Aerospace Engineering major

Aerospace Engineering: courses, careers, and where to study

Aerospace Engineering applies aerodynamics, propulsion, structures, and control systems to the design of aircraft and spacecraft, suiting students drawn to flight and space vehicles.

Nationally, bachelor's graduates in Aerospace Engineering earn a median $98,207 four years after graduating; the middle half of programs ranges from $81,638 to $115,917 (2017-19 graduates, measured 2022-23, College Scorecard). By credential and college

An Aerospace Engineering major is typically a bachelor's degree (BS) covering aerodynamics, propulsion, flight mechanics, aircraft and spacecraft structures, materials, and guidance, navigation, and control. Like other engineering BS programs, it builds on a foundation of calculus, differential equations, and physics, and most curricula split into aeronautics (aircraft within the atmosphere) and astronautics (spacecraft and orbital mechanics) tracks, ending in a senior capstone design project.

Graduates design, analyze, test, and certify aircraft, missiles, satellites, launch vehicles, and propulsion systems, often using CAD, computational fluid dynamics, finite-element analysis, and wind-tunnel or flight testing. They work for aircraft and spacecraft manufacturers, defense contractors, airlines, and government agencies such as NASA and the FAA, frequently within teams alongside mechanical, electrical, and systems engineers.

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics projects 6.1% employment growth for aerospace engineers from 2024 to 2034, and reports a 2024 median wage of $134,830 for the occupation. The typical entry-level education for these roles is a bachelor's degree.

Academic classification (CIP)

In the federal Classification of Instructional Programs, Aerospace Engineering maps to CIP 14.0201, Aerospace, Aeronautical, and Astronautical/Space Engineering, General, within the ENGINEERING family. The official definition:

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.

Source: U.S. Department of Education (NCES), Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP) 2020. View on nces.ed.gov

What credential Aerospace Engineering is awarded as

Of the 10,170 Aerospace Engineering credentials U.S. colleges reported conferring in 2024-25:

  • Certificate: <1%, 38 credentials.
  • Associate: <1%, 39 credentials.
  • Bachelor's: 67%, 6,849 credentials.
  • Graduate: 32%, 3,244 credentials.

This mix is fairly consistent nationally: across the 28 states reporting it, the certificate share moves by about 1 percentage points between the 10th and 90th percentile state, so the credential is more a property of the field than of where you study it. See the full study.

Credentials conferred in 2024-25, U.S. Department of Education IPEDS completions. A certificate is a different credential from a degree, not a lesser one, and this counts what was awarded rather than what a college currently offers.

What you'll study

  • Calculus, differential equations, and engineering physics
  • Aerodynamics and fluid mechanics, including compressible and subsonic/supersonic flow
  • Propulsion systems (jet engines, rockets, and gas turbines) and thermodynamics
  • Flight mechanics, stability, and aircraft/spacecraft control systems
  • Aerospace structures, materials, and finite-element analysis
  • Orbital mechanics and astronautics for spacecraft and satellites
  • CAD, computational fluid dynamics (CFD), and simulation tools
  • Wind-tunnel, propulsion, and flight testing in a senior capstone design project

Typical careers

  • Aerospace engineers
  • Aeronautical Engineer
  • Propulsion Engineer
  • Spacecraft / Satellite Systems Engineer
  • Flight Test Engineer
  • Structural Analysis Engineer

Typical salary range: Informational only (BLS, 2024 aerospace engineers median $134,830)Ranges are early-career estimates. Any BLS figure shown is the occupation-wide median across all experience levels, not a starting wage, and is informational only.

How much do Aerospace Engineering graduates earn?

Nationally, bachelor's graduates in Aerospace Engineering earn a median $98,207 four years after graduating; the middle half of programs ranges from $81,638 to $115,917 (2017-19 graduates, measured 2022-23, College Scorecard).

National median earnings four years after graduating for Aerospace Engineering, by credential
CredentialNational medianMiddle half of programs
Bachelor's$98,207$81,638 to $115,917
Master's$122,434$103,582 to $146,717

Compare Aerospace Engineering programs in your state

Highest-earning bachelor's Aerospace Engineering programs

Ordered by median earnings: one federal measure, not a ranking of program quality. Federal program group: Aerospace, Aeronautical, and Astronautical/Space Engineering. Earnings: graduates of 2017-18 and 2018-19, earnings measured in 2022 and 2023, in 2024 dollars, for graduates who received federal aid, worked and were not enrolled. Programs need at least 30 graduates in the earnings cohort to be listed; multi-state systems whose figures pool campuses are not listed. Source: U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard, 10 June 2026. How much the college matters, by major. Graduate programs over the new federal loan caps.

Related occupations

Occupations the federal CIP–SOC crosswalk associates with Aerospace Engineering, with what each one pays and how many openings it is projected to average each year. Ordered by projected annual openings, largest first. Linked titles open the full CampusPin career page.

Occupations associated with Aerospace Engineering by the federal CIP–SOC crosswalk, with median annual wage, projected annual openings, projected employment change, and the education most entrants typically hold.
OccupationMedian payOpenings / yrProjected changeMost entrants hold
Architectural and Engineering Managers$167,74014,500+3.8%Bachelor's degree
Aerospace Engineers$134,8304,500+6.1%Bachelor's degree
Engineering Teachers, Postsecondary$106,1204,100+8.1%Doctoral or professional degree

Crosswalk: U.S. Department of Education (NCES), CIP 2020 to SOC 2018. Pay, openings and projections: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (2024 wages, Employment Projections). 3 of these 3 occupations report a median wage.

“Most entrants hold” is what BLS observes about people already working in the occupation. It is not a legal requirement, not an admission rule, and not a guarantee of entry. Studying Aerospace Engineering does not guarantee any specific occupation, and many of these roles are entered from several different fields. Projected openings are a projection, not jobs promised.

Before you commit to a Aerospace Engineering major

CampusPin does not rank programs. Use these prompts to pressure-test whether a specific Aerospace Engineering program fits your goals, they are decision questions, not claims about any school.

Ask the Aerospace Engineering department

  • Which concentrations or specializations are offered, and which faculty lead them?
  • What does the typical course sequence look like, and how much is required vs. elective?
  • What labs, studios, clinical placements, or research opportunities are available to undergraduates?
  • Is there a capstone, thesis, internship, or co-op requirement?

Ask current students & check the curriculum

  • How heavy is the workload, and how accessible is the faculty?
  • What internships or co-ops did you do, and where do recent graduates end up?
  • Does the required curriculum actually match the careers listed above?
  • How easy is it to add a minor, double major, or switch tracks later?
Accreditation & licensure: Engineering and some computing programs may hold ABET accreditation, which can matter for professional licensure (the PE path) and for some employers and graduate schools. Check whether the Aerospace Engineering programs you are considering are accredited for your goals.
Degree level & graduate study: Many Aerospace Engineering careers are open with a bachelor's degree, but some, such as research, advanced-practice, or licensure-track roles, require a master's or doctorate. Check the typical entry-level education on each linked career page above before assuming a bachelor's is enough.

Find a Aerospace Engineering program

CampusPin lists U.S. universities and community colleges by state, tuition, school size, acceptance rate, and campus setting, no account required.

Colleges that awarded the most Aerospace Engineering credentials

Largest by credentials conferred in 2024-25. This measures the size of the graduating class, not quality, and it is not a ranking.

Based on credentials this institution reported conferring in the federal IPEDS completions collection for 2024-25. It confirms the field was awarded that year, not that the program currently accepts students, and it covers only the fields CampusPin tracks. Confirm current offerings with the institution.

Search Aerospace Engineering schools

Where Aerospace Engineering credentials were awarded

3 states have a distinct enough set of Aerospace Engineering colleges to be worth its own page.

Aerospace Engineering by state

Every Aerospace Engineering program with its own CampusPin page

25 programs in 14 states, A to Z by state and then by college. Each page gives what the program's graduates earned four years after finishing, what they borrowed in federal loans, the monthly payment, and how the program compares with others in its state and the nation. The figure beside each college is the median for its largest credential with at least 30 graduates (U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard, 2017-19 graduates, measured 2022-23). The list is alphabetical; it is not a ranking.

Aerospace Engineering programs in California, 6 programs
Aerospace Engineering programs in Florida, 2 programs
Aerospace Engineering programs in Georgia, 1 program
Aerospace Engineering programs in Illinois, 1 program
Aerospace Engineering programs in Indiana, 1 program
Aerospace Engineering programs in Maryland, 1 program
Aerospace Engineering programs in Michigan, 2 programs
Aerospace Engineering programs in New York, 2 programs
Aerospace Engineering programs in North Carolina, 1 program
Aerospace Engineering programs in Ohio, 2 programs
Aerospace Engineering programs in Texas, 3 programs
Aerospace Engineering programs in Virginia, 1 program
Aerospace Engineering programs in Washington, 1 program
Aerospace Engineering programs in West Virginia, 1 program

Related majors

Put this major in context

The salary above is an occupation-wide median from federal data, not a starting wage or a guarantee. These CampusPin guides and reports help you read it well, see where a Aerospace Engineering degree can lead, and weigh it against cost and program quality.

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How one major leads to many careers

Why a single Aerospace Engineering degree can open more than one path, and how to read the occupations above.

Why a median wage is not a starting salary

How to read a BLS median, and why early-career pay usually sits below it.

When accreditation and licensure matter

How program accreditation and state licensure can shape a Aerospace Engineering path before you enroll.

Does a pricier college pay off?

How college cost lines up with graduation and earnings, an association, not a ranking.

Does picking a major narrow your college list?

Across the federal completions data, most fields barely change which colleges are on the table. Which ones genuinely do.

Certificate or degree?

What credential a field is usually awarded as is mostly set by the field itself, not by the state, with a short list of exceptions.

How this guide is sourced

This is an editorial guide from the CampusPin Editorial Team. Career and wage figures are from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, occupation-wide medians across all experience levels, not starting wages, and link to each career page. Program availability comes from CampusPin's free institution search; CampusPin does not assert that any specific school offers this exact major until that program data is verified. Last reviewed 2026-06-15. How CampusPin sources data · Report a correction.