by our College Data Analytics Team
[Aerospace And Aeronautical Engineering](/majors/engineering/aerospace-and-aeronautical-engineering/) graduates earn very different salaries depending on where they study. The schools below stand out for the salaries their aerospace and aeronautical engineering graduates go on to command.
For its 2026 highest-paid-graduates ranking, College Factual looked at 8 schools to find where aerospace and aeronautical engineering graduates earn the most.
What’s on this page:
Below are the schools whose aerospace and aeronautical engineering graduates go on to earn the most.
For graduate earnings in aerospace and aeronautical engineering, no school beat Johns Hopkins University this year. Set in the city of Baltimore, Johns Hopkins University is a private not-for-profit institution. Early-career aerospace and aeronautical engineering graduates from Johns Hopkins University make a median of around $128,330 per year.
A rank of #2 makes University Of Maryland College Park one of the highest-paying schools for aerospace and aeronautical engineering. University Of Maryland College Park is a public school located in the suburb of College Park. After graduating, aerospace and aeronautical engineering degree recipients from University Of Maryland College Park typically earn about $106,431 annually.
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute came in at #3 on our 2026 list of the highest-paying aerospace and aeronautical engineering schools. Set in the city of Troy, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute is a private not-for-profit institution. After graduating, aerospace and aeronautical engineering degree recipients from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute typically earn about $98,049 annually.
Syracuse University produces some of the highest-paid graduates in aerospace and aeronautical engineering, landing the #4 spot this year. Set in the city of Syracuse, Syracuse University is a private not-for-profit institution. After graduating, aerospace and aeronautical engineering degree recipients from Syracuse University typically earn about $98,978 annually.
Cornell University came in at #5 on our 2026 list of the highest-paying aerospace and aeronautical engineering schools. Cornell University is a private not-for-profit school located in the city of Ithaca. Students who complete the aerospace and aeronautical engineering program here go on to a median salary of roughly $102,439.
Clarkson University earned the #6 position for aerospace and aeronautical engineering graduate earnings this year. Located in the town of Potsdam, Clarkson University is a private not-for-profit institution. After graduating, aerospace and aeronautical engineering degree recipients from Clarkson University typically earn about $95,489 annually.
University At Buffalo ranked #7 on our 2026 list of the highest-paying aerospace and aeronautical engineering schools. Located in the suburb of Buffalo, University At Buffalo is a public institution. Students who complete the aerospace and aeronautical engineering program here go on to a median salary of roughly $83,498.
Rutgers University New Brunswick landed the #8 spot for aerospace and aeronautical engineering salaries this year. Set in the city of New Brunswick, Rutgers University New Brunswick is a public institution. After graduating, aerospace and aeronautical engineering degree recipients from Rutgers University New Brunswick typically earn about $69,320 annually.
This list is compiled by College Factual, 2026 edition. Schools are ranked on the median early-career earnings of their aerospace and aeronautical engineering graduates, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (College Scorecard field-of-study earnings and IPEDS).
Ranking method: College Major Earnings · 8 schools evaluated.
*Salary figures reflect median early-career earnings (about 5 years after graduation) and may vary by how long a person takes to complete their degree.
More about our data sources and methodologies.