Aerospace, Aeronautical, and Astronautical/Space Engineering: earnings, debt, and careers
CIP 14.02. Official graduate outcomes from the U.S. Department of Education across 238 programs, and the careers this field is linked to.
Graduate earnings by credential level
| Credential | Programs | Graduates (recent year) | Median earnings, 1 yr | Median earnings, 4 yrs | Typical program median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Undergraduate certificate | 10 | 44 | Data unavailable | Data unavailable | Data unavailable |
| Associate's degree | 2 | 48 | $81,491 | Data unavailable | $23,198 2 programs |
| Bachelor's degree | 84 | 6,433 | $78,673 | $98,207 | $21,666 62 programs |
| Post-baccalaureate certificate | 1 | 0 | Data unavailable | Data unavailable | Data unavailable |
| Master's degree | 75 | 2,512 | $104,502 | $122,434 | Data unavailable |
| Doctoral degree | 52 | 457 | $127,012 | $138,660 | Data unavailable |
| Graduate certificate | 14 | 102 | Data unavailable | Data unavailable | Data unavailable |
National earnings are published by the Department of Education for each field and credential level Verified data. Typical program median debt is ConnectPrep's calculation: the median across programs of each program's median federal debt Calculated estimate. It covers federal loans only.
Source: U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard, Most Recent Field of Study Data. Varies by measure; see measure definitions. Published October 15, 2026. Retrieved October 18, 2026. Methodology.
Associate's degree programs with the highest early earnings
| School | Median earnings, 1 yr | Median earnings, 4 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University-Daytona Beach FL · Private, nonprofit · 31 graduates measured | $81,549 | Data unavailable | $23,198 |
| Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University-Worldwide FL · Private, nonprofit · 31 graduates measured | $81,549 | Data unavailable | $23,198 |
Ranked by published median earnings one year after completion. Programs with suppressed earnings do not appear, so this is not a ranking of program quality.
Bachelor's degree programs with the highest early earnings
| School | Median earnings, 1 yr | Median earnings, 4 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| Massachusetts Institute of Technology MA · Private, nonprofit · 22 graduates measured | $94,732 | $114,620 | Data unavailable |
| University of California-Los Angeles CA · Public · 39 graduates measured | $88,702 | $115,706 | $13,605 |
| University of Southern California CA · Private, nonprofit · 35 graduates measured | $88,334 | $125,514 | $19,125 |
| California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo CA · Public · 99 graduates measured | $88,269 | $107,498 | $19,500 |
| University of Washington-Seattle Campus WA · Public · 44 graduates measured | $88,006 | $111,349 | $15,925 |
| California State Polytechnic University-Pomona CA · Public · 171 graduates measured | $87,482 | $106,171 | $18,000 |
| University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign IL · Public · 79 graduates measured | $87,086 | $97,276 | $19,500 |
| University of Michigan-Ann Arbor MI · Public · 99 graduates measured | $85,422 | $115,075 | $21,250 |
| Illinois Institute of Technology IL · Private, nonprofit · 37 graduates measured | $82,501 | $110,956 | $23,875 |
| Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute NY · Private, nonprofit · 88 graduates measured | $82,409 | $94,750 | $26,000 |
| Saint Louis University MO · Private, nonprofit · 35 graduates measured | $82,384 | Data unavailable | $26,500 |
| University of Cincinnati-Main Campus OH · Public · 60 graduates measured | $82,289 | $88,511 | $24,512 |
| Purdue University-Main Campus IN · Public · 174 graduates measured | $81,997 | $97,332 | $20,500 |
| California State University-Long Beach CA · Public · 95 graduates measured | $81,796 | $101,797 | $14,576 |
| The University of Texas at Austin TX · Public · 91 graduates measured | $81,538 | $104,422 | $20,500 |
Ranked by published median earnings one year after completion. Programs with suppressed earnings do not appear, so this is not a ranking of program quality.
Master's degree programs with the highest early earnings
| School | Median earnings, 1 yr | Median earnings, 4 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| Johns Hopkins University MD · Private, nonprofit · 84 graduates measured | $138,933 | $165,562 | Data unavailable |
| Stanford University CA · Private, nonprofit · 27 graduates measured | $132,178 | $147,375 | Data unavailable |
| University of California-Los Angeles CA · Public · 34 graduates measured | $126,354 | $151,186 | Data unavailable |
| University of Washington-Seattle Campus WA · Public · 33 graduates measured | $125,965 | $142,946 | Data unavailable |
| University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign IL · Public · 23 graduates measured | $118,500 | $125,843 | Data unavailable |
| University of Southern California CA · Private, nonprofit · 107 graduates measured | $118,287 | $139,463 | Data unavailable |
| Purdue University-Main Campus IN · Public · 117 graduates measured | $110,187 | $131,275 | Data unavailable |
| California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo CA · Public · 18 graduates measured | $110,184 | $132,720 | Data unavailable |
| The University of Texas at Arlington TX · Public · 18 graduates measured | $109,844 | Data unavailable | Data unavailable |
| Florida Institute of Technology FL · Private, nonprofit · 19 graduates measured | $109,358 | $130,016 | Data unavailable |
| The University of Texas at Austin TX · Public · 17 graduates measured | $108,097 | Data unavailable | Data unavailable |
| Missouri University of Science and Technology MO · Public · 18 graduates measured | $105,078 | Data unavailable | Data unavailable |
| University of Colorado Boulder CO · Public · 64 graduates measured | $103,638 | $120,144 | Data unavailable |
| Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University VA · Public · 41 graduates measured | $103,593 | $115,736 | Data unavailable |
| Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute NY · Private, nonprofit · 28 graduates measured | $103,214 | Data unavailable | Data unavailable |
Ranked by published median earnings one year after completion. Programs with suppressed earnings do not appear, so this is not a ranking of program quality.
Doctoral degree programs with the highest early earnings
| School | Median earnings, 1 yr | Median earnings, 4 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| Purdue University-Main Campus IN · Public · 17 graduates measured | $120,263 | Data unavailable | Data unavailable |
Ranked by published median earnings one year after completion. Programs with suppressed earnings do not appear, so this is not a ranking of program quality.
Careers linked to Aerospace, Aeronautical, and Astronautical/Space Engineering
| Occupation | Median wage, all workers | Change 2025 to 2035 | Typical entry education |
|---|---|---|---|
| Architectural and engineering managers | $171,270 | +5.5% | Bachelor's degree |
| Aerospace engineers | $134,960 | +8.3% | Bachelor's degree |
| Aerospace engineering and operations technologists and technicians | $82,890 | +11.9% | Associate's degree |
| Engineering teachers, postsecondary | $109,270 | +7.8% | Doctoral or professional degree |
| Avionics technicians | $82,280 | +9.4% | Postsecondary nondegree award |
Occupations mapped to this field in the NCES and BLS CIP to SOC crosswalk. Occupation wages describe all workers, not recent graduates.
Source: National Center for Education Statistics and U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, CIP 2020 to SOC 2018 Crosswalk. CIP 2020 and SOC 2018 taxonomies. Published April 30, 2020. Retrieved October 18, 2026. Methodology.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, National. May 2025 reference period. Published April 30, 2026. Retrieved October 18, 2026. Methodology.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections, Table 1.2: Occupational projections, 2025-35, and worker characteristics, 2025. Base year 2025, projected year 2035. Published August 27, 2026. Retrieved October 18, 2026. Methodology.
Detailed CIP codes in this field (3)
- 14.0201 Aerospace, Aeronautical, and Astronautical/Space Engineering, General
- 14.0202 Astronautical Engineering
- 14.0299 Aerospace, Aeronautical, and Astronautical/Space Engineering, Other