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2023 Most Focused Doctor’s Degree Colleges for Aerospace & Aeronautical Engineering

50 Ranked Colleges
361 Degrees Awarded
$34,900 Avg Cost*
Schools for a Doctorate Highly Focused on Aerospace Engineering Major

When it comes to choosing a college, students have a lot of options - but not all of them are good. Our mission at College Factual is to arm you with as much information as we can to help you make that decision. Our “Schools for a Doctorate Highly Focused on Aerospace Engineering Major” ranking is one tool we have developed to help in this regard.

In 2020-2021, 7,996 people earned their degree in aerospace and aeronautical engineering, making the major the 102nd most popular in the United States.

At the doctor’s degree level specifically, there were 361 aerospace and aeronautical engineering graduates with average earnings and debt of $75,260 and $0 respectively.

This year’s “Schools for a Doctorate Highly Focused on Aerospace Engineering Major” ranking looked at 50 colleges that offer degrees in a bachelor’s in aerospace and aeronautical engineering. The colleges and universities that top this list are recognized because their aerospace and aeronautical engineering program is one of the largest majors offered at the school.

See our ranking methodology to learn more.

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When choosing the right school for you, it’s important to arm yourself with all the facts you can. To that end, we’ve created a number of major-specific rankings, including this “Schools for a Doctorate Highly Focused on Aerospace Engineering Major” list to help you make the college decision.

One of our other unique offerings is College Combat. This tool lets you build your own customized comparisons utilizing the factors that are most important to you. Go ahead and give it a try, or bookmark the link so you can check it out later.

Schools for a Doctorate Highly Focused on Aerospace Engineering Major

The colleges and universities below are the best for doctor’s degree aerospace engineering students.

Top 25 Most Focused Doctor’s Degree Colleges for Aerospace & Aeronautical Engineering

1

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend California Institute of Technology. The school came in at #1 for the Schools for a Doctorate Highly Focused on Aerospace Engineering Major. California Institute of Technology is a small school located in Pasadena, California that handed out 11 doctorate’s aerospace engineering degrees in 2020-2021.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 94%. The undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 3 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one.

Full Caltech Aerospace & Aeronautical Engineering Report

2

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Air Force Institute of Technology - Graduate School of Engineering & Management. It ranked #2 on our 2023 Schools for a Doctorate Highly Focused on Aerospace Engineering Major list. AFIT Graduate School of Engineering & Management is a public institution located in Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio. The school has a small population, and it awarded 3 doctorate’s degrees in 2020-2021.

Read more about Aerospace & Aeronautical Engineering at AFIT Graduate School of Engineering & Management

3
MIT crest
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Cambridge, Massachusetts

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Massachusetts Institute of Technology. The school came in at #3 for the Schools for a Doctorate Highly Focused on Aerospace Engineering Major. MIT is a fairly large school located in Cambridge, Massachusetts that handed out 18 doctorate’s aerospace engineering degrees in 2020-2021.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 0.3%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. The undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 3 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one. With a freshman retention rate of 98%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Full MIT Aerospace & Aeronautical Engineering Report

4
Stanford crest
Stanford University
Stanford, California

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Stanford University. The school came in at #4 for the Schools for a Doctorate Highly Focused on Aerospace Engineering Major. Stanford, California is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out doctorate’s aerospace engineering degrees to 21 students in 2020-2021.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 86%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 4 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 0.5% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.

Read full report on Aerospace & Aeronautical Engineering at Stanford University

5

Out of the 50 schools in the Schools for a Doctorate Highly Focused on Aerospace Engineering Major that were part of this year’s ranking, Missouri University of Science and Technology landed the #5 spot on the list. This medium-sized school is located in Rolla, Missouri, and it awarded 8 doctorate’s aerospace engineering degrees in 2020-2021.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 85%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 3.7%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Aerospace & Aeronautical Engineering at Missouri University of Science and Technology

6

With a ranking of #6, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University - Daytona Beach did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Doctorate Highly Focused on Aerospace Engineering Major list. Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University - Daytona Beach is a medium-sized school located in Daytona Beach, Florida that handed out 5 doctorate’s aerospace engineering degrees in 2020-2021.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 4.1%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Aerospace & Aeronautical Engineering at Embry-Riddle Daytona Beach

7
Purdue crest
Purdue University - Main Campus
West Lafayette, Indiana

Purdue University - Main Campus ranked #7 on this year’s Schools for a Doctorate Highly Focused on Aerospace Engineering Major list. This large school is located in West Lafayette, Indiana, and it awarded 37 doctorate’s aerospace engineering degrees in 2020-2021.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.7% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 93%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Full Purdue Aerospace & Aeronautical Engineering Report

8

Georgia Institute of Technology - Main Campus landed the #8 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Doctorate Highly Focused on Aerospace Engineering Major ranking. Georgia Tech is located in Atlanta, Georgia and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 27 doctorate’s aerospace engineering degrees to qualified students.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 97%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 0.9% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.

Full Georgia Tech Aerospace & Aeronautical Engineering Report

9

University of Colorado Boulder ranked #9 on this year’s Schools for a Doctorate Highly Focused on Aerospace Engineering Major list. University of Colorado Boulder is a large public school situated in Boulder, Colorado. It awarded 25 doctorate’s aerospace engineering degrees in 2020-2021.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 85%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.4%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Aerospace & Aeronautical Engineering at CU - Boulder

10

University of Michigan - Ann Arbor landed the #10 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Doctorate Highly Focused on Aerospace Engineering Major ranking. U-M is a public institution located in Ann Arbor, Michigan. The school has a large population, and it awarded 28 doctorate’s degrees in 2020-2021.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.3% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 96%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Read more about Aerospace & Aeronautical Engineering at University of Michigan - Ann Arbor

11
Virginia Tech crest
Virginia Tech
Blacksburg, Virginia

Virginia Tech landed the #11 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Doctorate Highly Focused on Aerospace Engineering Major ranking. Virginia Tech is a large public school situated in Blacksburg, Virginia. It awarded 16 doctorate’s aerospace engineering degrees in 2020-2021.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.2%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 93%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Full Virginia Tech Aerospace & Aeronautical Engineering Report

12

University of Alabama in Huntsville landed the #12 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Doctorate Highly Focused on Aerospace Engineering Major ranking. University of Alabama in Huntsville is a medium-sized school located in Huntsville, Alabama that handed out 3 doctorate’s aerospace engineering degrees in 2020-2021.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 4.7%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Aerospace & Aeronautical Engineering at University of Alabama in Huntsville

13

Florida Institute of Technology came in at #13 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Doctorate Highly Focused on Aerospace Engineering Major ranking. Florida Institute of Technology is located in Melbourne, Florida and, has a medium-sized student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 2 doctorate’s aerospace engineering degrees to qualified students.

Read full report on Aerospace & Aeronautical Engineering at Florida Institute of Technology

14

University of Minnesota - Twin Cities ranked #14 on this year’s Schools for a Doctorate Highly Focused on Aerospace Engineering Major list. University of Minnesota - Twin Cities is located in Minneapolis, Minnesota and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 14 doctorate’s aerospace engineering degrees to qualified students.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 93%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.7%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Aerospace & Aeronautical Engineering at UMN Twin Cities

15

Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute did quite well in the 2023 Schools for a Doctorate Highly Focused on Aerospace Engineering Major ranking, coming in at #15. This medium-sized school is located in Troy, New York, and it awarded 2 doctorate’s aerospace engineering degrees in 2020-2021.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 91%. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.3%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute Aerospace & Aeronautical Engineering Report

16

University of Washington - Seattle Campus landed the #16 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Doctorate Highly Focused on Aerospace Engineering Major ranking. This large school is located in Seattle, Washington, and it awarded 13 doctorate’s aerospace engineering degrees in 2020-2021.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.1%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 93%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Full University of Washington - Seattle Campus Aerospace & Aeronautical Engineering Report

17

With a ranking of #17, University of Cincinnati - Main Campus did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Doctorate Highly Focused on Aerospace Engineering Major list. Located in Cincinnati, Ohio, this large public school handed out 10 diplomas to qualified doctorate’s aerospace engineering students in 2020-2021.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 4.7%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 88%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Read full report on Aerospace & Aeronautical Engineering at UC

18

University of Maryland - College Park did quite well in the 2023 Schools for a Doctorate Highly Focused on Aerospace Engineering Major ranking, coming in at #18. This large school is located in College Park, Maryland, and it awarded 10 doctorate’s aerospace engineering degrees in 2020-2021.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.8% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 95%.

Read more about Aerospace & Aeronautical Engineering at UMCP

19

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign did quite well in the 2023 Schools for a Doctorate Highly Focused on Aerospace Engineering Major ranking, coming in at #19. Champaign, Illinois is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out doctorate’s aerospace engineering degrees to 12 students in 2020-2021.

With a freshman retention rate of 94%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.3%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Aerospace & Aeronautical Engineering Report

20
KU crest
University of Kansas
Lawrence, Kansas

University of Kansas ranked #20 on this year’s Schools for a Doctorate Highly Focused on Aerospace Engineering Major list. This large school is located in Lawrence, Kansas, and it awarded 5 doctorate’s aerospace engineering degrees in 2020-2021.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 86%. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 4.3%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Aerospace & Aeronautical Engineering at KU

21
Auburn crest
Auburn University
Auburn, Alabama

Auburn University ranked #21 on this year’s Schools for a Doctorate Highly Focused on Aerospace Engineering Major list. Auburn is located in Auburn, Alabama and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 5 doctorate’s aerospace engineering degrees to qualified students.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.6%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 92%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Full Auburn Aerospace & Aeronautical Engineering Report

22

Iowa State University ranked #22 on this year’s Schools for a Doctorate Highly Focused on Aerospace Engineering Major list. Iowa State is a large school located in Ames, Iowa that handed out 5 doctorate’s aerospace engineering degrees in 2020-2021.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 2.4% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 89%.

Read more about Aerospace & Aeronautical Engineering at Iowa State University

23

The University of Texas at Arlington ranked #23 on this year’s Schools for a Doctorate Highly Focused on Aerospace Engineering Major list. Arlington, Texas is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out doctorate’s aerospace engineering degrees to 8 students in 2020-2021.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 4.6%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Aerospace & Aeronautical Engineering at UT Arlington

24

Texas A&M University - College Station ranked #24 on this year’s Schools for a Doctorate Highly Focused on Aerospace Engineering Major list. Texas A&M University - College Station is a large public school situated in College Station, Texas. It awarded 10 doctorate’s aerospace engineering degrees in 2020-2021.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.2%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 94%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Full Texas A&M University - College Station Aerospace & Aeronautical Engineering Report

25
WPI crest
Worcester Polytechnic Institute
Worcester, Massachusetts

Worcester Polytechnic Institute came in at #25 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Doctorate Highly Focused on Aerospace Engineering Major ranking. Worcester Polytechnic Institute is located in Worcester, Massachusetts and, has a medium-sized student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 1 doctorate’s aerospace engineering degrees to qualified students.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.1%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 95%.

Read full report on Aerospace & Aeronautical Engineering at WPI

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