2026 Best Aerospace & Aeronautical Engineering Schools in Illinois

Aerospace & Aeronautical Engineering is a field worth a close look when choosing where to study. A focused field like this rewards careful comparison of the schools that offer it.

For its 2026 ranking, College Factual looked at 2 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 Aerospace & Aeronautical Engineering Schools in Illinois

Best Schools for Aerospace & Aeronautical Engineering in Illinois

If you are not interested in a particular degree level and want to know which schools are the overall best at delivering an education for the aerospace & aeronautical engineering degrees they offer, see the list below.

Top Schools in Aerospace & Aeronautical Engineering

1

University Of Illinois At Urbana Champaign
Champaign, IL

Doctoral Degree Highest Degree Type

215 Aerospace & Aeronautical Engineering Degrees Awarded

$87,496 Median Starting Salary

University Of Illinois At Urbana Champaign is one of the finest schools in the country for getting a degree in aerospace & aeronautical engineering. Located in the city of Champaign, University Of Illinois At Urbana Champaign is a very large public university. Roughly 85% of students complete a degree within six years here. There were roughly 215 aerospace & aeronautical engineering students who graduated with this degree at University Of Illinois At Urbana Champaign in the most recent data year. Soon after graduation, aerospace & aeronautical engineering degree recipients from University Of Illinois At Urbana Champaign generally make around $87,496. Students borrow a median of $23,951 to complete this degree. More information about a degree in aerospace & aeronautical engineering from University Of Illinois At Urbana Champaign

2

Illinois Institute Of Technology
Chicago, IL

Doctoral Degree Highest Degree Type

21 Aerospace & Aeronautical Engineering Degrees Awarded

$63,169 Median Starting Salary

A rank of #2 makes Illinois Institute Of Technology one of the top schools for aerospace & aeronautical engineering. Set in the city of Chicago, Illinois Institute Of Technology is a large private not-for-profit institution. Roughly 75% of students complete a degree within six years here. About 21 aerospace & aeronautical engineering degrees were awarded at Illinois Institute Of Technology in the most recent year. Graduates of the aerospace & aeronautical engineering program make about $63,169 in their early career. Students borrow a median of $27,000 to complete this degree. Read more about the aerospace & aeronautical engineering program at Illinois Institute Of Technology

Notes and References

This list is compiled 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 · 2 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.