Aerospace Engineering Major — Salary & ROI 2026
Design and development of aircraft, spacecraft, satellites, and missiles.
Starting Salary
$80K
median
Mid-Career
$115K
salary
ROI Payback
3.5 yrs
avg payback
Unemployment
2.2%
rate
Aerospace Engineering Overview
Design and development of aircraft, spacecraft, satellites, and missiles.
Category
Engineering
Degree Level
Bachelor's
Graduation Rate
64%
Enrollment Trend
growing
Online Available
Limited
Underemployment
10%
Lifetime Premium
$980K
Female Graduates
16%
Aerospace Engineering Degree ROI Calculator
Estimate your actual return on investment based on school type and scholarships.
0 to $40K/year in aid
Est. Total Cost
$22,500
4-year tuition
Net Cost (w/ aid)
$22,500
after scholarships
ROI Payback
1 years
to break even
Lifetime Return
$957,500
Lifetime earnings premium ($980,000) minus net degree cost ($22,500)
Aerospace Engineering Salary Progression
Common Aerospace Engineering Careers
Aerospace Engineer
Flight Test Engineer
Systems Engineer
Top Employers
Skills You'll Learn
Top Schools for Aerospace Engineering
#1
MIT
#2
Caltech
#3
Georgia Tech
#4
University of Michigan
#5
Purdue
Related Majors
Aerospace Engineering Degree FAQ
Data Sources: Salary data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Enrollment and graduation data from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES/IPEDS). Tuition estimates based on College Board Annual Survey of Colleges. Last updated March 2026.
Aerospace Engineering Programs by City
Tuition, salary outcomes, and cost of living for aerospace engineering programs vary by city. See your local numbers:
Compare All College Majors
Analyze ROI, salary potential, and career outcomes for 150+ college majors.