2026 Best Value Aerospace & Aeronautical Engineering Schools in the Middle Atlantic Region
[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.
To produce this 2026 ranking, College Factual evaluated 12 schools on the balance of cost and outcomes for aerospace & aeronautical engineering students.
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2026 Best Value Aerospace & Aeronautical Engineering Schools in the Middle Atlantic Region
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in aerospace & aeronautical engineering, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value Aerospace & Aeronautical Engineering Schools
For return on investment in aerospace & aeronautical engineering, no school beat University Of Maryland College Park this year. University Of Maryland College Park is a very large public school located in the suburb of College Park. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $11,809, while out-of-state students pay about $41,186. Typical student debt for aerospace & aeronautical engineering graduates is $22,500. Aerospace & Aeronautical Engineering graduates of University Of Maryland College Park earn a median of $78,631 early in their careers. Set against $22,500 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. University Of Maryland College Park admits about 45% of applicants.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Johns Hopkins University earned it the #2 place for aerospace & aeronautical engineering. Johns Hopkins University is a very large private not-for-profit school located in the city of Baltimore. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $64,730. Typical student debt for aerospace & aeronautical engineering graduates is $13,426. Soon after graduation, aerospace & aeronautical engineering degree recipients from Johns Hopkins University generally make around $128,330. Set against $13,426 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 6%.
Students looking for strong value in aerospace & aeronautical engineering will find it at University At Buffalo, which ranked #3. Located in the suburb of Buffalo, University At Buffalo is a very large public university. Students from in state pay about $10,936 in tuition and fees, compared with $31,536 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $24,846 to complete the aerospace & aeronautical engineering program here. Soon after graduation, aerospace & aeronautical engineering degree recipients from University At Buffalo generally make around $69,716. That is a strong return on a $24,846 median debt. The acceptance rate is 74%.
Students looking for strong value in aerospace & aeronautical engineering will find it at Rutgers University New Brunswick, which ranked #4. Located in the city of New Brunswick, Rutgers University New Brunswick is a very large public university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $17,929, while out-of-state students pay about $37,441. Aerospace & Aeronautical Engineering graduates carry a median of $26,674 in student loans. Aerospace & Aeronautical Engineering graduates of Rutgers University New Brunswick earn a median of $69,320 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 58%.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Clarkson University earned it the #5 place for aerospace & aeronautical engineering. Located in the town of Potsdam, Clarkson University is a mid-sized private not-for-profit university. Students from in state pay about $59,398 in tuition and fees. Typical student debt for aerospace & aeronautical engineering graduates is $27,000. Soon after graduation, aerospace & aeronautical engineering degree recipients from Clarkson University generally make around $71,783. That is a strong return on a $27,000 median debt. The acceptance rate is 77%.
Cornell University came in at #6 for value in aerospace & aeronautical engineering this year. Set in the city of Ithaca, Cornell University is a very large private not-for-profit institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $69,314. Students borrow a median of $15,005 to complete the aerospace & aeronautical engineering program here. Aerospace & Aeronautical Engineering graduates of Cornell University earn a median of $102,439 early in their careers. Set against $15,005 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Cornell University admits about 9% of applicants.
Pennsylvania State University Main Campus earned the #7 position for value in aerospace & aeronautical engineering this year. Located in the city of University Park, Pennsylvania State University Main Campus is a very large public university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $20,644, compared with $41,790 for out-of-state students. Ten years after enrolling, students earn a median of $63,435. Roughly 61% of applicants are accepted.
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute came in at #8 for value in aerospace & aeronautical engineering this year. Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute is a moderately-sized private not-for-profit school located in the city of Troy. In-state tuition and fees average $64,078. Aerospace & Aeronautical Engineering graduates carry a median of $25,000 in student loans. Soon after graduation, aerospace & aeronautical engineering degree recipients from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute generally make around $73,213. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute admits about 64% of applicants.
Syracuse University earned the #9 position for value in aerospace & aeronautical engineering this year. Syracuse University is a very large private not-for-profit school located in the city of Syracuse. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $65,528. Aerospace & Aeronautical Engineering graduates carry a median of $27,000 in student loans. Soon after graduation, aerospace & aeronautical engineering degree recipients from Syracuse University generally make around $71,417. That is a strong return on a $27,000 median debt. Roughly 46% of applicants are accepted.
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Notes and References
This list is compiled by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 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 9 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.
