about 86% of applicants.
University Of Cincinnati Main Campus placed #9 among the best values for aerospace & aeronautical engineering. University Of Cincinnati Main Campus is a very large public school located in the city of Cincinnati. In-state tuition and fees average $13,363, with out-of-state students paying around $28,697. Typical student debt for aerospace & aeronautical engineering graduates is $20,750. Soon after graduation, aerospace & aeronautical engineering degree recipients from University Of Cincinnati Main Campus generally make around $74,992. Set against $20,750 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 85%.
University Of Notre Dame ranked #10 on our 2027 list of the best value aerospace & aeronautical engineering schools. Located in the suburb of Notre Dame, University Of Notre Dame is a large private not-for-profit university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $65,025. Typical student debt for aerospace & aeronautical engineering graduates is $24,000. Soon after graduation, aerospace & aeronautical engineering degree recipients from University Of Notre Dame generally make around $81,057. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 11%.
University Of Dayton placed #11 among the best values for aerospace & aeronautical engineering. Located in the city of Dayton, University Of Dayton is a large private not-for-profit university. Students from in state pay about $49,140 in tuition and fees. Students borrow a median of $25,033 to complete the aerospace & aeronautical engineering program here. Early-career aerospace & aeronautical engineering graduates make about $56,077. Set against $25,033 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 65%.
Case Western Reserve University earned the #12 position for value in aerospace & aeronautical engineering this year. Case Western Reserve University is a large private not-for-profit school located in the city of Cleveland. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $66,608. Aerospace & Aeronautical Engineering graduates carry a median of $26,410 in student loans. Soon after graduation, aerospace & aeronautical engineering degree recipients from Case Western Reserve University generally make around $83,639. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Case Western Reserve University admits about 36% of applicants.
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Notes and References
This list is compiled by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2027 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 · 12 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 12 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.
