2026 Best Value Aerospace & Aeronautical Engineering Schools in the Great Lakes Region
[Aerospace & Aeronautical Engineering](/majors/engineering/aerospace-and-aeronautical-engineering/) programs reward a close look at where your money goes furthest. The schools below stand out for delivering a strong aerospace & aeronautical engineering education at a price that pays off.
College Factual analyzed 14 schools to build this 2026 ranking of the best value aerospace & aeronautical engineering schools.
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2026 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
Our analysis ranked Purdue University Main Campus the best value for a degree in aerospace & aeronautical engineering in the Great Lakes Region. Purdue University Main Campus is a very large public school located in the city of West Lafayette. In-state tuition and fees average $9,992, while out-of-state students pay about $28,794. Typical student debt for aerospace & aeronautical engineering graduates is $21,500. Early-career aerospace & aeronautical engineering graduates make about $88,159. Set against $21,500 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Purdue University Main Campus admits about 50% of applicants.
University Of Michigan Ann Arbor is a great value for students pursuing a degree in aerospace & aeronautical engineering, landing the #2 spot this year. Located in the city of Ann Arbor, University Of Michigan Ann Arbor is a very large public university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $18,848, while out-of-state students pay about $63,081. Typical student debt for aerospace & aeronautical engineering graduates is $21,603. Early-career aerospace & aeronautical engineering graduates make about $94,124. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. University Of Michigan Ann Arbor admits about 16% of applicants.
University Of Illinois At Urbana Champaign is a great value for students pursuing a degree in aerospace & aeronautical engineering, landing the #3 spot this year. Located in the city of Champaign, University Of Illinois At Urbana Champaign is a very large public university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $18,267, 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. The acceptance rate is 42%.
Students looking for strong value in aerospace & aeronautical engineering will find it at University Of Akron Main Campus, which ranked #4. Located in the city of Akron, University Of Akron Main Campus is a large public university. In-state tuition and fees average $13,135, while out-of-state students pay about $20,815. Aerospace & Aeronautical Engineering graduates carry a median of $25,347 in student loans. Early-career aerospace & aeronautical engineering graduates make about $49,045. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. University Of Akron Main Campus admits about 60% of applicants.
Students looking for strong value in aerospace & aeronautical engineering will find it at Ohio State University Main Campus, which ranked #5. Located in the city of Columbus, Ohio State University Main Campus is a very large public university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $13,244, compared with $40,022 for out-of-state students. Aerospace & Aeronautical Engineering graduates carry a median of $25,853 in student loans. 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. Ohio State University Main Campus admits about 61% of applicants.
Western Michigan University placed #6 among the best values for aerospace & aeronautical engineering. 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, with out-of-state students paying around $19,952. Students borrow a median of $28,021 to complete the aerospace & aeronautical engineering program here. 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.
Illinois Institute Of Technology landed the #7 spot for aerospace & aeronautical engineering value this year. Located in the city of Chicago, Illinois Institute Of Technology is a large private not-for-profit university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $52,202. Aerospace & Aeronautical Engineering graduates carry a median of $27,000 in student loans. Soon after graduation, aerospace & aeronautical engineering degree recipients from Illinois Institute Of Technology generally make around $63,169. Set against $27,000 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 55% of applicants are accepted.
University Of Cincinnati Main Campus placed #8 among the best values for aerospace & aeronautical engineering. Located in the city of Cincinnati, University Of Cincinnati Main Campus is a very large public university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $13,363, with out-of-state students paying around $28,697. Aerospace & Aeronautical Engineering graduates carry a median of $20,750 in student loans. Aerospace & Aeronautical Engineering graduates of University Of Cincinnati Main Campus earn a median of $74,992 early in their careers. Set against $20,750 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. University Of Cincinnati Main Campus admits about 85% of applicants.
Kent State University At Kent ranked #9 on our 2026 list of the best value aerospace & aeronautical engineering schools. Located in the suburb of Kent, Kent State University At Kent is a very large public university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $12,220, while out-of-state students pay about $21,575. Students borrow a median of $25,174 to complete the aerospace & aeronautical engineering program here. Aerospace & Aeronautical Engineering graduates of Kent State University At Kent earn a median of $44,776 early in their careers. Set against $25,174 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 86% of applicants are accepted.
University Of Notre Dame earned the #10 position for value in aerospace & aeronautical engineering this year. Located in the suburb of Notre Dame, University Of Notre Dame is a large private not-for-profit university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $65,025. Students borrow a median of $24,000 to complete the aerospace & aeronautical engineering program here. Early-career aerospace & aeronautical engineering graduates make about $81,057. That is a strong return on a $24,000 median debt. Roughly 11% of applicants are accepted.
University Of Dayton ranked #11 on our 2026 list of the best value aerospace & aeronautical engineering schools. University Of Dayton is a large private not-for-profit school located in the city of Dayton. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $49,140. Students borrow a median of $25,033 to complete the aerospace & aeronautical engineering program here. Aerospace & Aeronautical Engineering graduates of University Of Dayton earn a median of $56,077 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 65%.
Case Western Reserve University placed #12 among the best values for aerospace & aeronautical engineering. Case Western Reserve University is a large private not-for-profit school located in the city of Cleveland. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $66,608. Typical student debt for aerospace & aeronautical engineering graduates is $26,410. Aerospace & Aeronautical Engineering graduates of Case Western Reserve University earn a median of $83,639 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 36%.
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Notes and References
This ranking is produced by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 edition. Schools are scored on the balance of cost (tuition and student debt) against student outcomes (post-graduation earnings) — a measure of return on investment, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Ranking method: College Major Best Value · 14 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.
