by our College Data Analytics TeamStudying Aerospace & Aeronautical Engineering involves the study of Aerospace, Aeronautical, And Astronautical/space Engineering, General. A Program That Prepares Individuals To Apply Mathematical And Scientific Principles To The Design, Development And Operational Evaluation Of Aircraft, Missiles, Space Vehicles, And Their Systems; Applied Research On Flight And Orbital Characteristics; And The Development Of Systems And Procedures For The Launching, Guidance, And Control Of Air And Space Vehicles. Examples: [Space Systems Engineering], [Space Facilities Engineering], [Missile Systems Engineering], [Air-Breathing Propulsion], [Aerospace Navigation], [Rocket Propulsion]. Read on to learn the essential details every aerospace & aeronautical engineering student should know — including career paths, salary data, the skills you will develop, and the best colleges offering aerospace & aeronautical engineering programs.
Across the country, aerospace & aeronautical engineering draws strong interest, with 9,539 degrees awarded annually.
Our 2026 Best Aerospace & Aeronautical Engineering Schools ranking analyzes these 92 schools to determine the best overall colleges for aerospace & aeronautical engineering students. Continue reading to check out one of our many unbiased rankings of aerospace & aeronautical engineering programs later in this article.
Coursework for Aerospace & Aeronautical Engineering emphasize a specific mix of skills, knowledge, and abilities — derived from O*NET surveys of workers in the occupations aerospace & aeronautical engineering graduates commonly enter.
The skill set emphasized by a aerospace & aeronautical engineering program reflects the day-to-day work of related occupations:
According to O*NET, a aerospace & aeronautical engineering major emphasizes the following knowledge areas:
There are several aerospace & aeronautical engineering degree levels. The table below shows the typical length of the most common levels, and how many graduates earn each one.
| Degree | Typical Program Length | Graduates Annually |
|---|---|---|
| Associate Degree | 2 years | 48 |
| Bachelor’s Degree | 4 years | 6,384 |
| Master’s Degree | 1-3 years | 2,650 |
| Doctorate | At least 4 years | 457 |
People currently working in careers related to aerospace & aeronautical engineering tend to have obtained the following education levels.
| Level of Education | Percentage of Workers |
|---|---|
| Doctoral degree | 38.1% |
| Bachelor’s degree | 19.6% |
| Master’s degree | 13.6% |
| Post-master’s certificate | 12.3% |
| Post-doctoral training | 11.5% |
| Associate’s degree (or other 2-year) | 1.8% |
| First professional degree | 1.1% |
| Postsecondary certificate | 0.9% |
| Post-baccalaureate certificate | 0.9% |
| High school diploma or equivalent | 0.3% |
See the chart below to get an idea of what level of education most of those in aerospace & aeronautical engineering careers hold.
Source: ONET Online education / training / experience requirements.*
Majoring in aerospace & aeronautical engineering opens doors to a variety of career paths. Below are some of the most common occupations related to aerospace & aeronautical engineering.
The following options are some of the most in-demand careers related to aerospace & aeronautical engineering.
| Occupation | Projected Jobs | Expected Growth |
|---|---|---|
| Engineering Teachers, Postsecondary | 1,297,204 | -2.0% |
| Biofuels/Biodiesel Technology and Product Development Managers | 440,884 | 8.0% |
| Architectural and Engineering Managers | 207,139 | 9.0% |
| Aerospace Engineers | 138,496 | 5.1% |
Federal data tracks median earnings of aerospace & aeronautical engineering graduates 1, 4, and 5 years after completion. These numbers tend to grow as graduates gain experience.
| Years Out | Median Earnings |
|---|---|
| 1 year | $77,688 |
| 4 years | $89,440 |
| 5 years | $101,440 |
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, field-of-study earnings tracker.
Salaries for aerospace & aeronautical engineering graduates vary widely by occupation. The following table shows the top highest-paying careers aerospace & aeronautical engineering grads often go into.
| Occupation | Median Annual Salary |
|---|---|
| Architectural and Engineering Managers | $101,277 |
| Biofuels/Biodiesel Technology and Product Development Managers | $89,263 |
| Engineering Teachers, Postsecondary | $79,889 |
| Aerospace Engineers | $63,328 |
With 92 different aerospace & aeronautical engineering programs to choose from, finding the best fit can be a challenge. We have analyzed these schools to produce unbiased aerospace & aeronautical engineering school rankings to help you.
If you are interested in aerospace & aeronautical engineering, you may also want to explore other closely related fields of study within the same broad area.
| Related Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| Astronautical Engineering | 57 |
More about our data sources and methodologies.
