2027 Best Value Aerospace & Aeronautical Engineering Schools in the Southwest 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.
For its 2027 best-value ranking, College Factual looked at 12 schools to find the best return on investment for aerospace & aeronautical engineering students.
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2027 Best Value Aerospace & Aeronautical Engineering Schools in the Southwest Region
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in aerospace & aeronautical engineering, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value Aerospace & Aeronautical Engineering Schools
The University Of Texas At San Antonio tops our 2027 list of the best value aerospace & aeronautical engineering schools in the Southwest Region. The University Of Texas At San Antonio is a very large public school located in the city of San Antonio. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $9,326, compared with $22,249 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for aerospace & aeronautical engineering graduates is $23,312. Aerospace & Aeronautical Engineering graduates of The University Of Texas At San Antonio earn a median of $49,955 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $23,312 median debt. Roughly 87% of applicants are accepted.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at New Mexico State University Main Campus earned it the #2 place for aerospace & aeronautical engineering. Set in the suburb of Las Cruces, New Mexico State University Main Campus is a large public institution. In-state tuition and fees average $8,183, with out-of-state students paying around $25,307. Students borrow a median of $24,537 to complete the aerospace & aeronautical engineering program here. Soon after graduation, aerospace & aeronautical engineering degree recipients from New Mexico State University Main Campus generally make around $68,002. That is a strong return on a $24,537 median debt. Roughly 89% of applicants are accepted.
Students looking for strong value in aerospace & aeronautical engineering will find it at The University Of Texas At El Paso, which ranked #3. The University Of Texas At El Paso is a very large public school located in the city of El Paso. Students from in state pay about $9,544 in tuition and fees, while out-of-state students pay about $25,502. Students borrow a median of $19,819 to complete the aerospace & aeronautical engineering program here. Early-career aerospace & aeronautical engineering graduates make about $48,335. That is a strong return on a $19,819 median debt. The acceptance rate is 100%.
University Of Houston is a great value for students pursuing a degree in aerospace & aeronautical engineering, landing the #4 spot this year. Located in the city of Houston, University Of Houston is a very large public university. In-state tuition and fees average $9,717, compared with $22,547 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for aerospace & aeronautical engineering graduates is $21,255. Soon after graduation, aerospace & aeronautical engineering degree recipients from University Of Houston generally make around $57,529. That is a strong return on a $21,255 median debt. Roughly 74% of applicants are accepted.
The University Of Texas At Arlington came in at #5 on our 2027 list of the best value aerospace & aeronautical engineering schools. The University Of Texas At Arlington is a very large public school located in the city of Arlington. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $11,950, with out-of-state students paying around $29,582. Aerospace & Aeronautical Engineering graduates carry a median of $25,260 in student loans. Aerospace & Aeronautical Engineering graduates of The University Of Texas At Arlington earn a median of $78,005 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 80% of applicants are accepted.
Arizona State University placed #6 among the best values for aerospace & aeronautical engineering. Set in the city of Tempe, Arizona State University is a very large public institution. Students from in state pay about $12,223 in tuition and fees, compared with $33,139 for out-of-state students. Aerospace & Aeronautical Engineering graduates carry a median of $25,500 in student loans. Early-career aerospace & aeronautical engineering graduates make about $78,808. Set against $25,500 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 90%.
University Of Oklahoma Norman Campus ranked #7 on our 2027 list of the best value aerospace & aeronautical engineering schools. Located in the suburb of Norman, University Of Oklahoma Norman Campus is a very large public university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $9,797, while out-of-state students pay about $27,377. Aerospace & Aeronautical Engineering graduates carry a median of $26,000 in student loans. Aerospace & Aeronautical Engineering graduates of University Of Oklahoma Norman Campus earn a median of $72,607 early in their careers. Set against $26,000 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 77%.
University Of Arizona earned the #8 position for value in aerospace & aeronautical engineering this year. Set in the city of Tucson, University Of Arizona is a very large public institution. Students from in state pay about $13,573 in tuition and fees, while out-of-state students pay about $39,903. Students borrow a median of $23,656 to complete the aerospace & aeronautical engineering program here. Soon after graduation, aerospace & aeronautical engineering degree recipients from University Of Arizona generally make around $57,456. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 86%.
Oklahoma State University Main Campus placed #9 among the best values for aerospace & aeronautical engineering. Set in the town of Stillwater, Oklahoma State University Main Campus is a very large public institution. In-state tuition and fees average $10,110, while out-of-state students pay about $25,630. Typical student debt for aerospace & aeronautical engineering graduates is $19,843. Early-career aerospace & aeronautical engineering graduates make about $68,226. Set against $19,843 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 75% of applicants are accepted.
The University Of Texas At Austin came in at #10 for value in aerospace & aeronautical engineering this year. Set in the city of Austin, The University Of Texas At Austin is a very large public institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $11,688, while out-of-state students pay about $44,908. Typical student debt for aerospace & aeronautical engineering graduates is $22,542. Aerospace & Aeronautical Engineering graduates of The University Of Texas At Austin earn a median of $81,022 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $22,542 median debt. The acceptance rate is 27%.
Texas A And M University College Station earned the #11 position for value in aerospace & aeronautical engineering this year. Texas A And M University College Station is a very large public school located in the city of College Station. In-state tuition and fees average $12,995, compared with $40,124 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $22,208 to complete the aerospace & aeronautical engineering program here. Soon after graduation, aerospace & aeronautical engineering degree recipients from Texas A And M University College Station generally make around $85,388. That is a strong return on a $22,208 median debt. Texas A And M University College Station admits about 57% of applicants.
Embry Riddle Aeronautical University Prescott placed #12 among the best values for aerospace & aeronautical engineering. Set in the city of Prescott, Embry Riddle Aeronautical University Prescott is a mid-sized private not-for-profit institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $43,974. Students borrow a median of $26,995 to complete the aerospace & aeronautical engineering program here. Soon after graduation, aerospace & aeronautical engineering degree recipients from Embry Riddle Aeronautical University Prescott generally make around $75,483. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 77%.
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Notes and References
The ranking above is published by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2027 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 · 12 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.