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College Factual  by our College Data Analytics Team
       Unbiased Factual Guarantee

2026 Best Aerospace & Aeronautical Engineering Schools in the The Plains States Region

7 Colleges in the United States
587 Aerospace & Aeronautical Engineering Degrees Awarded
$76,366 Avg Early-Career Salary

Aerospace & Aeronautical Engineering programs are offered at a focused set of schools across the country. 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 8 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:

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Best Schools for Aerospace & Aeronautical Engineering in the The Plains States Region

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

Our analysis ranked Washington University In St Louis the best school in the country for a degree in aerospace & aeronautical engineering. Washington University In St Louis is a large private not-for-profit school located in the suburb of St. Louis. Washington University In St Louis graduates 94% of students within six years. Washington University In St Louis awarded about 36 aerospace & aeronautical engineering degrees in the most recent data year. Graduates of the aerospace & aeronautical engineering program make about $92,802 in their early career. Typical student debt for the program is $17,553. Read more about the aerospace & aeronautical engineering program at Washington University In St Louis

2

Iowa State University is one of the finest schools in the country for a degree in aerospace & aeronautical engineering, ranking #2. Iowa State University is a very large public school located in the city of Ames. Roughly 75% of students complete a degree within six years here. Iowa State University awarded about 191 aerospace & aeronautical engineering degrees in the most recent data year. Students who receive their aerospace & aeronautical engineering degree from Iowa State University earn around $75,036 in the first couple years of their career. Iowa State University graduates carry a median of $26,572 in student loans. Get the full aerospace & aeronautical engineering details for Iowa State University

3

Students looking for a strong aerospace & aeronautical engineering program will find one at University Of Minnesota Twin Cities, which ranked #3. This very large public university is located in the city of Minneapolis. Roughly 85% of students complete a degree within six years here. About 98 aerospace & aeronautical engineering degrees were awarded at University Of Minnesota Twin Cities in the most recent year. Aerospace & Aeronautical Engineering graduates of University Of Minnesota Twin Cities earn a median of $68,495 early in their careers. Students borrow a median of $26,250 to complete this degree. Get the full aerospace & aeronautical engineering details for University Of Minnesota Twin Cities

4

Students looking for a strong aerospace & aeronautical engineering program will find one at Missouri University Of Science And Technology, which ranked #4. This moderately-sized public university is located in the town of Rolla. The six-year graduation rate is 64%. Missouri University Of Science And Technology awarded about 87 aerospace & aeronautical engineering degrees in the most recent data year. Soon after graduation, aerospace & aeronautical engineering degree recipients from Missouri University Of Science And Technology generally make around $76,183. Missouri University Of Science And Technology graduates carry a median of $22,699 in student loans. More information about a degree in aerospace & aeronautical engineering from Missouri University Of Science And Technology

5
University Of Kansas crest
University Of Kansas
Lawrence, KS

University Of Kansas came in at #5 on our 2026 list of the best aerospace & aeronautical engineering schools. This very large public university is located in the city of Lawrence. The six-year graduation rate is 69%. There were roughly 80 aerospace & aeronautical engineering students who graduated with this degree at University Of Kansas in the most recent data year. Graduates of the aerospace & aeronautical engineering program make about $71,244 in their early career. Typical student debt for the program is $25,000. More information about a degree in aerospace & aeronautical engineering from University Of Kansas

6

Saint Louis University Main Campus placed #6 among the best aerospace & aeronautical engineering schools. This large private not-for-profit university is located in the city of Saint Louis. Saint Louis University Main Campus graduates 80% of students within six years. Saint Louis University Main Campus awarded about 26 aerospace & aeronautical engineering degrees in the most recent data year. Aerospace & Aeronautical Engineering graduates of Saint Louis University Main Campus earn a median of $75,122 early in their careers. Typical student debt for the program is $26,421. See the full aerospace & aeronautical engineering program report for Saint Louis University Main Campus

7

Wichita State University placed #7 among the best aerospace & aeronautical engineering schools. This large public university is located in the city of Wichita. About 51% of students finish within six years. About 69 aerospace & aeronautical engineering degrees were awarded at Wichita State University in the most recent year. Graduates of the aerospace & aeronautical engineering program make about $75,682 in their early career. Typical student debt for the program is $22,250. Read more about the aerospace & aeronautical engineering program at Wichita State University

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Notes and References

The ranking above is published 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 · 8 schools evaluated.

More about our data sources and methodologies.

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