2026 Best Value Aerospace & Aeronautical Engineering Schools in Ohio
[Aerospace & Aeronautical Engineering](/majors/engineering/aerospace-and-aeronautical-engineering/) programs reward a close look at where your money goes furthest. A high-value program keeps cost low while graduates go on to earn well.
For its 2026 best-value ranking, College Factual looked at 8 schools to find the best return on investment for aerospace & aeronautical engineering students.
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2026 Best Value Aerospace & Aeronautical Engineering Schools in Ohio
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
For return on investment in aerospace & aeronautical engineering, no school beat University Of Akron Main Campus this year. Set in the city of Akron, University Of Akron Main Campus is a large public institution. Students from in state pay about $13,135 in tuition and fees, with out-of-state students paying around $20,815. Typical student debt for aerospace & aeronautical engineering graduates is $25,347. Aerospace & Aeronautical Engineering graduates of University Of Akron Main Campus earn a median of $49,045 early in their careers. Set against $25,347 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 60% of applicants are accepted.
Ohio State University Main Campus came in at #2 on our 2026 list of the best value aerospace & aeronautical engineering schools. Ohio State University Main Campus is a very large public school located in the city of Columbus. In-state tuition and fees average $13,244, with out-of-state students paying around $40,022. 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. That is a strong return on a $25,853 median debt. Ohio State University Main Campus admits about 61% of applicants.
Kent State University At Kent came in at #3 on our 2026 list of the best value aerospace & aeronautical engineering schools. Kent State University At Kent is a very large public school located in the suburb of Kent. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $12,220, with out-of-state students paying around $21,575. Typical student debt for aerospace & aeronautical engineering graduates is $25,174. Aerospace & Aeronautical Engineering graduates of Kent State University At Kent earn a median of $44,776 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $25,174 median debt. Kent State University At Kent admits about 86% of applicants.
University Of Cincinnati Main Campus is a great value for students pursuing a degree in aerospace & aeronautical engineering, landing the #4 spot this year. 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. Students borrow a median of $20,750 to complete the aerospace & aeronautical engineering program here. Soon after graduation, aerospace & aeronautical engineering degree recipients from University Of Cincinnati Main Campus generally make around $74,992. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 85% of applicants are accepted.
University Of Dayton came in at #5 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. In-state tuition and fees average $49,140. 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. That is a strong return on a $25,033 median debt. Roughly 65% of applicants are accepted.
Case Western Reserve University ranked #6 on our 2026 list of the best value aerospace & aeronautical engineering schools. Set in the city of Cleveland, Case Western Reserve University is a large private not-for-profit institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $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 · 8 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 6 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.
