Aerospace, Aeronautical, and Astronautical / Space Engineering degree: salary, jobs & colleges
Bachelor's graduates in aerospace, aeronautical, and astronautical / space engineering earn a median $96,510 four years after finishing, across 59 U.S. colleges. At ages 25-34, people whose degree is in aerospace engineering earn $95,317, $33,268 more than all bachelor's holders. The most common job is aerospace engineers (23%).
Median across 59 colleges; middle half $92,360–$102,756.
College Scorecard field of study (graduates who received federal aid)
Middle half $71,594–$116,938. 1,061 survey respondents.
Census ACS 2020-2024 microdata; field "Aerospace Engineering"; EducationGuide calculation
- All bachelor's, 25-34$62,049
- High school, 25-34$35,638
- This degree vs high school+$59,679/yr
Census ACS 2020-2024 microdata, workers not in school
Median across colleges reporting.
College Scorecard field of study
Jobs aerospace, aeronautical, and astronautical / space engineering graduates hold
What employed 25-34-year-olds whose bachelor's is in aerospace engineering actually do, with U.S. wages and the outlook for each job. The first column comes from the Census survey; wages and growth from the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
| Job | Share of graduates | U.S. median wage | Jobs growth 2025-35 | Typical entry | Interests |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aerospace Engineers | 23% | $134,960 | +8.3% | Bachelor's degree | IRC |
| Software Developers | 14% | $135,980 | +10.2% | Bachelor's degree | IC |
| Mechanical Engineers | 8% | $104,110 | +11.2% | Bachelor's degree | RIC |
| Other Engineers | 7% | — | — | — | — |
| Civil Engineers | 5% | $100,840 | +6.4% | Bachelor's degree | RIC |
| Industrial Engineers, Including Health And Safety | 3% | $102,670 | +12.0% | — | — |
| Other Managers | 2% | — | — | — | — |
| Other Engineering Technologists And Technicians, Except Drafters | 1% | — | — | — | — |
Census ACS 2020-2024 microdata (ages 25-34, bachelor's as highest degree, employed); BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics May 2025; BLS Employment Projections 2025-35; O*NET 31.0 interest codes (R realistic, I investigative, A artistic, S social, E enterprising, C conventional).
Who tends to enjoy this work
The jobs these graduates hold score highest on Investigative, Realistic, Conventional interests (O*NET), weighted by how many graduates hold each job. A rough guide to fit, not a test.
O*NET 31.0 interest scores (1-7) for each job, weighted by Census share of graduates; EducationGuide calculation.
Aerospace, Aeronautical, and Astronautical / Space Engineering earnings by state
Two views of pay: recent graduates of the state's colleges four years out (College Scorecard), and everyone ages 25-34 living in the state with this field of degree (Census). States show a figure only with at least 3 colleges or 100 survey respondents.
| State | Graduates, 4 yrs (colleges) | Ages 25-34 (respondents) |
|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $91,999 (3) | — |
| Arizona | $95,552 (3) | — |
| California | $101,797 (9) | $102,848 (214) |
| Florida | $95,552 (5) | — |
| New York | $91,713 (4) | — |
| Ohio | $92,999 (3) | — |
| Texas | $99,239 (3) | $94,452 (107) |
College Scorecard field of study (median of each college's graduates); Census ACS 2020-2024 microdata; EducationGuide calculations.
Colleges where aerospace, aeronautical, and astronautical / space engineering graduates earn the most
In the states we cover so far (Florida, Virginia, California): 5 in Florida, 2 in Virginia, 11 in California offer this major. Open a college to see cost to finish and payback for your income.
| # | College | Earnings, 4 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | University of Southern CaliforniaCA | $125,514 | $21,140 |
| 2 | University of California-Los AngelesCA | $115,706 | $19,000 |
| 3 | California Polytechnic State University-San Luis ObispoCA | $107,498 | $22,500 |
| 4 | Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State UniversityVA | $106,633 | $26,000 |
| 5 | California State Polytechnic University-PomonaCA | $106,171 | $26,295 |
| 6 | California State University-Long BeachCA | $101,797 | $25,300 |
| 7 | University of California-IrvineCA | $100,537 | $18,950 |
| 8 | University of California-San DiegoCA | $100,173 | $21,305 |
| 9 | San Diego State UniversityCA | $100,139 | $23,000 |
| 10 | Florida Institute of TechnologyFL | $97,015 | $26,982 |
| 11 | University of Central FloridaFL | $96,972 | $27,875 |
| 12 | Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University-Daytona BeachFL | $95,552 | $26,995 |
College Scorecard field of study. Colleges meeting our core-data standard; online campuses left out.
Related degrees
Aerospace, Aeronautical, and Astronautical / Space Engineering degree questions
How much do Aerospace, Aeronautical, and Astronautical / Space Engineering graduates make?
Aerospace, Aeronautical, and Astronautical / Space Engineering graduates earn a median $96,510 four years after finishing, across 59 U.S. colleges that report it (the middle half of colleges: $92,360 to $102,756; College Scorecard, graduates who received federal aid). Among all workers ages 25-34 whose bachelor's degree is in aerospace engineering, the median is $95,317 (Census ACS 2020-2024).
Is a Aerospace, Aeronautical, and Astronautical / Space Engineering degree worth it?
At ages 25-34, people with a bachelor's in aerospace engineering earn a median $95,317: $33,268 more than all bachelor's degree holders ($62,049) and $59,679 more than high school graduates ($35,638). EducationGuide calculation from Census ACS 2020-2024 microdata, workers not in school.
What jobs do Aerospace, Aeronautical, and Astronautical / Space Engineering graduates get?
Among employed 25-34-year-olds whose bachelor's is in aerospace engineering, the most common jobs are aerospace engineers (23%), software developers (14%), mechanical engineers (8%). Aerospace Engineers earn a U.S. median $134,960.
How much do Aerospace, Aeronautical, and Astronautical / Space Engineering graduates earn in Florida?
Across 5 Florida colleges reporting, Aerospace, Aeronautical, and Astronautical / Space Engineering graduates earn a median $95,552 four years after graduating.
Sources: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard; U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey microdata; Bureau of Labor Statistics; O*NET 31.0 (U.S. Department of Labor, CC BY 4.0). Method
Data: JSON · Markdown · all degrees
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