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2023 Most Focused Colleges for Aerospace & Aeronautical Engineering

85 Ranked Colleges
8,001 Degrees Awarded
$32,900 Avg Cost*
Schools Highly Focused on Aerospace Engineering Major

With all of the options students have for higher education today, it can be tough to choose which direction to take. One of our goals at College Factual is to give you as much information as we can - such as our “Schools Highly Focused on Aerospace Engineering Major” ranking - to help you make that decision.

In 2020-2021, 8,001 people earned their degree in aerospace and aeronautical engineering, making the major the 94th most popular in the United States. In 2019-2020, aerospace and aeronautical engineering graduates who were awarded their degree in 2017-2019, earned an average of $70,535 and had an average of $24,126 in loans still to pay off.

This year’s “Schools Highly Focused on Aerospace Engineering Major” ranking analyzed 85 colleges that offered a degree in aerospace and aeronautical engineering. The colleges and universities that top this list are recognized because their aerospace and aeronautical engineering program is one of the largest majors offered at the school.

For more information, check out our ranking methodology.

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Since picking the right college can be one of the most important decisions of your life, we’ve developed the “Schools Highly Focused on Aerospace Engineering Major” ranking, along with many other major-related rankings, to help you make that decision.

In addition to College Factual’s rankings, you may want to take a look at College Combat, our unique tool that lets you pit your favorite schools head-to-head and compare how they rate on factors that most interest you. When you have some time, check it out - you may want to bookmark the link so you don’t forget it.

Schools Highly Focused on Aerospace Engineering Major

The colleges and universities below are the best for aerospace engineering students.

Top 25 Most Focused Colleges for Aerospace & Aeronautical Engineering

1

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University - Prescott. The school came in at #1 for the Schools Highly Focused on Aerospace Engineering Major. Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University - Prescott is a private not-for-profit institution located in Prescott, Arizona. The school has a small population, and it awarded 127 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 4.1%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Aerospace & Aeronautical Engineering at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University - Prescott

2

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University - Daytona Beach. The school came in at #2 for the Schools Highly Focused on Aerospace Engineering Major. Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University - Daytona Beach is a medium-sized private not-for-profit school situated in Daytona Beach, Florida. It awarded 259 ’s aerospace engineering degrees in 2020-2021.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 4.1% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.

Read full report on Aerospace & Aeronautical Engineering at Embry-Riddle Daytona Beach

3
USAFA crest
United States Air Force Academy
USAF Academy, Colorado

Out of the 85 schools in the Schools Highly Focused on Aerospace Engineering Major that were part of this year’s ranking, United States Air Force Academy landed the #3 spot on the list. USAFA is a small school located in USAF Academy, Colorado that handed out 93 ’s aerospace engineering degrees in 2020-2021.

Read full report on Aerospace & Aeronautical Engineering at USAFA

4

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Air Force Institute of Technology - Graduate School of Engineering & Management. It ranked #4 on our 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Aerospace Engineering Major list. AFIT Graduate School of Engineering & Management is a public institution located in Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio. The school has a small population, and it awarded 48 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

Read full report on Aerospace & Aeronautical Engineering at Air Force Institute of Technology - Graduate School of Engineering & Management

5

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. The school came in at #5 for the Schools Highly Focused on Aerospace Engineering Major. Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute is located in Troy, New York and, has a medium-sized student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 138 ’s aerospace engineering degrees to qualified students.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 91%. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.3% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.

Full Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute Aerospace & Aeronautical Engineering Report

6

With a ranking of #6, Florida Institute of Technology did quite well on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Aerospace Engineering Major list. Melbourne, Florida is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out ’s aerospace engineering degrees to 119 students in 2020-2021.

Read more about Aerospace & Aeronautical Engineering at Florida Tech

7

With a ranking of #7, Capitol Technology University did quite well on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Aerospace Engineering Major list. This small school is located in Laurel, Maryland, and it awarded 13 ’s aerospace engineering degrees in 2020-2021.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 3.7% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.

Read more about Aerospace & Aeronautical Engineering at Capitol Tech

8

University of Alabama in Huntsville landed the #8 spot on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Aerospace Engineering Major ranking. University of Alabama in Huntsville is located in Huntsville, Alabama and, has a medium-sized student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 122 ’s aerospace engineering degrees to qualified students.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 4.7%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full UAH Aerospace & Aeronautical Engineering Report

9
Annapolis crest
United States Naval Academy
Annapolis, Maryland

United States Naval Academy came in at #9 in this year’s edition of the Schools Highly Focused on Aerospace Engineering Major ranking. Located in Annapolis, Maryland, this small public school awarded 54 diplomas to qualified ’s aerospace engineering students in 2020-2021.

Read full report on Aerospace & Aeronautical Engineering at United States Naval Academy

10
WPI crest
Worcester Polytechnic Institute
Worcester, Massachusetts

Worcester Polytechnic Institute did quite well in the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Aerospace Engineering Major ranking, coming in at #10. Located in Worcester, Massachusetts, this medium-sized private not-for-profit school handed out 85 degrees to qualified ’s aerospace engineering students in 2020-2021.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.1% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 95%.

Read full report on Aerospace & Aeronautical Engineering at WPI

11

Southeastern Oklahoma State University came in at #11 in this year’s edition of the Schools Highly Focused on Aerospace Engineering Major ranking. Southeastern Oklahoma State University is a medium-sized school located in Durant, Oklahoma that handed out 66 ’s aerospace engineering degrees in 2020-2021.

Full Southeastern Oklahoma State University Aerospace & Aeronautical Engineering Report

12

With a ranking of #12, University of Colorado Boulder did quite well on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Aerospace Engineering Major list. University of Colorado Boulder is located in Boulder, Colorado and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 370 ’s aerospace engineering degrees to qualified students.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 85%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 2.4% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.

Read more about Aerospace & Aeronautical Engineering at University of Colorado Boulder

13

With a ranking of #13, Georgia Institute of Technology - Main Campus did quite well on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Aerospace Engineering Major list. Georgia Tech is a large school located in Atlanta, Georgia that handed out 338 ’s aerospace engineering degrees in 2020-2021.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 0.9%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 97%.

Full Georgia Tech Aerospace & Aeronautical Engineering Report

14
MIT crest
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Cambridge, Massachusetts

Massachusetts Institute of Technology landed the #14 spot on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Aerospace Engineering Major ranking. Massachusetts Institute of Technology is located in Cambridge, Massachusetts and, has a fairly large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 130 ’s aerospace engineering degrees to qualified students.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 98%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 0.3%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 3 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed.

Read full report on Aerospace & Aeronautical Engineering at Massachusetts Institute of Technology

15

With a ranking of #15, Missouri University of Science and Technology did quite well on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Aerospace Engineering Major list. Missouri University of Science and Technology is a public institution located in Rolla, Missouri. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 86 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 3.7%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 85%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Full Missouri University of Science and Technology Aerospace & Aeronautical Engineering Report

16
Purdue crest
Purdue University - Main Campus
West Lafayette, Indiana

Purdue University - Main Campus ranked #16 on this year’s Schools Highly Focused on Aerospace Engineering Major list. Purdue is a large public school situated in West Lafayette, Indiana. It awarded 426 ’s aerospace engineering degrees in 2020-2021.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.7% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 93%.

Read full report on Aerospace & Aeronautical Engineering at Purdue

17
Tuskegee crest
Tuskegee University
Tuskegee, Alabama

Tuskegee University ranked #17 on this year’s Schools Highly Focused on Aerospace Engineering Major list. Tuskegee, Alabama is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out ’s aerospace engineering degrees to 19 students in 2020-2021.

Full Tuskegee Aerospace & Aeronautical Engineering Report

18

California Institute of Technology did quite well in the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Aerospace Engineering Major ranking, coming in at #18. Caltech is located in Pasadena, California and, has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 14 ’s aerospace engineering degrees to qualified students.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 94%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 3 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed.

Full Caltech Aerospace & Aeronautical Engineering Report

19
Clarkson crest
Clarkson University
Potsdam, New York

Clarkson University came in at #19 in this year’s edition of the Schools Highly Focused on Aerospace Engineering Major ranking. Clarkson is located in Potsdam, New York and, has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 30 ’s aerospace engineering degrees to qualified students.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.9%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 87%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Full Clarkson University Aerospace & Aeronautical Engineering Report

20
WSU crest
Wichita State University
Wichita, Kansas

Wichita State University landed the #20 spot on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Aerospace Engineering Major ranking. Located in Wichita, Kansas, this fairly large public school handed out 89 diplomas to qualified ’s aerospace engineering students in 2020-2021.

Full Wichita State University Aerospace & Aeronautical Engineering Report

21
Virginia Tech crest
Virginia Tech
Blacksburg, Virginia

Virginia Tech landed the #21 spot on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Aerospace Engineering Major ranking. This large school is located in Blacksburg, Virginia, and it awarded 222 ’s aerospace engineering degrees in 2020-2021.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.2%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 93%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Full Virginia Tech Aerospace & Aeronautical Engineering Report

22

With a ranking of #22, Iowa State University did quite well on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Aerospace Engineering Major list. Iowa State is located in Ames, Iowa and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 181 ’s aerospace engineering degrees to qualified students.

With a freshman retention rate of 89%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.4%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Aerospace & Aeronautical Engineering at Iowa State

23
Stanford crest
Stanford University
Stanford, California

Stanford University did quite well in the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Aerospace Engineering Major ranking, coming in at #23. Located in Stanford, California, this fairly large private not-for-profit school awarded 93 diplomas to qualified ’s aerospace engineering students in 2020-2021.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 0.5%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 86%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 4 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed.

Full Stanford University Aerospace & Aeronautical Engineering Report

24

California Polytechnic State University - San Luis Obispo came in at #24 in this year’s edition of the Schools Highly Focused on Aerospace Engineering Major ranking. San Luis Obispo, California is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s aerospace engineering degrees to 110 students in 2020-2021.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 0.7%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 94%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read full report on Aerospace & Aeronautical Engineering at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo

25

With a ranking of #25, New Mexico State University - Main Campus did quite well on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Aerospace Engineering Major list. Las Cruces, New Mexico is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s aerospace engineering degrees to 55 students in 2020-2021.

Read full report on Aerospace & Aeronautical Engineering at NMSU Main Campus

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