Grad school · Engineering

Aerospace engineering graduate programs: earnings and debt by school

69 colleges award master's degrees in aerospace engineering. Graduates of the typical program earned $103,120 a year after finishing, and those who borrowed left with a median of $30,928 in federal loans taken at the school.

Master's programs69

Graduates in 2023-242,405

Typical median debt$30,928

Typical earnings 1 yr after$103,120

Typical earnings 4 yrs after$125,856

Earnings to debt3.3x

Official field: Aerospace, Aeronautical, and Astronautical/Space Engineering. Admission figures such as LSAT, MCAT or GRE scores are not part of this federal data, so check each school.

Degree level	Programs	Typical earnings 1 yr after	Typical median debt
Master's	69	$103,120	$30,928
Doctoral	46	$120,263	n/a

Is it worth it? Debt vs first-year pay

Each dot is one master's program. Dots above the dashed line have graduates earning more in their first year than the program's median debt.

Earnings above median debt Debt above first-year earnings

Master's programs in aerospace engineering

Highest first-year earnings

Johns Hopkins University$138,933

Stanford University$132,178

University of California-Los Angeles$126,354

University of Washington-Seattle Campus$125,965

University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign$118,500

University of Southern California$118,287

Purdue University-Main Campus$110,187

California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo$110,184

Filter by school, city or state

College	Graduates (2023-24)	Earnings 1 yr after	Earnings 4 yrs after	Median debt
Johns Hopkins UniversityBaltimore, MD	129	$138,933	$165,562	n/a
Massachusetts Institute of TechnologyCambridge, MA	46	n/a	$151,237	n/a
University of California-Los AngelesLos Angeles, CA	30	$126,354	$151,186	n/a
Stanford UniversityStanford, CA	65	$132,178	$147,375	n/a
University of Washington-Seattle CampusSeattle, WA	44	$125,965	$142,946	n/a
University of Southern CaliforniaLos Angeles, CA	134	$118,287	$139,463	$43,375
California Polytechnic State University-San Luis ObispoSan Luis Obispo, CA	12	$110,184	$132,720	n/a
Cornell UniversityIthaca, NY	28	$100,632	$132,449	n/a
Purdue University-Main CampusWest Lafayette, IN	193	$110,187	$131,275	$18,354
Florida Institute of TechnologyMelbourne, FL	30	$109,358	$130,016	n/a
Georgia Institute of Technology-Main CampusAtlanta, GA	252	n/a	$126,979	$31,106
University of Michigan-Ann ArborAnn Arbor, MI	129	$103,026	$125,870	$31,650
University of Illinois Urbana-ChampaignChampaign, IL	66	$118,500	$125,843	$31,899
Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University-Daytona BeachDaytona Beach, FL	76	$98,721	$121,654	$40,044
Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University-WorldwideDaytona Beach, FL	41	$98,721	$121,654	$40,044
University of Colorado BoulderBoulder, CO	137	$103,638	$120,144	$30,750
Texas A&M University-College StationCollege Station, TX	58	$96,879	$119,512	$20,500
Washington University in St LouisSt. Louis, MO	34	$98,506	$118,193	n/a
Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State UniversityBlacksburg, VA	65	$103,593	$115,736	$26,000
California State University-Long BeachLong Beach, CA	24	$101,284	$114,594	n/a
Arizona State University Campus ImmersionTempe, AZ	44	$90,228	$110,778	n/a
University of FloridaGainesville, FL	52	$99,566	$108,542	$30,750
Worcester Polytechnic InstituteWorcester, MA	28	$94,480	$107,344	n/a
University of Cincinnati-Main CampusCincinnati, OH	36	n/a	$105,027	n/a
The University of Texas at ArlingtonArlington, TX	21	$109,844	n/a	n/a
The University of Texas at AustinAustin, TX	31	$108,097	n/a	n/a
Missouri University of Science and TechnologyRolla, MO	9	$105,078	n/a	n/a
Rensselaer Polytechnic InstituteTroy, NY	22	$103,214	n/a	$20,500
University of Central FloridaOrlando, FL	60	$102,802	n/a	n/a
North Carolina State University at RaleighRaleigh, NC	25	$100,429	n/a	n/a
University of DaytonDayton, OH	16	$92,840	n/a	n/a
Pennsylvania State University-Main CampusUniversity Park, PA	32	$92,359	n/a	n/a
University at BuffaloBuffalo, NY	25	$86,356	n/a	n/a
Auburn UniversityAuburn, AL	28	n/a	n/a	n/a
California Institute of TechnologyPasadena, CA	10	n/a	n/a	n/a
California State Polytechnic University-PomonaPomona, CA	5	n/a	n/a	n/a
Capitol Technology UniversityLaurel, MD	1	n/a	n/a	n/a
Case Western Reserve UniversityCleveland, OH	10	n/a	n/a	n/a
Inter American University of Puerto Rico-BayamonBayamon, PR	0	n/a	n/a	n/a
Iowa State UniversityAmes, IA	9	n/a	n/a	n/a
Kent State University at KentKent, OH	6	n/a	n/a	n/a
Mississippi State UniversityMississippi State, MS	13	n/a	n/a	n/a
Morehead State UniversityMorehead, KY	3	n/a	n/a	n/a
New Mexico State University-Main CampusLas Cruces, NM	0	n/a	n/a	n/a
Ohio State University-Main CampusColumbus, OH	16	n/a	n/a	n/a
Rice UniversityHouston, TX	8	n/a	n/a	n/a
San Diego State UniversitySan Diego, CA	11	n/a	n/a	n/a
San Jose State UniversitySan Jose, CA	28	n/a	n/a	n/a
Santa Clara UniversitySanta Clara, CA	1	n/a	n/a	n/a
The University of AlabamaTuscaloosa, AL	43	n/a	n/a	n/a
The University of Tennessee-KnoxvilleKnoxville, TN	29	n/a	n/a	n/a
The University of Texas at San AntonioSan Antonio, TX	1	n/a	n/a	n/a
University of Alabama in HuntsvilleHuntsville, AL	35	n/a	n/a	n/a
University of ArizonaTucson, AZ	11	n/a	n/a	n/a
University of California-San DiegoLa Jolla, CA	22	n/a	n/a	n/a
University of HoustonHouston, TX	12	n/a	n/a	n/a
University of KansasLawrence, KS	9	n/a	n/a	n/a
University of KentuckyLexington, KY	2	n/a	n/a	n/a
University of Maryland-College ParkCollege Park, MD	25	n/a	n/a	n/a
University of Minnesota-Twin CitiesMinneapolis, MN	15	n/a	n/a	n/a
University of Nevada-Las VegasLas Vegas, NV	1	n/a	n/a	n/a
University of Notre DameNotre Dame, IN	6	n/a	n/a	n/a
University of Oklahoma-Norman CampusNorman, OK	5	n/a	n/a	n/a
University of South Carolina-ColumbiaColumbia, SC	7	n/a	n/a	n/a
Utah State UniversityLogan, UT	20	n/a	n/a	n/a
West Virginia UniversityMorgantown, WV	5	n/a	n/a	n/a
Western Michigan UniversityKalamazoo, MI	3	n/a	n/a	n/a
Wichita State UniversityWichita, KS	9	n/a	n/a	n/a
Wright State University-Main CampusDayton, OH	2	n/a	n/a	n/a

Doctoral programs in aerospace engineering

Highest first-year earnings

Purdue University-Main Campus$120,263

Filter by school, city or state

College	Graduates (2023-24)	Earnings 1 yr after	Earnings 4 yrs after	Median debt
Georgia Institute of Technology-Main CampusAtlanta, GA	44	n/a	$134,630	n/a
Purdue University-Main CampusWest Lafayette, IN	27	$120,263	n/a	n/a
Arizona State University Campus ImmersionTempe, AZ	1	n/a	n/a	n/a
Auburn UniversityAuburn, AL	6	n/a	n/a	n/a
California Institute of TechnologyPasadena, CA	9	n/a	n/a	n/a
Case Western Reserve UniversityCleveland, OH	1	n/a	n/a	n/a
Cornell UniversityIthaca, NY	4	n/a	n/a	n/a
Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University-Daytona BeachDaytona Beach, FL	10	n/a	n/a	n/a
Florida Institute of TechnologyMelbourne, FL	2	n/a	n/a	n/a
Iowa State UniversityAmes, IA	10	n/a	n/a	n/a
Kent State University at KentKent, OH	1	n/a	n/a	n/a
Massachusetts Institute of TechnologyCambridge, MA	47	n/a	n/a	n/a
Missouri University of Science and TechnologyRolla, MO	4	n/a	n/a	n/a
New Mexico State University-Main CampusLas Cruces, NM	0	n/a	n/a	n/a
North Carolina State University at RaleighRaleigh, NC	4	n/a	n/a	n/a
Ohio State University-Main CampusColumbus, OH	6	n/a	n/a	n/a
Pennsylvania State University-Main CampusUniversity Park, PA	8	n/a	n/a	n/a
Rensselaer Polytechnic InstituteTroy, NY	6	n/a	n/a	n/a
Stanford UniversityStanford, CA	23	n/a	n/a	n/a
Texas A&M University-College StationCollege Station, TX	22	n/a	n/a	n/a
The University of AlabamaTuscaloosa, AL	8	n/a	n/a	n/a
The University of Tennessee-KnoxvilleKnoxville, TN	1	n/a	n/a	n/a
The University of Texas at ArlingtonArlington, TX	9	n/a	n/a	n/a
The University of Texas at AustinAustin, TX	9	n/a	n/a	n/a
University at BuffaloBuffalo, NY	5	n/a	n/a	n/a
University of Alabama in HuntsvilleHuntsville, AL	2	n/a	n/a	n/a
University of ArizonaTucson, AZ	5	n/a	n/a	n/a
University of California-Los AngelesLos Angeles, CA	6	n/a	n/a	n/a
University of California-San DiegoLa Jolla, CA	5	n/a	n/a	n/a
University of Central FloridaOrlando, FL	5	n/a	n/a	n/a
University of Cincinnati-Main CampusCincinnati, OH	8	n/a	n/a	n/a
University of Colorado BoulderBoulder, CO	39	n/a	n/a	n/a
University of DaytonDayton, OH	3	n/a	n/a	n/a
University of FloridaGainesville, FL	5	n/a	n/a	n/a
University of Illinois Urbana-ChampaignChampaign, IL	8	n/a	n/a	n/a
University of KansasLawrence, KS	2	n/a	n/a	n/a
University of KentuckyLexington, KY	1	n/a	n/a	n/a
University of Maryland-College ParkCollege Park, MD	8	n/a	n/a	n/a
University of Michigan-Ann ArborAnn Arbor, MI	25	n/a	n/a	n/a
University of Minnesota-Twin CitiesMinneapolis, MN	11	n/a	n/a	n/a
University of Southern CaliforniaLos Angeles, CA	6	n/a	n/a	n/a
University of Washington-Seattle CampusSeattle, WA	9	n/a	n/a	n/a
Utah State UniversityLogan, UT	1	n/a	n/a	n/a
Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State UniversityBlacksburg, VA	29	n/a	n/a	n/a
Washington University in St LouisSt. Louis, MO	2	n/a	n/a	n/a
Wichita State UniversityWichita, KS	2	n/a	n/a	n/a

Frequently asked questions

How much do aerospace engineering graduates earn?

Graduates of the typical master's program earned a median of $103,120 one year after finishing, in 2024 dollars.

How much debt do aerospace engineering graduate students take on?

The typical program's graduates who borrowed left with a median of $30,928 in federal loans taken at that school. Undergraduate loans are not included.

Undergraduate: Aerospace engineering major

Source: U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard field of study file, data release of October 15, 2026. Earnings are medians for graduates who received federal aid and were working, not enrolled. One-year figures: graduates of 2020-21 and 2021-22, measured in 2022 and 2023, in 2024 dollars. Four-year figures: graduates of 2017-18 and 2018-19, measured in 2022 and 2023, in 2024 dollars. More on the data.