Aeronautical engineer education requirements

Q: What degree do you need to be an aeronautical engineer?

You need a bachelor's degree in aeronautical engineering to work in this field. Several degree levels and specializations are open to those hoping to work in aeronautical engineering. The majority of those working in the field of aeronautical engineering has a bachelor's degree in that specific field. With 72% of engineers holding a bachelor's degree and only 17% a master's degree, it is quite common to work at various industry positions with a four-year degree.

Q: What degree do you need to work for NASA?

You need at least a bachelor's degree in aeronautical engineering to work for NASA. Several degree levels and specializations are open to those hoping to work in aeronautical engineering.

Updated January 8, 2025

4 min read

There are several educational requirements to become an aeronautical engineer. Aeronautical engineers usually study aerospace engineering, mechanical engineering, or engineering. 75% of aeronautical engineers hold a bachelor's degree, and 16% hold an master's degree. We analyzed 319 real aeronautical engineer resumes to see exactly what aeronautical engineer education sections show.

The most common colleges for aeronautical engineers are the Georgia Institute of Technology and the Georgia Institute of Technology.

There are also many online aeronautical engineer courses to help get the education required to be an aeronautical engineer.

What education do you need to become an aeronautical engineer?

What degree do you need to be an aeronautical engineer?

The most common degree for aeronautical engineers is bachelor's degree, with 75% of aeronautical engineers earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are master's degree degree at 16% and master's degree degree at 4%.

Bachelor's, 75%

Master's, 16%

Associate, 4%

Doctorate, 3%

Other Degrees, 2%

What should I major in to become an aeronautical engineer?

You should major in aerospace engineering to become an aeronautical engineer. 44% of aeronautical engineers major in aerospace engineering. Other common majors for an aeronautical engineer include mechanical engineering and engineering.

Aerospace Engineering, 44%

Mechanical Engineering, 26%

Engineering, 5%

Electrical Engineering, 3%

Other Majors, 22%

Most common colleges for aeronautical engineers

Aeronautical engineers often get their degrees at Georgia Institute of Technology, Ohio State University, and University of Central Florida. Here are the most common colleges for aeronautical engineers in the US based on their resumes.

Aeronautical engineer common college	Percentages
Georgia Institute of Technology	20.00%
Ohio State University	10.00%
University of Central Florida	5.71%
Wichita State University	5.71%
Pennsylvania State University	5.71%

Show more common aeronautical engineer colleges

Best majors for aeronautical engineers

Rank	Major	Percentages
1	Aerospace Engineering	43.7%
2	Mechanical Engineering	26.0%
3	Engineering	5.1%
4	Electrical Engineering	3.3%
5	Mathematics	2.3%

Show more common aeronautical engineer majors

Best colleges for aeronautical engineers

The best colleges for aeronautical engineers are California Institute of Technology, Stanford University, and Johns Hopkins University.

An aeronautical engineer with advanced education typically earns a higher salary and has access to better jobs. That's why Zippia looked into the best colleges for aeronautical engineers. We based this list on several metrics: admissions rate, retention rate, mean earnings of graduates, the ratio of working vs. non-working students ten years after admission, the average cost of attendance, and median debt for graduates who become aeronautical engineers.

1. Georgia Institute of Technology

Atlanta, GA • Private

In-state tuition

$12,424

Enrollment

15,201

2. Cornell University

Ithaca, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$55,188

Enrollment

15,105

3. Johns Hopkins University

Baltimore, MD • Private

In-state tuition

$53,740

Enrollment

5,567

4. Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Cambridge, MA • Private

In-state tuition

$51,832

Enrollment

4,550

5. Stanford University

Stanford, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$51,354

Enrollment

7,083

6. University of Texas at Austin

Austin, TX • Private

In-state tuition

$10,610

Enrollment

40,329

7. Boston University

Boston, MA • Private

In-state tuition

$53,948

Enrollment

17,238

8. Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute

Troy, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$53,880

Enrollment

6,590

9. University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Champaign, IL • Private

In-state tuition

$15,094

Enrollment

32,974

10. Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University

Blacksburg, VA • Private

In-state tuition

$13,620

Enrollment

27,730

20 best online courses for aeronautical engineers

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Top 10 most affordable universities for aeronautical engineers

The most affordable schools for aeronautical engineers are University of Florida, california state university - long beach, and brigham young university.

If the best universities for aeronautical engineers are out of your price range, check out these affordable schools. After factoring in in-state tuition and fees, the average cost of attendance, admissions rate, average net price, and mean earnings after six years, we found that these are the most affordable schools for aeronautical engineers.

1. University of Florida

Gainesville, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$6,381

Cost of attendance

21,034

2. California State University - Long Beach

Long Beach, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$6,798

Cost of attendance

18,306

3. Brigham Young University

Provo, UT • Private

In-state tuition

$5,620

Cost of attendance

18,136

4. California State Polytechnic University, Pomona

Pomona, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$7,353

Cost of attendance

21,302

5. Purdue University

West Lafayette, IN • Private

In-state tuition

$9,992

Cost of attendance

22,430

6. University of Central Florida

Orlando, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$6,368

Cost of attendance

21,034

7. Inter American University of Puerto Rico Arecibo

Arecibo, PR • Private

In-state tuition

$5,872

Cost of attendance

13,476

8. Florida International University

Miami, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$6,556

Cost of attendance

19,434

9. Inter American University of Puerto Rico Bayamon

Bayamon, PR • Private

In-state tuition

$5,940

Cost of attendance

13,508

10. Georgia Institute of Technology

Atlanta, GA • Private

In-state tuition

$12,424

Cost of attendance

28,501

Top 10 hardest universities to get into for aeronautical engineers

The hardest universities for aeronautical engineers to get into are California Institute of Technology, Stanford University, and Johns Hopkins University.

Some great schools for aeronautical engineers are hard to get into, but they also set your career up for greater success. The list below shows the most challenging universities to get into for aeronautical engineers based on an institution's admissions rates, average SAT scores accepted, median ACT scores accepted, and mean earnings of students six years after admission.

1. California Institute of Technology

Pasadena, CA • Private

Admissions rate

SAT average

1,566

2. Stanford University

Stanford, CA • Private

Admissions rate

SAT average

1,497

3. Johns Hopkins University

Baltimore, MD • Private

Admissions rate

11%

SAT average

1,513

4. Northwestern University

Evanston, IL • Private

Admissions rate

SAT average

1,508

5. Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Cambridge, MA • Private

Admissions rate

SAT average

1,545

6. Cornell University

Ithaca, NY • Private

Admissions rate

11%

SAT average

1,471

7. Carnegie Mellon University

Pittsburgh, PA • Private

Admissions rate

17%

SAT average

1,507

8. Columbia University in the City of New York

New York, NY • Private

Admissions rate

SAT average

1,512

9. Georgia Institute of Technology

Atlanta, GA • Private

Admissions rate

22%

SAT average

1,465

10. Washington University in St Louis

Saint Louis, MO • Private

Admissions rate

15%

SAT average

1,506

Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for aeronautical engineers

The easiest schools for aeronautical engineers to get into are Oregon Institute of Technology, capitol technology university, and cleveland state university.

Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as an aeronautical engineer without much hassle, check out the list of schools where you will be accepted in no time. We compiled admissions rates, average SAT scores, average ACT scores, and average salary of students six years after graduation to uncover which were the easiest schools to get into for aeronautical engineers.

1. Oregon Institute of Technology

Klamath Falls, OR • Private

Admissions rate

96%

SAT average

1,139

2. Capitol Technology University

Laurel, MD • Private

Admissions rate

69%

SAT average

1,070

3. Cleveland State University

Cleveland, OH • Private

Admissions rate

88%

SAT average

1,111

4. Wichita State University

Wichita, KS • Private

Admissions rate

97%

SAT average

1,152

5. University of Nevada - Las Vegas

Las Vegas, NV • Private

Admissions rate

82%

SAT average

1,113

6. The Citadel

Charleston, SC • Private

Admissions rate

81%

SAT average

1,129

7. Old Dominion University

Norfolk, VA • Private

Admissions rate

87%

SAT average

1,093

8. Alabama A & M University

Normal, AL • Private

Admissions rate

90%

SAT average

957

9. University of Southern Maine

Portland, ME • Private

Admissions rate

85%

SAT average

1,050

10. Saint Cloud State University

Saint Cloud, MN • Private

Admissions rate

86%

SAT average

1,086

Average aeronautical engineer salary by education level

Aeronautical engineers with a Doctorate degree earn more than those without, at $88,550 annually. With a Master's degree, aeronautical engineers earn a median annual income of $84,818 compared to $78,624 for aeronautical engineers with an Bachelor's degree.

Aeronautical engineer education level	Aeronautical engineer salary
Master's Degree	$84,818
Bachelor's Degree	$78,624
Doctorate Degree	$88,550

Aeronautical engineer education FAQs

What degree do you need to be an aeronautical engineer?

What degree do you need to work for NASA?

What is the best college for Aeronautical Engineers?

Have more questions? See all answers to common architecture and engineering questions.

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Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Team

Editorial Staff

The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.

Updated January 8, 2025

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