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# Best Astronautical Engineering Programs in the United States

Updated September 30, 2026

Part of [Best Engineering Colleges in the United States](/rankings/best-engineering-colleges/)

This page ranks the 59 Astronautical Engineering programs in the United States by the median earnings of Astronautical Engineering graduates four years after completing. [University of Southern California](/school/university-of-southern-california/majors/) leads the list with median earnings of $125,514 four years after completing.

Across the listed programs, reported earnings range from $125,514 to $55,338, with a median of $96,510.

Public institutions account for 78% of the programs on the list. University of California-San Diego ranks 1st on Azimuth's composite ranking among nonprofit four-year institutions. University of Florida posts the lowest average net price on the page at $6,541.

## The ranked list

Top 25 of 59 schools in list order

| Rank | School | Program Earnings | Average net price | Net price, families under $30K | Admission rate |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | University of Southern California · Los Angeles, CA | $125,514 | $32,740 | $13,516 | 9.8% |
|  | [University of Southern California](/school/university-of-southern-california/majors/) reports [median earnings of $125,514](/school/university-of-southern-california/outcomes/) for its Astronautical Engineering graduates four years after completing, alongside an admission rate of 10%. |
| 2 | University of Colorado Boulder · Boulder, CO | $116,350 | $25,346 | $14,231 | 78.1% |
|  | With 199 graduates in the earnings cohort, [University of Colorado Boulder](/school/university-of-colorado-boulder/majors/) ranks 2nd on this list and posts a [median of $116,350](/school/university-of-colorado-boulder/outcomes/) four years after completing. |
| 3 | University of California-Los Angeles · Los Angeles, CA | $115,706 | $12,548 | $5,579 | 9.0% |
|  | [University of California-Los Angeles](/school/university-of-california-los-angeles/majors/) shows an [average net price of $12,548](/school/university-of-california-los-angeles/cost/) and median earnings of $115,706 for its Astronautical Engineering graduates four years after completing. |
| 4 | University of Michigan-Ann Arbor · Ann Arbor, MI | $115,075 | $13,138 | $1,043 | 15.6% |
|  | Median federal debt among Astronautical Engineering completers who borrowed is $21,125 at [University of Michigan-Ann Arbor](/school/university-of-michigan-ann-arbor/majors/), which [admits 16% of applicants](/school/university-of-michigan-ann-arbor/admissions/). |
| 5 | Massachusetts Institute of Technology · Cambridge, MA | $114,620 | $20,111 | \-$2,533\* | 4.6% |
|  | [Massachusetts Institute of Technology](/school/massachusetts-institute-of-technology/majors/) [ranks 54th on Azimuth's composite ranking](/school/massachusetts-institute-of-technology/) among nonprofit four-year institutions, and its Astronautical Engineering graduates earn a median of $114,620 four years after completing. |
| 6 | University of Washington-Seattle Campus · Seattle, WA | $111,349 | $14,091 | $6,384 | 39.2% |
|  | [University of Washington-Seattle Campus](/school/university-of-washington-seattle-campus/majors/) reports [median earnings of $111,349](/school/university-of-washington-seattle-campus/outcomes/) for its Astronautical Engineering graduates four years after completing, with an average net price of $6,384 for families earning under $30,000. |
| 7 | Illinois Institute of Technology · Chicago, IL | $110,956 | $18,425 | $12,964 | 54.9% |
|  | [Illinois Institute of Technology](/school/illinois-institute-of-technology/majors/) ranks 7th on this list and shows [median federal debt of $27,000](/school/illinois-institute-of-technology/cost/) among Astronautical Engineering completers who borrowed. |
| 8 | California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo · San Luis Obispo, CA | $107,498 | $16,665 | $7,529 | 31.3% |
|  | [California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo](/school/california-polytechnic-state-university-san-luis-obispo/majors/) posts [median earnings of $107,498](/school/california-polytechnic-state-university-san-luis-obispo/outcomes/) for its Astronautical Engineering graduates four years after completing, alongside an admission rate of 31%. |
| 9 | Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University · Blacksburg, VA | $106,633 | $24,953 | $11,689 | 54.8% |
|  | [Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University](/school/virginia-polytechnic-institute-and-state-university/majors/) [ranks 112th on Azimuth's composite ranking](/school/virginia-polytechnic-institute-and-state-university/) among nonprofit four-year institutions, and its Astronautical Engineering graduates earn a median of $106,633 four years after completing. |
| 10 | California State Polytechnic University-Pomona · Pomona, CA | $106,171 | $11,531 | $7,851 | 75.2% |
|  | [California State Polytechnic University-Pomona](/school/california-state-polytechnic-university-pomona/majors/) reports an [average net price of $11,531](/school/california-state-polytechnic-university-pomona/cost/) and median earnings of $106,171 for its Astronautical Engineering graduates four years after completing. |
| 11 | Case Western Reserve University · Cleveland, OH | $106,134 | $41,190 | $19,025 | 36.5% |
|  | [Case Western Reserve University](/school/case-western-reserve-university/majors/) [admits 37% of applicants](/school/case-western-reserve-university/admissions/) and reports median federal debt of $26,061 among Astronautical Engineering completers who borrowed. |
| 12 | Worcester Polytechnic Institute · Worcester, MA | $105,171 | $43,071 | $24,018 | 60.2% |
|  | [Worcester Polytechnic Institute](/school/worcester-polytechnic-institute/majors/) ranks 12th on this list, with [median earnings of $105,171](/school/worcester-polytechnic-institute/outcomes/) for its Astronautical Engineering graduates four years after completing. |
| 13 | The University of Texas at Austin · Austin, TX | $104,422 | $19,857 | $12,553 | 26.6% |
|  | [The University of Texas at Austin](/school/the-university-of-texas-at-austin/majors/) reports [median earnings of $104,422](/school/the-university-of-texas-at-austin/outcomes/) for its Astronautical Engineering graduates four years after completing, alongside an average net price of $19,857. |
| 14 | University of Notre Dame · Notre Dame, IN | $103,022 | $26,780 | $7,244 | 11.3% |
|  | A private nonprofit institution in Notre Dame, [University of Notre Dame](/school/university-of-notre-dame/majors/) [admits 11% of applicants](/school/university-of-notre-dame/admissions/) and posts median earnings of $103,022 for its Astronautical Engineering graduates four years after completing. |
| 15 | Auburn University · Auburn, AL | $102,756 | $24,323 | $16,681 | 45.9% |
|  | [Auburn University](/school/auburn-university/majors/) ranks 15th on this list, with 77 graduates in the earnings cohort and a [median federal debt of $20,417](/school/auburn-university/cost/) among Astronautical Engineering completers who borrowed. |
| 16 | Georgia Institute of Technology-Main Campus · Atlanta, GA | $102,415 | $12,116 | $7,666 | 14.1% |
|  | [Georgia Institute of Technology-Main Campus](/school/georgia-institute-of-technology-main-campus/majors/) posts an [average net price of $12,116](/school/georgia-institute-of-technology-main-campus/cost/) and median earnings of $102,415 for its Astronautical Engineering graduates four years after completing. |
| 17 | California State University-Long Beach · Long Beach, CA | $101,797 | $10,440 | $7,183 | 46.3% |
|  | With an [admission rate of 46%](/school/california-state-university-long-beach/admissions/), [California State University-Long Beach](/school/california-state-university-long-beach/majors/) reports median earnings of $101,797 for its Astronautical Engineering graduates four years after completing. |
| 18 | University of California-Irvine · Irvine, CA | $100,537 | $14,251 | $8,123 | 28.6% |
|  | [University of California-Irvine](/school/university-of-california-irvine/majors/) [ranks 12th on Azimuth's composite ranking](/school/university-of-california-irvine/) among nonprofit four-year institutions and shows median earnings of $100,537 for its Astronautical Engineering graduates four years after completing. |
| 19 | University of California-San Diego · La Jolla, CA | $100,173 | $12,470 | $7,525 | 26.7% |
|  | Median earnings of $100,173 for its Astronautical Engineering graduates four years after completing coincide with a [median federal debt of $20,008](/school/university-of-california-san-diego/cost/) among Astronautical Engineering completers who borrowed at [University of California-San Diego](/school/university-of-california-san-diego/majors/). |
| 20 | San Diego State University · San Diego, CA | $100,139 | $15,364 | $9,910 | 36.2% |
|  | [San Diego State University](/school/san-diego-state-university/majors/) [admits 36% of applicants](/school/san-diego-state-university/admissions/) and posts an average net price of $15,364, alongside median earnings of $100,139 for its Astronautical Engineering graduates four years after completing. |
| 21 | The University of Texas at Arlington · Arlington, TX | $99,239 | $13,951 | $11,893 | 79.9% |
|  | [The University of Texas at Arlington](/school/the-university-of-texas-at-arlington/majors/) [ranks 8th on Azimuth's composite ranking](/school/the-university-of-texas-at-arlington/) among nonprofit four-year institutions and reports median earnings of $99,239 for its Astronautical Engineering graduates four years after completing. |
| 22 | Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus · University Park, PA | $99,159 | $32,875 | $19,845 | 60.6% |
|  | [Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus](/school/pennsylvania-state-university-main-campus/majors/) posts [median earnings of $99,159](/school/pennsylvania-state-university-main-campus/outcomes/) for its Astronautical Engineering graduates four years after completing, with 112 graduates in the earnings cohort. |
| 23 | University of Maryland-College Park · College Park, MD | $98,044 | $15,678 | $2,962 | 44.8% |
|  | [University of Maryland-College Park](/school/university-of-maryland-college-park/majors/) reports an [average net price of $2,962](/school/university-of-maryland-college-park/cost/) for families earning under $30,000 and median earnings of $98,044 for its Astronautical Engineering graduates four years after completing. |
| 24 | Purdue University-Main Campus · West Lafayette, IN | $97,332 | $14,600 | $5,098 | 49.9% |
|  | [Purdue University-Main Campus](/school/purdue-university-main-campus/majors/) ranks 24th on this list, with 298 graduates in the earnings cohort and a [median federal debt of $21,500](/school/purdue-university-main-campus/cost/) among Astronautical Engineering completers who borrowed. |
| 25 | University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign · Champaign, IL | $97,276 | $14,355 | $2,038 | 42.4% |
|  | [University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign](/school/university-of-illinois-urbana-champaign/majors/) reports [median earnings of $97,276](/school/university-of-illinois-urbana-champaign/outcomes/) for its Astronautical Engineering graduates four years after completing, alongside an average net price of $14,355. |

\* Net price can be negative: when grants and scholarships exceed the listed cost of attendance, students can receive the difference as a refund for other expenses.

Continue by region[Top Astronautical Engineering Programs in the Midwest](/rankings/best-astronautical-engineering-programs-in-the-midwest/)[Best Astronautical Engineering Programs in the Northeast](/rankings/best-astronautical-engineering-programs-in-the-northeast/)[Best Astronautical Engineering Programs in the South](/rankings/best-astronautical-engineering-programs-in-the-south/)[Best Astronautical Engineering Programs in the West](/rankings/best-astronautical-engineering-programs-in-the-west/)

## How this list is ordered

Programs are ordered by the median earnings of their Astronautical Engineering graduates four years after completing, highest first. Only programs with a reported earnings cohort in the United States appear. The figure captures federally aided completers who were working and not enrolled four years after finishing. For 4 of the 59 listed programs the figure is the two-year completion median rather than the four-year one. The metric does not adjust for graduate school enrollment, cost, or differences in who enrolls, and it is not a measure of teaching quality. The gap between University of Southern California and University of Colorado Boulder is $9,164, and the spread from the top of the list to the bottom reaches $70,176.

## Job market context in the United States

Graduates of Astronautical Engineering programs in the United States enter occupations such as Aerospace Engineers and Engineering Teachers, Postsecondary. Across those occupations, the median annual wage is $124,401; a quarter of workers in those occupations earn less than $95,353. Projections for 2024 to 2034 put employment in those occupations about 4.8% higher, with about 405 openings a year for every hundred graduates, more projected openings than graduates. Wages and top occupations exclude management occupations; openings include them. The ranking above uses graduate earnings four years after completing, which reflect early-career outcomes rather than the occupation-wide wage distribution.

## Related rankings

-   [Best Engineering Colleges in the United States](/rankings/best-engineering-colleges/)
-   Engineering Colleges for Social Mobility