List of All US Colleges with an Aerospace Engineering Major
Aerospace engineers design and build flying machines such as spacecraft, airplanes, and missiles along with developing and constructing their various parts like instruments, navigation systems, and communication devices. They also develop quality control standards, design testing processes, and find solutions to known issues. Aerospace engineering is generally divided into two branches: aeronautical engineering and astronautical engineering. Ready to launch yourself into this interesting and rewarding field? If so, keep reading to learn what schools offer an aerospace engineering major and what to look for in an aerospace engineering program. Students studying aerospace engineering require exceptional STEM skills—the knowledge and application of science, technology, engineering, and math are all vital to succeed in this demanding field. Freshmen and sophomores in an aerospace engineering program receive coursework focused on building foundational skills, while upperclassmen take more field-specific classes such as: A broad STEM skillset is an excellent attribute for students with an interest in aerospace engineering—all of them will get tested regularly. Aerospace engineers are commonly methodical, analytical, and logical thinkers who are incredibly detail-oriented. They are also curious and persistent people who are interested in discovering new challenges and accustomed to overcoming obstacles. A bachelor’s degree is often suitable for entry-level aerospace engineering jobs, but higher-level positions commonly require a master’s or doctoral degree. Because of the value of a graduate degree, many colleges and universities offer five-year programs that allow students to earn both a bachelor’s and master’s degree simultaneously. Professional licensure is also a requirement for many upper-echelon aerospace engineering positions. The most common license needed by an aerospace engineer is a Professional Engineer (PE) license, which is earned by working under a PE for at least four years, passing two competency exams, and earning a license from the state they’re working in. It’s also common for aerospace engineers to continue taking courses after earning a degree to keep up on advances in the field like technology, materials, and regulations. Prospects are excellent for aerospace engineers—according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the field is supposed to grow at a rate of 3% over the next decade, which is about average. However, the median wage for aerospace engineers is $116,500 (as of May 2019), which is almost four times higher than the $39,810 average annual wage for all workers. Manufacturing and the federal government are the primary employers of aerospace engineers, typically either in research and development or testing and maintenance. The best aerospace engineering programs feature study abroad programs that allow students to develop skills, tools, and character to become global leaders in the field. Top study abroad programs place students at world-renowned aerospace institutions where they can learn from some of the world’s most respected minds in the field. Hands-on experience developing plans, writing proposals, conducting research, analyzing data, and presenting research results is a key for graduates of an aerospace engineering program to successfully enter a career. Research opportunities are also beneficial to students interested in pursuing a graduate degree, as it allows them to network with other top schools and is a tried-and-true way to land a good recommendation letter. The “right” internship program allows students to sample a certain career path and apply the lessons taught in the classroom to real-life situations. Similarly, firsthand experience gained through a job can cement principles learned at school and provide a stronger foundation for future learning. Internships provide employers with an introduction to a potential employee and give a student a headstart on a career after graduation. Mentoring programs pair students with either alumni or leaders in the field to offer personalized guidance and advice on academic and professional matters. Mentors can also assist in networking, offer insight into the field, and teach other lessons not taught in the classroom. Learning communities give students a chance to network with other like-minded students, learn together, and take part in a supportive community. Learning communities vary from school to school; some are focused solely on aerospace engineering while others fall under the more broad label of aviation. Aviation communities provide a unique opportunity, as they give students the chance to see issues from another perspective, for example, that of a pilot or traffic controller. School Location Texas A&M University College Station, Texas University of California, Irvine | UC Irvine Irvine, California North Carolina State University | NC State Raleigh, North Carolina California State Polytechnic University, Pomona | Cal Poly Pomona Pomona, California University of California, San Diego | UCSD La Jolla, California Arizona State University | ASU Tempe, Arizona Pennsylvania State University | PSU University Park, Pennsylvania California Polytechnic State University | Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, California University of Kansas Lawrence, Kansas Purdue University West Lafayette, Indiana University of Michigan Ann Arbor, Michigan Rutgers University‚ New Brunswick | Rutgers New Brunswick, New Jersey United States Air Force Academy | Air Force USAF Academy, Colorado Mississippi State University | MSU Mississippi State, Mississippi San Diego State University | SDSU San Diego, California Massachusetts Institute of Technology | MIT Cambridge, Massachusetts Ohio State University | OSU Columbus, Ohio University of Minnesota, Twin Cities | Minnesota Minneapolis, Minnesota New Mexico State University | NMSU Las Cruces, New Mexico University of Notre Dame Notre Dame, Indiana Missouri University of Science & Technology | Missouri S&T Rolla, Missouri California State University, Long Beach | Long Beach State Long Beach, California Virginia Tech Blacksburg, Virginia University of California, Davis | UC Davis Davis, California University of Arizona Tucson, Arizona Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute | RPI Troy, New York Iowa State University Ames, Iowa University of Cincinnati Cincinnati, Ohio University of Texas at Austin | UT Austin Austin, Texas Worcester Polytechnic Institute | WPI Worcester, Massachusetts University of Virginia | UVA Charlottesville, Virginia United States Naval Academy | Navy Annapolis, Maryland San Jose State University | SJSU San Jose, California University of Central Florida | UCF Orlando, Florida Oklahoma State University | OSU Stillwater, Oklahoma University of Oklahoma Norman, Oklahoma Georgia Institute of Technology | Georgia Tech Atlanta, Georgia Embry‚ Riddle Aeronautical University Daytona Beach, Florida University of Florida Gainesville, Florida Auburn University Auburn, Alabama Tuskegee University Tuskegee, Alabama University of Akron Akron, Ohio Florida Institute of Technology | Florida Tech Melbourne, Florida Wichita State University | WSU Wichita, Kansas Syracuse University Syracuse, New York Clarkson University Potsdam, New York Saint Louis University | SLU Saint Louis, Missouri Illinois Institute of Technology | Illinois Tech Chicago, Illinois University of California, Los Angeles | UCLA Los Angeles, California University of Miami Coral Gables, Florida West Virginia University | WVU Morgantown, West Virginia University of Colorado Boulder | CU Boulder Boulder, Colorado University of Maryland, College Park | Maryland College Park, Maryland Western Michigan University | WMU Kalamazoo, Michigan University of Alabama in Huntsville | UAH Huntsville, Alabama University of Illinois at Urbana‚ Champaign | UIUC Champaign, Illinois Case Western Reserve University Cleveland, Ohio University of Tennessee Knoxville, Tennessee University of Texas at Arlington | UT Arlington Arlington University of South Carolina | USC Columbia, South Carolina University of Southern California | USC Los Angeles, California University of Washington Seattle, Washington University of Alabama Tuscaloosa, Alabama Notice a school that’s missing? Email us and let us know! Knowing how you stack up against other applicants is a good first step toward understanding your odds of acceptance at a particular college. Many highly selective schools—like those of the Ivy League—use a calculation of a student’s academic performance called academic index to expedite filtering out under-qualified candidates. In addition to academics, colleges are interested in how a student will fit in on campus and within their program. The best ways for applicants to demonstrate fit is with extracurricular activities and essays. Attention-grabbing extracurricular activities for future aerospace engineers include participation in an aeronautics or aviation club, participation in a distinguished summer program like RISE, or a wow-worthy internship at NASA. Want to know your chances of being accepted into a top aerospace engineering school? We recommend using our Chancing Engine (it’s free). Unlike other calculators, it takes into account a large portion of your individual profile, including academic stats and more qualitative factors like extracurriculars.
Overview of Aerospace Engineering Major
What are the course requirements most majors will need to take?
What sort of student would succeed in this major?
Do most students go on to grad school?
What are the popular career paths for this major?
What to Look for in a College as an Aerospace Engineering Major
Study Abroad
Research Opportunities
Internships
Mentoring
Learning Communities
List of All U.S. Colleges With an Aerospace Engineering Major
What Are Your Chances of Acceptance?
