2026 Best Aerospace & Aeronautical Engineering Associate’s Degree Schools
Aerospace & Aeronautical Engineering degree programs prepare students for a range of careers in the field. While the number of schools offering the program varies, there are still top-quality ones to be found.
For its 2026 ranking, College Factual looked at 99 schools in the United States to determine which ones were the best for aerospace & aeronautical engineering students pursuing a degree.
What’s on this page:
Best Schools for Aerospace & Aeronautical Engineering in the United States
Below are the best aerospace & aeronautical engineering schools at the associate’s degree level, ranked by the quality of the education they deliver.
Top Schools in Aerospace & Aeronautical Engineering
Leading the list is Embry Riddle Aeronautical University Worldwide, our #1 school for aerospace & aeronautical engineering. This large private not-for-profit university is located in the city of Daytona Beach. About 23% of students finish within six years. Embry Riddle Aeronautical University Worldwide awarded about 48 aerospace & aeronautical engineering degrees in the most recent data year. Students who receive their aerospace & aeronautical engineering degree from Embry Riddle Aeronautical University Worldwide earn around $75,483 in the first couple years of their career. Embry Riddle Aeronautical University Worldwide graduates carry a median of $26,995 in student loans.
Get the full aerospace & aeronautical engineering details for Embry Riddle Aeronautical University Worldwide
Other Aerospace & Aeronautical Engineering Degree Levels
Explore the best aerospace & aeronautical engineering schools at other degree levels:
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Notes and References
The ranking above is published by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 edition. Schools are scored on a blend of student outcomes (graduation rate, post-graduation earnings), affordability, and program focus, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Ranking method: College Major Top Ranked · 99 schools evaluated.
- 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.