Best Colleges for Aerospace Engineering

For prospective engineers, there are a wealth of excellent higher education options that will provide a top-notch educational experience. However, for a specialized field like this, you’ll want to be particularly choosy in locating the best colleges for aerospace engineering. The quality of the laboratories, faculty, and internship experiences can vary greatly from school to school. Fortunately, we’ve done the vetting for you and have winnowed down the larger list to only the highest-quality schools. Those hoping to one day get their foot in the door at industry giants such as Boeing, Lockheed Martin, Airbus, or Northrop Grumman should definitely aim for one of the excellent universities on our list of the best aerospace engineering schools.

Click the links below for more information about each college’s aerospace engineering program. Click here to read our methodology. Now, we are ready to begin our overview of the best aerospace engineering colleges.

1) Massachusetts Institute of Technology

  • Number of undergraduate degrees granted (most recent year available): 53
  • Undergraduate degree program covers aerodynamics, fluid mechanics, propulsion, structural design and analysis, advanced materials, and dynamics.
  • Also has an option in Aerospace Information Technology.

2) Georgia Institute of Technology

  • Number of undergraduate degrees granted (most recent year available): 197
  • The School of Aerospace Engineering is ranked as the No. 1 best aerospace engineering college according to U.S. News.
  • 80% of aerospace students are involved in undergraduate research before they graduate.

3) United States Air Force Academy

  • Number of undergraduate degrees granted (most recent year available): 77
  • Boasts a cutting-edge aeronautics laboratory.
  • Courses offered cover topics such as Aircraft Dynamic Stability and Control, Flight Test Techniques, and Aeroelasticity.

4) Purdue University

  • Number of undergraduate degrees granted (most recent year available): 252
  • Students begin the Aeronautics and Astronautics program after completing the First Year Engineering Program.
  • In senior year, students choose a specialization area such as Aerodynamics, Aerospace Systems Design, Astrodynamics, Autonomy and Control, Propulsion, or Structures and Materials.

5) Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University

  • Number of undergraduate degrees granted (most recent year available): 356
  • Bachelor of Science in Aerospace Engineering program has been around for almost 20 years.
  • Very hands-on program, even for freshmen.

6) Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute

  • Number of undergraduate degrees granted (most recent year available): 101
  • RPI offers a bachelor of science in Aeronautical Engineering.
  • There are 17 professors/lecturers in this discipline.

7) University of Michigan

  • Number of undergraduate degrees granted (most recent year available): 132
  • The department boasts almost $15 million in research expenditures per year.
  • There are 29 tenured and tenure-track professors.

8) University of Texas at Austin

  • Number of undergraduate degrees granted (most recent year available): 168
  • 25% of undergraduates in the program are women.
  • The average starting salary is $75k.

9) University of Colorado Boulder

  • Number of undergraduate degrees granted (most recent year available): 220
  • 56 tenure-track faculty and researchers.
  • They are the #1 public university for NASA research funds.

10) University of Maryland

  • Number of undergraduate degrees granted (most recent year available): 145
  • 31 full-time professors in the department.
  • The undergraduate degree programs feature “cutting-edge education labs, dedicated faculty who encourage student-led research, and ties with leading companies, utilities, and agencies.”

11) Virginia Tech

  • Number of undergraduate degrees granted (most recent year available): 153
  • Offers a bachelor’s in Aerospace Engineering and the option to double-major in Ocean Engineering.
  • Also offers a multidisciplinary minor in naval engineering.

12) Princeton University

  • Number of undergraduate degrees granted (most recent year available): N/A
  • Princeton offers two programs of study: Mechanical Engineering and Aerospace Engineering.
  • One recent graduating class saw 22% of graduates decide to continue their studies in graduate school in engineering while 39% chose a technical career in industries such as Virgin Orbit, CBRE Digital & Tech, Momentum Solar, SpaceX, and RELX Group.

13) California Institute of Technology

  • Number of undergraduate degrees granted (most recent year available): N/A
  • The Caltech Department of Aerospace offers degree programs for graduate students as well as an undergraduate minor.
  • Courses include Research in Aerospace, Aerospace Control Systems, Space Engineering, Spacecraft Navigation, and Spacecraft Propulsion.

14) University of California, Los Angeles

  • Number of undergraduate degrees granted (most recent year available): 56
  • 34 faculty members and 39 research labs.
  • 10 faculty members are in the National Academy of Engineering.

15) Stanford University

  • Number of undergraduate degrees granted (most recent year available): 8
  • Students receive a bachelor of science in engineering with a sub plan “Aeronautics and Astronautics” appearing on the diploma.
  • Stanford undergrads also have the option to minor in this field.

16) University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

  • Number of undergraduate degrees granted (most recent year available): 95
  • Seventh-ranked undergraduate Aerospace Engineering by U.S. News.
  • Founded in 1944.

17) University of Florida

  • Number of undergraduate degrees granted (most recent year available): 133
  • Courses include Astrodynamics, Aerospace Structures, Aerospace Design, and Aerospace Propulsion.
  • Students can obtain dual degrees in Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering.

18) Penn State University

  • Number of undergraduate degrees granted (most recent year available): 134
  • Established in 1961, they are the only aeronautics department in the state of Pennsylvania.
  • Offers a full B.S. in Aerospace Engineering as well as an academic minor in Information Sciences and Technology for Aerospace Engineering.

19) University of Washington

  • Number of undergraduate degrees granted (most recent year available): 125
  • 16% women and 10% underrepresented minorities.
  • ABET-accredited program awards a bachelor of science in Aeronautical & Astronautical Engineering (BSAAE).

20) University of Southern California

  • Number of undergraduate degrees granted (most recent year available): 43
  • Offers a bachelor’s in Aerospace Engineering with courses such as Basic Flight Dynamics, Aircraft Design, and Foundations of Astronautical Engineering.
  • Has tracks in Aerospace Design, Aerospace Controls, and Aerospace Structures.

21) Cornell University

  • Number of undergraduate degrees granted (most recent year available): N/A
  • Offers a minor in the subject that includes four core aerospace courses and two supporting engineering courses that have applicability to the field.
  • Options include Introduction to Spaceflight Mechanics, Spacecraft Technology and Systems Architecture, and Aerospace Propulsion.

22) Texas A&M University

  • Number of undergraduate degrees granted (most recent year available): 140
  • There are 47 full-time faculty members in this department.
  • Ranked the 6th best undergraduate program in this discipline by S. News.

23) University of Virginia

  • Number of undergraduate degrees granted (most recent year available): N/A
  • Course offerings include Aerospace Design, Air Breathing Propulsion, Astronautics, Aerodynamics, and Flight Vehicle Dynamics.
  • 4th year students develop their own aerospace vehicle. UVA students have won many national competitions for aircraft design.

24) University of Notre Dame

  • Number of undergraduate degrees granted (most recent year available): 22
  • Accredited by ABET.
  • Specializations are available in technical areas, including design and manufacturing; thermal and fluid sciences; bioengineering; solid mechanics; materials; control and mechanical systems; and computational engineering.

25) Iowa State University

  • Number of undergraduate degrees granted (most recent year available): 148
  • Undergraduate program covers Aerodynamics, Flight Dynamics, Propulsion, Structural Mechanics, Flight Control, and Design and systems.
  • Graduates of the program enjoy an average starting salary of $71,000 per year.

26) Case Western Reserve University

  • Number of undergraduate degrees granted (most recent year available): 18
  • Offers a bachelor’s degree in Aerospace Engineering that is fully accredited by ABET.
  • The Sears think{box} is a 50,000-square foot makerspace with waterjet cutters, laser cutters, 3-D printers and more.

27) Ohio State University

  • Number of undergraduate degrees granted (most recent year available): 69
  • Undergrads complete specialized coursework in Flight Vehicle Dynamics, Fundamental Astronautics, and Intro to AAE.
  • As an AAE Capstone, students complete Experimental Projects I and II.

28) University of Minnesota

  • Number of undergraduate degrees granted (most recent year available): 76
  • Offers a highly-ranked BAEM degree.
  • The median starting salary is $70k for Aerospace Engineering grads.

29) University of Miami

  • Number of undergraduate degrees granted (most recent year available): 8
  • The curriculum includes coursework in Aerospace Structures, Aero Propulsion, Aircraft Design, and Flight Dynamics.
  • Accredited by ABET.

Final Thoughts: Best Aerospace Engineering Colleges

We hope you have found our list of the Best Aerospace Engineering Schools to be helpful. Students interested in finding a college at which to study engineering may also find these pages to be of use:

Engineering Programs for “B” Students

Best Small Colleges for Engineering

Changing Your Major to Engineering

Top STEM Summer Programs

Colleges Worth Your Money

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