2026 Best Value Aerospace & Aeronautical Engineering Schools in New York

[Aerospace & Aeronautical Engineering](/majors/engineering/aerospace-and-aeronautical-engineering/aerospace-aeronautical-space-engineering/) is a field worth comparing on the balance of cost and outcomes. The best values balance affordable tuition against strong post-graduation earnings.
College Factual analyzed 5 schools to build this 2026 ranking of the best value aerospace & aeronautical engineering schools.
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2026 Best Value Aerospace & Aeronautical Engineering Schools in New York
If you want to know which schools deliver the best value for the aerospace & aeronautical engineering degrees they offer, see the list below.
Best Value Aerospace & Aeronautical Engineering Schools
University At Buffalo tops our 2026 list of the best value aerospace & aeronautical engineering schools in New York. Located in the suburb of Buffalo, University At Buffalo is a very large public university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $10,936, compared with $31,536 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for aerospace & aeronautical engineering graduates is $24,846. Soon after graduation, aerospace & aeronautical engineering degree recipients from University At Buffalo generally make around $69,716. That is a strong return on a $24,846 median debt. University At Buffalo admits about 74% of applicants.
Students looking for strong value in aerospace & aeronautical engineering will find it at Clarkson University, which ranked #2. Located in the town of Potsdam, Clarkson University is a mid-sized private not-for-profit university. In-state tuition and fees average $59,398. Typical student debt for aerospace & aeronautical engineering graduates is $27,000. Early-career aerospace & aeronautical engineering graduates make about $71,783. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Clarkson University admits about 77% of applicants.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Cornell University earned it the #3 place for aerospace & aeronautical engineering. Set in the city of Ithaca, Cornell University is a very large private not-for-profit institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $69,314. Aerospace & Aeronautical Engineering graduates carry a median of $15,005 in student loans. Soon after graduation, aerospace & aeronautical engineering degree recipients from Cornell University generally make around $102,439. That is a strong return on a $15,005 median debt. The acceptance rate is 9%.
A rank of #4 makes Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute one of the best values for aerospace & aeronautical engineering. Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute is a moderately-sized private not-for-profit school located in the city of Troy. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $64,078. Students borrow a median of $25,000 to complete the aerospace & aeronautical engineering program here. Soon after graduation, aerospace & aeronautical engineering degree recipients from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute generally make around $73,213. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 64%.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Syracuse University earned it the #5 place for aerospace & aeronautical engineering. Syracuse University is a very large private not-for-profit school located in the city of Syracuse. Students from in state pay about $65,528 in tuition and fees. Students borrow a median of $27,000 to complete the aerospace & aeronautical engineering program here. Aerospace & Aeronautical Engineering graduates of Syracuse University earn a median of $71,417 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $27,000 median debt. Syracuse University admits about 46% of applicants.
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Notes and References
The ranking above is published by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 edition. Schools are scored on the balance of cost (tuition and student debt) against student outcomes (post-graduation earnings) — a measure of return on investment, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Ranking method: College Major Best Value · 5 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 5 ranked schools only.
- 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.