Aerospace, Aeronautical, and Astronautical/Space Engineering: is this bachelor's degree worth it?
National picture across 60 reporting college programs.
MODELED SCENARIO · Positive payoff
+$253,700 over 10 years
National scenario across reporting bachelor's degree programs, using median year-4 earnings, their institutions’ average net prices and a typical 4-year duration.
This is a positive modeled result. Price, time to finish and future earnings can still change the outcome.
5.1 yrsModeled economic break-even
+97%Modeled 10-year ROI
$96,510Observed earnings · year 4
Observed national outcomes
$96,510Median reported earnings · year 4
$97,584Average reported earnings · year 5
$25,000Median federal debt
91thYear-4 earnings percentile at this credential
60Reporting programs
59With year-4 earnings
The same field can produce a different equation.
Keep the federal field fixed and compare observed outcomes at every reportable credential level. These are separate graduate cohorts—not a promise that more schooling causes the difference.
CURRENT VIEW
Bachelor's Degree
- Year-4 earnings
- $96,510
- Federal debt
- $25,000
- Reporting programs
- 60
Master's Degree
- Year-4 earnings
- $125,843
- Federal debt
- Not available
- Reporting programs
- 25
Doctoral Degree
- Year-4 earnings
- $134,630
- Federal debt
- Not available
- Reporting programs
- 1
Where the middle half of programs lands
Year‑4 earnings differ by college. This band shows the 25th percentile, national median and 75th percentile among reporting programs.
Median
25th percentile$92,360National median$96,51075th percentile$102,415
59 programs report year‑4 earnings.See the spread, not just the national number.
1University of Southern California$125,5142University of Colorado Boulder$116,3503University of California, Los Angeles$115,7064University of Michigan-Ann Arbor$115,0755Massachusetts Institute of Technology$114,6206University of Washington-Seattle Campus$111,3497Illinois Institute of Technology$110,9568California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo$107,4989Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University$106,63310California State Polytechnic University-Pomona$106,171Observed year-4 earnings · top displayed records are not a universal ranking
Related occupations
Official CIP–SOC links add career context without claiming that every graduate enters the same job.
Aerospace EngineersSOC 17-2011 · 3 crosswalk linksArchitectural and Engineering ManagersSOC 11-9041 · 3 crosswalk linksEngineering Teachers, PostsecondarySOC 25-1032 · 3 crosswalk linksAerospace Engineering and Operations Technologists and TechniciansSOC 17-3021 · 1 crosswalk linksAvionics TechniciansSOC 49-2091 · 1 crosswalk links
Same degree, different outcomes
Compare reported outcomes using the same federal field and credential. ROI uses each institution’s average net price as a scenario—not an individual aid offer.
| # | College | Location | Earnings, year 4 | Federal debt | 10-year ROI | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | University of Southern CaliforniaBachelor's Degree | Los Angeles, CA | $125,514 | $21,140 | +159% | Strong payoff |
| 2 | University of Colorado BoulderBachelor's Degree | Boulder, CO | $116,350 | $25,039 | +154% | Strong payoff |
| 3 | University of California, Los AngelesBachelor's Degree | Los Angeles, CA | $115,706 | $19,000 | +207% | Strong payoff |
| 4 | University of Michigan-Ann ArborBachelor's Degree | Ann Arbor, MI | $115,075 | $21,603 | +201% | Strong payoff |
| 5 | Massachusetts Institute of TechnologyBachelor's Degree | Cambridge, MA | $114,620 | $17,724 | +167% | Strong payoff |
| 6 | University of Washington-Seattle CampusBachelor's Degree | Seattle, WA | $111,349 | $12,000 | +181% | Strong payoff |
| 7 | Illinois Institute of TechnologyBachelor's Degree | Chicago, IL | $110,956 | $27,000 | +160% | Strong payoff |
| 8 | California Polytechnic State University-San Luis ObispoBachelor's Degree | San Luis Obispo, CA | $107,498 | $22,500 | +153% | Strong payoff |
| 9 | Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State UniversityBachelor's Degree | Blacksburg, VA | $106,633 | $26,000 | +120% | Strong payoff |
| 10 | California State Polytechnic University-PomonaBachelor's Degree | Pomona, CA | $106,171 | $26,295 | +171% | Strong payoff |
| 11 | Case Western Reserve UniversityBachelor's Degree | Cleveland, OH | $106,134 | $26,410 | +77% | Positive payoff |
| 12 | Worcester Polytechnic InstituteBachelor's Degree | Worcester, MA | $105,171 | $27,000 | +71% | Positive payoff |
| 13 | The University of Texas at AustinBachelor's Degree | Austin, TX | $104,422 | $22,542 | +129% | Strong payoff |
| 14 | University of Notre DameBachelor's Degree | Notre Dame, IN | $103,022 | $24,000 | +102% | Strong payoff |
| 15 | Auburn UniversityBachelor's Degree | Auburn, AL | $102,756 | $20,458 | +108% | Strong payoff |
| 16 | Georgia Institute of Technology-Main CampusBachelor's Degree | Atlanta, GA | $102,415 | $22,750 | +151% | Strong payoff |
| 17 | California State University, Long BeachBachelor's Degree | Long Beach, CA | $101,797 | $25,300 | +156% | Strong payoff |
| 18 | University of California, IrvineBachelor's Degree | Irvine, CA | $100,537 | $18,950 | +134% | Strong payoff |
| 19 | University of California, San DiegoBachelor's Degree | La Jolla, CA | $100,173 | $21,305 | +140% | Strong payoff |
| 20 | San Diego State UniversityBachelor's Degree | San Diego, CA | $100,139 | $23,000 | +128% | Strong payoff |
| 21 | The University of Texas at ArlingtonBachelor's Degree | Arlington, TX | $99,239 | $25,260 | +130% | Strong payoff |
| 22 | Pennsylvania State University-Main CampusBachelor's Degree | University Park, PA | $99,159 | $26,969 | +74% | Positive payoff |
| 23 | University of Maryland-College ParkBachelor's Degree | College Park, MD | $98,044 | $22,500 | +119% | Strong payoff |
| 24 | Purdue University-Main CampusBachelor's Degree | West Lafayette, IN | $97,332 | $21,500 | +120% | Strong payoff |
| 25 | University of Illinois Urbana-ChampaignBachelor's Degree | Champaign, IL | $97,276 | $23,951 | +120% | Strong payoff |
| 26 | Texas A&M University-College StationBachelor's Degree | College Station, TX | $97,227 | $22,208 | +97% | Positive payoff |
| 27 | Florida Institute of TechnologyBachelor's Degree | Melbourne, FL | $97,015 | $26,982 | +61% | Positive payoff |
| 28 | University of Central FloridaBachelor's Degree | Orlando, FL | $96,972 | $27,875 | +134% | Strong payoff |
| 29 | Arizona State University Campus ImmersionBachelor's Degree | Tempe, AZ | $96,946 | $25,500 | +117% | Strong payoff |
| 30 | New Mexico State University-Main CampusBachelor's Degree | Las Cruces, NM | $96,510 | $24,537 | +139% | Strong payoff |
| 31 | Missouri University of Science and TechnologyBachelor's Degree | Rolla, MO | $96,090 | $22,699 | +108% | Strong payoff |
| 32 | Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University-PrescottBachelor's Degree | Prescott, AZ | $95,552 | $26,995 | +48% | Positive payoff |
| 33 | Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University-Daytona BeachBachelor's Degree | Daytona Beach, FL | $95,552 | $26,995 | +46% | Positive payoff |
| 34 | Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University-WorldwideBachelor's Degree | Daytona Beach, FL | $95,552 | $26,995 | +98% | Positive payoff |
| 35 | Rensselaer Polytechnic InstituteBachelor's Degree | Troy, NY | $94,750 | $25,000 | +53% | Positive payoff |
| 36 | West Virginia University Institute of TechnologyBachelor's Degree | Beckley, WV | $94,750 | $27,242 | +129% | Strong payoff |
| 37 | West Virginia UniversityBachelor's Degree | Morgantown, WV | $94,750 | $27,242 | +105% | Strong payoff |
| 38 | Rutgers University-New BrunswickBachelor's Degree | New Brunswick, NJ | $94,598 | $26,674 | +79% | Positive payoff |
| 39 | University of FloridaBachelor's Degree | Gainesville, FL | $94,375 | $19,573 | +139% | Strong payoff |
| 40 | Western Michigan UniversityBachelor's Degree | Kalamazoo, MI | $94,177 | $28,021 | +104% | Strong payoff |
| 41 | Iowa State UniversityBachelor's Degree | Ames, IA | $94,089 | $26,572 | +93% | Positive payoff |
| 42 | University of California, DavisBachelor's Degree | Davis, CA | $93,414 | $19,058 | +103% | Strong payoff |
| 43 | Ohio State University-Main CampusBachelor's Degree | Columbus, OH | $92,999 | $25,853 | +92% | Positive payoff |
| 44 | University of Minnesota-Twin CitiesBachelor's Degree | Minneapolis, MN | $92,422 | $26,250 | +92% | Positive payoff |
| 45 | University at BuffaloBachelor's Degree | Buffalo, NY | $92,360 | $24,846 | +79% | Positive payoff |
| 46 | University of KansasBachelor's Degree | Lawrence, KS | $92,335 | $25,000 | +88% | Positive payoff |
| 47 | The University of AlabamaBachelor's Degree | Tuscaloosa, AL | $91,999 | $26,787 | +74% | Positive payoff |
| 48 | Oklahoma State University-Main CampusBachelor's Degree | Stillwater, OK | $91,249 | $19,843 | +85% | Positive payoff |
| 49 | Clarkson UniversityBachelor's Degree | Potsdam, NY | $91,066 | $27,000 | +53% | Positive payoff |
| 50 | Syracuse UniversityBachelor's Degree | Syracuse, NY | $90,470 | $27,000 | +36% | Positive payoff |
| 51 | North Carolina State University at RaleighBachelor's Degree | Raleigh, NC | $89,932 | $21,574 | +80% | Positive payoff |
| 52 | University of Oklahoma-Norman CampusBachelor's Degree | Norman, OK | $89,714 | $26,000 | +85% | Positive payoff |
| 53 | The University of Tennessee-KnoxvilleBachelor's Degree | Knoxville, TN | $89,015 | $25,243 | +72% | Positive payoff |
| 54 | University of Cincinnati-Main CampusBachelor's Degree | Cincinnati, OH | $88,511 | $20,750 | +54% | Positive payoff |
| 55 | Mississippi State UniversityBachelor's Degree | Mississippi State, MS | $88,444 | $17,625 | +74% | Positive payoff |
| 56 | University of Alabama in HuntsvilleBachelor's Degree | Huntsville, AL | $87,339 | $25,000 | +66% | Positive payoff |
| 57 | University of ArizonaBachelor's Degree | Tucson, AZ | $86,529 | $23,656 | +68% | Positive payoff |
| 58 | University of Virginia-Main CampusBachelor's Degree | Charlottesville, VA | $85,681 | $14,214 | +53% | Positive payoff |
| 59 | Wichita State UniversityBachelor's Degree | Wichita, KS | $83,057 | $22,250 | +63% | Positive payoff |
| 60 | Saint Louis UniversityBachelor's Degree | Saint Louis, MO | Not available | $26,421 | WithheldPrice-proxy sensitive | $24,398 |
This page keeps the field and credential level fixed. Federal categories can still combine multiple catalog programs or concentrations. Automated ROI is limited to associate and bachelor’s degrees because institution-wide annual net price is not a reliable proxy for short certificate prices. ROI is an illustrative scenario, not a federal determination.