2026 Best Aerospace & Aeronautical Engineering Schools in New York
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 5 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 New York
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
Leading the list is Cornell University, our #1 school for aerospace & aeronautical engineering. Located in the city of Ithaca, Cornell University is a very large private not-for-profit university. The six-year graduation rate is 95%. About 32 aerospace & aeronautical engineering degrees were awarded at Cornell University in the most recent year. Aerospace & Aeronautical Engineering graduates of Cornell University earn a median of $102,439 early in their careers. Cornell University graduates carry a median of $15,005 in student loans.
More information about a degree in aerospace & aeronautical engineering from Cornell University
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute is one of the finest schools in the country for a degree in aerospace & aeronautical engineering, ranking #2. Set in the city of Troy, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute is a moderately-sized private not-for-profit institution. The six-year graduation rate is 84%. There were roughly 120 aerospace & aeronautical engineering students who graduated with this degree at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in the most recent data year. Students who receive their aerospace & aeronautical engineering degree from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute earn around $73,213 in the first couple years of their career. Students borrow a median of $25,000 to complete this degree.
Read more about the aerospace & aeronautical engineering program at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
University At Buffalo is one of the finest schools in the country for a degree in aerospace & aeronautical engineering, ranking #3. University At Buffalo is a very large public school located in the suburb of Buffalo. About 75% of students finish within six years. About 117 aerospace & aeronautical engineering degrees were awarded at University At Buffalo in the most recent year. Soon after graduation, aerospace & aeronautical engineering degree recipients from University At Buffalo generally make around $69,716. Typical student debt for the program is $24,846.
More information about a degree in aerospace & aeronautical engineering from University At Buffalo
Syracuse University came in at #4 on our 2026 list of the best aerospace & aeronautical engineering schools. This very large private not-for-profit university is located in the city of Syracuse. Syracuse University graduates 84% of students within six years. About 39 aerospace & aeronautical engineering degrees were awarded at Syracuse University in the most recent year. Students who receive their aerospace & aeronautical engineering degree from Syracuse University earn around $71,417 in the first couple years of their career. Students borrow a median of $27,000 to complete this degree.
More information about a degree in aerospace & aeronautical engineering from Syracuse University
Students looking for a strong aerospace & aeronautical engineering program will find one at Clarkson University, which ranked #5. Clarkson University is a mid-sized private not-for-profit school located in the town of Potsdam. Clarkson University graduates 75% of students within six years. About 28 aerospace & aeronautical engineering degrees were awarded at Clarkson University in the most recent year. Graduates of the aerospace & aeronautical engineering program make about $71,783 in their early career. Clarkson University graduates carry a median of $27,000 in student loans.
Get the full aerospace & aeronautical engineering details for Clarkson University
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Notes and References
This ranking is produced by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 edition. The methodology weighs graduation rate, post-graduation earnings, cost, and program quality, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Ranking method: College Major Top Ranked · 5 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.