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2023 Most Popular Colleges for Aerospace & Aeronautical Engineering

85 Ranked Colleges
7,996 Degrees Awarded
$34,400 Avg Cost*
Most Well Attended Aerospace Engineering Major

When pursuing a degree in today’s world, students have many different options to choose from. College Factual was founded, in part, to help students make the decision as to what would be the best school for them. Our “Most Well Attended Aerospace Engineering Major” ranking is part of that endeavor.

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.

This year’s “Most Well Attended Aerospace Engineering Major” ranking analyzed 85 colleges that offered a degree in aerospace and aeronautical engineering. To top this list, a school must have a successful aerospace and aeronautical engineering program that graduates more students in the field than other colleges that offer the same major.

Check out our ranking methodology for more information.

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Since the program you select can have a significant impact on your future, we’ve developed a number of rankings, including this “Most Well Attended Aerospace Engineering Major” list, to help you choose the best school for you.

You can create your own custom comparison that focuses on the factors most important to you using our tool, College Combat. Test it out when you get a chance! You may also want to bookmark the link and share it with others who are trying to make the college decision.

Most Well Attended Aerospace Engineering Major

The colleges and universities below are the best for aerospace engineering students.

1
Purdue crest
Purdue University - Main Campus
West Lafayette, Indiana

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Purdue University - Main Campus. The school came in at #1 for the Most Well Attended Aerospace Engineering Major. Purdue University - Main Campus is a large school located in West Lafayette, Indiana that handed out 426 ’s aerospace engineering degrees in 2020-2021.

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%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 93%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read full report on Aerospace & Aeronautical Engineering at Purdue University - Main Campus

2

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of Colorado Boulder. It ranked #2 on our 2023 Most Well Attended Aerospace Engineering Major list. This large school is located in Boulder, Colorado, and it awarded 370 ’s aerospace engineering degrees in 2020-2021.

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%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 85%.

Full CU - Boulder Aerospace & Aeronautical Engineering Report

3

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Georgia Institute of Technology - Main Campus. It ranked #3 on our 2023 Most Well Attended Aerospace Engineering Major list. Located in Atlanta, Georgia, this large public school awarded 338 degrees to qualified ’s aerospace engineering students in 2020-2021.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 97%. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 0.9%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Aerospace & Aeronautical Engineering at Georgia Institute of Technology - Main Campus

4

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of Michigan - Ann Arbor. It ranked #4 on our 2023 Most Well Attended Aerospace Engineering Major list. U-M is a large public school situated in Ann Arbor, Michigan. It awarded 264 ’s aerospace engineering degrees in 2020-2021.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.3%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 96%.

Read full report on Aerospace & Aeronautical Engineering at U-M

5

Out of the 85 schools in the Most Well Attended Aerospace Engineering Major that were part of this year’s ranking, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University - Daytona Beach landed the #5 spot on the list. Daytona Beach, Florida is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out ’s aerospace engineering degrees to 259 students in 2020-2021.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 4.1%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University - Daytona Beach Aerospace & Aeronautical Engineering Report

6

With a ranking of #6, University of Central Florida did quite well on the 2023 Most Well Attended Aerospace Engineering Major list. University of Central Florida is a public institution located in Orlando, Florida. The school has a large population, and it awarded 234 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 3.7%, 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 92%.

Read full report on Aerospace & Aeronautical Engineering at University of Central Florida

7
Virginia Tech crest
Virginia Tech
Blacksburg, Virginia

Virginia Tech ranked #7 on this year’s Most Well Attended Aerospace Engineering Major list. Virginia Tech is a public institution located in Blacksburg, Virginia. The school has a large population, and it awarded 222 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

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 1.2%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Aerospace & Aeronautical Engineering at Virginia Tech

8

With a ranking of #8, Texas A&M University - College Station did quite well on the 2023 Most Well Attended Aerospace Engineering Major list. Located in College Station, Texas, this large public school awarded 214 diplomas to qualified ’s aerospace engineering students 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%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 94%.

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

9

University of Maryland - College Park landed the #9 spot on the 2023 Most Well Attended Aerospace Engineering Major ranking. This large school is located in College Park, Maryland, and it awarded 187 ’s aerospace engineering degrees in 2020-2021.

With a freshman retention rate of 95%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.8%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Aerospace & Aeronautical Engineering at UMCP

10

Iowa State University did quite well in the 2023 Most Well Attended Aerospace Engineering Major ranking, coming in at #10. Iowa State University is a large public school situated in Ames, Iowa. It awarded 181 ’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

11
UF crest
University of Florida
Gainesville, Florida

University of Florida ranked #11 on this year’s Most Well Attended Aerospace Engineering Major list. This large school is located in Gainesville, Florida, and it awarded 168 ’s aerospace engineering degrees in 2020-2021.

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%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 97%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Full University of Florida Aerospace & Aeronautical Engineering Report

12

The University of Texas at Austin did quite well in the 2023 Most Well Attended Aerospace Engineering Major ranking, coming in at #12. This large school is located in Austin, Texas, and it awarded 167 ’s aerospace engineering degrees in 2020-2021.

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%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 97%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Full The University of Texas at Austin Aerospace & Aeronautical Engineering Report

13
USC crest
University of Southern California
Los Angeles, California

With a ranking of #13, University of Southern California did quite well on the 2023 Most Well Attended Aerospace Engineering Major list. University of Southern California is located in Los Angeles, California and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 167 ’s aerospace engineering degrees to qualified students.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 91%. 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%. The undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one.

Read more about Aerospace & Aeronautical Engineering at University of Southern California

14

With a ranking of #14, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign did quite well on the 2023 Most Well Attended Aerospace Engineering Major list. Champaign, Illinois is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s aerospace engineering degrees to 154 students in 2020-2021.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.3%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 94%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read full report on Aerospace & Aeronautical Engineering at University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

15

University of California - San Diego landed the #15 spot on the 2023 Most Well Attended Aerospace Engineering Major ranking. UCSD is a large public school situated in La Jolla, California. It awarded 143 ’s aerospace engineering degrees in 2020-2021.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.0%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 94%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Read full report on Aerospace & Aeronautical Engineering at University of California - San Diego

16

Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute did quite well in the 2023 Most Well Attended Aerospace Engineering Major ranking, coming in at #16. RPI is located in Troy, New York and, has a medium-sized student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 138 ’s aerospace engineering degrees to qualified students.

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%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 91%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Full RPI Aerospace & Aeronautical Engineering Report

17

University of Washington - Seattle Campus did quite well in the 2023 Most Well Attended Aerospace Engineering Major ranking, coming in at #17. UW Seattle is a public institution located in Seattle, Washington. The school has a large population, and it awarded 135 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.1%, 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 93%.

Read full report on Aerospace & Aeronautical Engineering at UW Seattle

18

Massachusetts Institute of Technology landed the #18 spot on the 2023 Most Well Attended Aerospace Engineering Major ranking. MIT is a fairly large private not-for-profit school situated in Cambridge, Massachusetts. It awarded 130 ’s aerospace engineering degrees in 2020-2021.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 98%. 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%. Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 3 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors.

Read more about Aerospace & Aeronautical Engineering at MIT

19

Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University - Prescott landed the #19 spot on the 2023 Most Well Attended Aerospace Engineering Major ranking. Prescott, Arizona is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out ’s aerospace engineering degrees to 127 students in 2020-2021.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 4.1%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full Embry-Riddle Prescott Aerospace & Aeronautical Engineering Report

20
University at Buffalo crest
University at Buffalo
Buffalo, New York

University at Buffalo landed the #20 spot on the 2023 Most Well Attended Aerospace Engineering Major ranking. University at Buffalo is a public institution located in Buffalo, New York. The school has a large population, and it awarded 126 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.8%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 87%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Read more about Aerospace & Aeronautical Engineering at University at Buffalo

21

Arizona State University - Tempe ranked #21 on this year’s Most Well Attended Aerospace Engineering Major list. ASU - Tempe is a large school located in Tempe, Arizona that handed out 125 ’s aerospace engineering degrees in 2020-2021.

With a freshman retention rate of 86%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 4.5% 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 more about Aerospace & Aeronautical Engineering at Arizona State University - Tempe

22

With a ranking of #22, University of Alabama in Huntsville did quite well on the 2023 Most Well Attended Aerospace Engineering Major list. This medium-sized school is located in Huntsville, Alabama, and it awarded 122 ’s aerospace engineering degrees 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%.

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

23
UA crest
The University of Alabama
Tuscaloosa, Alabama

With a ranking of #23, The University of Alabama did quite well on the 2023 Most Well Attended Aerospace Engineering Major list. The University of Alabama is a large public school situated in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. It awarded 117 ’s aerospace engineering degrees in 2020-2021.

With a freshman retention rate of 87%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 4.0%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Aerospace & Aeronautical Engineering at The University of Alabama

24

Florida Institute of Technology did quite well in the 2023 Most Well Attended Aerospace Engineering Major ranking, coming in at #24. This medium-sized school is located in Melbourne, Florida, and it awarded 119 ’s aerospace engineering degrees in 2020-2021.

Full Florida Institute of Technology Aerospace & Aeronautical Engineering Report

25
NC State crest
North Carolina State University
Raleigh, North Carolina

North Carolina State University did quite well in the 2023 Most Well Attended Aerospace Engineering Major ranking, coming in at #25. Located in Raleigh, North Carolina, this large public school awarded 112 diplomas to qualified ’s aerospace engineering students in 2020-2021.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 94%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.0%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Aerospace & Aeronautical Engineering at NC State

Notes and References

References

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