Iowa State University Aerospace, Aeronautical, and Astronautical / Space Engineering: earnings, debt & careers

Aerospace, Aeronautical, and Astronautical / Space Engineering graduates of Iowa State University earn a median $94,089 four years after graduating ($75,036 after one year), with median federal loan debt of $26,572. That is $2,421 below the U.S. median for Aerospace, Aeronautical, and Astronautical / Space Engineering graduates ($96,510 across 59 colleges), and ranks 1st of 1 Iowa colleges.

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Earnings, 4 years after graduating
$94,089

U.S. median for this major: $96,510.

College Scorecard field of study; 146 graduates with earnings reported

Earnings, 1 year after
$75,036

Median for graduates who received federal aid.

College Scorecard field of study

Median debt at graduation
$26,572

About 28% of median earnings 4 years out. U.S. median $25,000.

College Scorecard field of study (federal loans)

What your family pays
$18,589 /yr

Average after grants for all families receiving federal aid. Pick your income above.

Sticker price $24,018. College Scorecard.

ISU Aerospace, Aeronautical, and Astronautical / Space Engineering: pay against the field, and payback

Same major, other colleges

ISU graduates$94,089

Fewer than 3 Iowa colleges report earnings for this major, so there is no state median.

U.S. median (59 colleges)$96,510 (−$2,421)

Median earnings 4 years after graduating; state and U.S. figures are the median of each covered college's graduates in this major. College Scorecard; calculated by EducationGuide.

Aerospace, Aeronautical, and Astronautical / Space Engineering nationally: jobs, pay at ages 25-34, every state →

Cost to finish and years to pay back, by income

Uses ISU's school-wide net price (no college reports it by major) and this major's graduate earnings.

Family incomeNet price / yrCost to finishYears to pay back
$0–30k$10,582$45,714under 1 year
$30–48k$11,506$49,706under 1 year
$48–75k$15,463$66,8001.2 years
$75–110k$19,605$84,6941.5 years
$110k+$22,496$97,1831.7 years

Cost to finish = yearly price × 4.3 years, the average time graduates took (54% finished in 4 years; students who entered fall 2017, IPEDS). Years to pay back = cost to finish ÷ the earnings gain: median earnings of Aerospace, Aeronautical, and Astronautical / Space Engineering graduates 4 years after graduating ($94,089) minus $36,661 for high school graduates ages 25-34 in IA (Census ACS 2020-2024), a gain of $57,428 a year. Before taxes, loan interest and earnings given up while in school. Method

College Scorecard; IPEDS Graduation Rates; U.S. Census Bureau ACS. Calculated by EducationGuide.

Careers for Aerospace, Aeronautical, and Astronautical / Space Engineering graduates

Aerospace engineer

U.S.$134,960

Median annual wage, all workers. U.S. jobs +8.3% by 2035. Typical entry: bachelor's degree.

Architectural and Engineering Managers

Ames area$137,010
Iowa$147,320
U.S.$171,270

Median annual wage, all workers. U.S. jobs +5.5% by 2035. Typical entry: bachelor's degree.

BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025; Employment Projections 2025-35. Careers from the federal major-to-occupation crosswalk.

What families pay at ISU, by income

School-wide average after grants for students receiving federal aid. Tap your band.

College Scorecard

About ISU

Related majors at ISU

ISU Aerospace, Aeronautical, and Astronautical / Space Engineering questions

How much do ISU Aerospace, Aeronautical, and Astronautical / Space Engineering graduates earn?

Aerospace, Aeronautical, and Astronautical / Space Engineering graduates of Iowa State University earn a median $94,089 four years after graduating and $75,036 one year after. The U.S. median for Aerospace, Aeronautical, and Astronautical / Space Engineering graduates across 59 colleges is $96,510.

How much debt do ISU Aerospace, Aeronautical, and Astronautical / Space Engineering graduates have?

The median federal loan debt for Aerospace, Aeronautical, and Astronautical / Space Engineering graduates of Iowa State University is $26,572, about 28% of their median earnings four years out. Nationally the median is $25,000.

Where does ISU rank for Aerospace, Aeronautical, and Astronautical / Space Engineering in Iowa?

Of 1 Iowa colleges reporting Aerospace, Aeronautical, and Astronautical / Space Engineering graduate earnings, Iowa State University ranks 1st, the highest.

What jobs do Aerospace, Aeronautical, and Astronautical / Space Engineering graduates get?

A common career is aerospace engineer, with a median wage of — in Iowa and $134,960 nationally. Others include architectural and engineering managers.

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Sources: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (field of study: median earnings and federal loan debt of graduates who received federal aid); BLS. How we score
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Cite this: “Iowa State University Aerospace, Aeronautical, and Astronautical / Space Engineering: earnings, debt and careers,” EducationGuide.com, https://educationguide.com/colleges/iowa-state-university/majors/aerospace-aeronautical-and-astronautical-space-engineering (College Scorecard and BLS data).