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2023 Schools for a Doctorate Highly Focused on Aerospace Engineering Major

50 Ranked Colleges
361 Degrees Awarded
$34,900 Avg Cost*
Schools for a Doctorate Highly Focused on Aerospace Engineering Major

Students have lots of options to chooose from today when trying to decide which college to attend. One of our goals at College Factual is to give you as much information as we can - such as our “Schools for a Doctorate Highly Focused on Aerospace Engineering Major” ranking - to help you make that decision.

Aerospace & Aeronautical Engineering is the 94th most popular major in the country with 8,001 degrees awarded in 2020-2021. 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.

At the doctor’s degree level specifically, there were 361 aerospace and aeronautical engineering graduates with average earnings and debt of $75,260 and $0 respectively.

This year’s “Schools for a Doctorate Highly Focused on Aerospace Engineering Major” ranking analyzed 50 colleges that offered a degree in aerospace and aeronautical engineering. This a ranking of the schools where the largest percentage of students has enrolled in aerospace and aeronautical engineering.

See our ranking methodology to learn more.

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The aerospace engineering school you choose to invest your time and money in matters. To help you make the decision that is right for you, we’ve developed a number of major-specific rankings, including this list of “Schools for a Doctorate Highly Focused on Aerospace Engineering Major”.

We’ve created a tool called College Combat that lets you create your own customized comparisons based on the factors that matter the most to you. We encourage you to try it out and pit your favorite colleges and universities head to head! If you don’t have time right now, you can bookmark it for later.

Schools for a Doctorate Highly Focused on Aerospace Engineering Major

The following schools top our list of the Best “Schools for a Doctorate Highly Focused on Aerospace Engineering Major”.

Top 25 Most Focused Doctor’s Degree Colleges for Aerospace & Aeronautical Engineering

1

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend California Institute of Technology. The school came in at #1 for the Schools for a Doctorate Highly Focused on Aerospace Engineering Major. Caltech is a private not-for-profit institution located in Pasadena, California. The school has a small population, and it awarded 11 doctorate’s degrees in 2020-2021.

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. With a freshman retention rate of 94%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Read more about Aerospace & Aeronautical Engineering at Caltech

2

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Air Force Institute of Technology - Graduate School of Engineering & Management. It ranked #2 on our 2023 Schools for a Doctorate Highly Focused on Aerospace Engineering Major list. AFIT Graduate School of Engineering & Management is a small public school situated in Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio. It awarded 3 doctorate’s aerospace engineering degrees in 2020-2021.

Read more about Aerospace & Aeronautical Engineering at AFIT Graduate School of Engineering & Management

3
MIT crest
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Cambridge, Massachusetts

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Massachusetts Institute of Technology. It ranked #3 on our 2023 Schools for a Doctorate Highly Focused on Aerospace Engineering Major list. MIT is a fairly large school located in Cambridge, Massachusetts that handed out 18 doctorate’s aerospace engineering degrees in 2020-2021.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 0.3% 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%. The impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 3 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 98%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Full MIT Aerospace & Aeronautical Engineering Report

4
Stanford crest
Stanford University
Stanford, California

Out of the 50 schools in the Schools for a Doctorate Highly Focused on Aerospace Engineering Major that were part of this year’s ranking, Stanford University landed the #4 spot on the list. Stanford, California is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out doctorate’s aerospace engineering degrees to 21 students in 2020-2021.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 0.5%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. The undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 4 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 86%.

Full Stanford Aerospace & Aeronautical Engineering Report

5

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Missouri University of Science and Technology. It ranked #5 on our 2023 Schools for a Doctorate Highly Focused on Aerospace Engineering Major list. This medium-sized school is located in Rolla, Missouri, and it awarded 8 doctorate’s aerospace engineering degrees in 2020-2021.

With a freshman retention rate of 85%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. 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%.

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

6

Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University - Daytona Beach came in at #6 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Doctorate Highly Focused on Aerospace Engineering Major ranking. Located in Daytona Beach, Florida, this medium-sized private not-for-profit school awarded 5 degrees to qualified doctorate’s aerospace engineering students 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

7
Purdue crest
Purdue University - Main Campus
West Lafayette, Indiana

Purdue University - Main Campus ranked #7 on this year’s Schools for a Doctorate Highly Focused on Aerospace Engineering Major list. Located in West Lafayette, Indiana, this large public school awarded 37 diplomas to qualified doctorate’s aerospace engineering students in 2020-2021.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 93%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. 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%.

Read full report on Aerospace & Aeronautical Engineering at Purdue

8

Georgia Institute of Technology - Main Campus did quite well in the 2023 Schools for a Doctorate Highly Focused on Aerospace Engineering Major ranking, coming in at #8. Georgia Tech is located in Atlanta, Georgia and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 27 doctorate’s aerospace engineering degrees to qualified students.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 97%. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 0.9% 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 Georgia Tech

9

University of Colorado Boulder ranked #9 on this year’s Schools for a Doctorate Highly Focused on Aerospace Engineering Major list. CU - Boulder is located in Boulder, Colorado and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 25 doctorate’s aerospace engineering degrees to qualified 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%. With a freshman retention rate of 85%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Read more about Aerospace & Aeronautical Engineering at CU - Boulder

10

University of Michigan - Ann Arbor ranked #10 on this year’s Schools for a Doctorate Highly Focused on Aerospace Engineering Major list. U-M is a large school located in Ann Arbor, Michigan that handed out 28 doctorate’s aerospace engineering degrees in 2020-2021.

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%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 96%.

Full University of Michigan - Ann Arbor Aerospace & Aeronautical Engineering Report

11
Virginia Tech crest
Virginia Tech
Blacksburg, Virginia

With a ranking of #11, Virginia Tech did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Doctorate Highly Focused on Aerospace Engineering Major list. This large school is located in Blacksburg, Virginia, and it awarded 16 doctorate’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

12

University of Alabama in Huntsville came in at #12 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Doctorate Highly Focused on Aerospace Engineering Major ranking. Huntsville, Alabama is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The public school handed out doctorate’s aerospace engineering degrees to 3 students in 2020-2021.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 4.7% 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 University of Alabama in Huntsville

13

Florida Institute of Technology ranked #13 on this year’s Schools for a Doctorate Highly Focused on Aerospace Engineering Major list. Florida Tech is a private not-for-profit institution located in Melbourne, Florida. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 2 doctorate’s degrees in 2020-2021.

Read more about Aerospace & Aeronautical Engineering at Florida Institute of Technology

14

With a ranking of #14, University of Minnesota - Twin Cities did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Doctorate Highly Focused on Aerospace Engineering Major list. UMN Twin Cities is a public institution located in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The school has a large population, and it awarded 14 doctorate’s degrees in 2020-2021.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 93%. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.7%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Aerospace & Aeronautical Engineering at University of Minnesota - Twin Cities

15

Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute did quite well in the 2023 Schools for a Doctorate Highly Focused on Aerospace Engineering Major ranking, coming in at #15. Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute is a medium-sized school located in Troy, New York that handed out 2 doctorate’s aerospace engineering degrees in 2020-2021.

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%. With a freshman retention rate of 91%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Read more about Aerospace & Aeronautical Engineering at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute

16

University of Washington - Seattle Campus landed the #16 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Doctorate Highly Focused on Aerospace Engineering Major ranking. University of Washington - Seattle Campus is located in Seattle, Washington and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 13 doctorate’s aerospace engineering degrees to qualified students.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.1%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 93%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Read full report on Aerospace & Aeronautical Engineering at UW Seattle

17

University of Cincinnati - Main Campus ranked #17 on this year’s Schools for a Doctorate Highly Focused on Aerospace Engineering Major list. UC is a large public school situated in Cincinnati, Ohio. It awarded 10 doctorate’s aerospace engineering degrees in 2020-2021.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 88%. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 4.7%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Aerospace & Aeronautical Engineering at UC

18

University of Maryland - College Park landed the #18 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Doctorate Highly Focused on Aerospace Engineering Major ranking. Located in College Park, Maryland, this large public school handed out 10 degrees to qualified doctorate’s aerospace engineering students in 2020-2021.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.8%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 95%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Full UMCP Aerospace & Aeronautical Engineering Report

19

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign ranked #19 on this year’s Schools for a Doctorate Highly Focused on Aerospace Engineering Major list. University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign is a large public school situated in Champaign, Illinois. It awarded 12 doctorate’s aerospace engineering degrees in 2020-2021.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 94%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.3%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Aerospace & Aeronautical Engineering at University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

20
KU crest
University of Kansas
Lawrence, Kansas

With a ranking of #20, University of Kansas did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Doctorate Highly Focused on Aerospace Engineering Major list. KU is a large public school situated in Lawrence, Kansas. It awarded 5 doctorate’s aerospace engineering degrees in 2020-2021.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 86%, 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 4.3%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Aerospace & Aeronautical Engineering at University of Kansas

21
Auburn crest
Auburn University
Auburn, Alabama

Auburn University did quite well in the 2023 Schools for a Doctorate Highly Focused on Aerospace Engineering Major ranking, coming in at #21. Auburn University is located in Auburn, Alabama and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 5 doctorate’s aerospace engineering degrees to qualified students.

With a freshman retention rate of 92%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.6%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Aerospace & Aeronautical Engineering at Auburn University

22

Iowa State University came in at #22 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Doctorate Highly Focused on Aerospace Engineering Major ranking. Iowa State University is located in Ames, Iowa and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 5 doctorate’s aerospace engineering degrees to qualified 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%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 89%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read full report on Aerospace & Aeronautical Engineering at Iowa State University

23

The University of Texas at Arlington ranked #23 on this year’s Schools for a Doctorate Highly Focused on Aerospace Engineering Major list. Arlington, Texas is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out doctorate’s aerospace engineering degrees to 8 students in 2020-2021.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 4.6%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full The University of Texas at Arlington Aerospace & Aeronautical Engineering Report

24

Texas A&M University - College Station ranked #24 on this year’s Schools for a Doctorate Highly Focused on Aerospace Engineering Major list. College Station, Texas is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out doctorate’s aerospace engineering degrees to 10 students in 2020-2021.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.2%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 94%.

Full Texas A&M College Station Aerospace & Aeronautical Engineering Report

25
WPI crest
Worcester Polytechnic Institute
Worcester, Massachusetts

Worcester Polytechnic Institute came in at #25 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Doctorate Highly Focused on Aerospace Engineering Major ranking. Located in Worcester, Massachusetts, this medium-sized private not-for-profit school handed out 1 degrees to qualified doctorate’s aerospace engineering students in 2020-2021.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 95%. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.1%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Aerospace & Aeronautical Engineering at Worcester Polytechnic Institute

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