Aerospace engineer education requirements

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

To be an aerospace engineer, you need a bachelor's degree in aerospace engineering or another field related to aerospace systems. A bachelor's degree will qualify you for entry-level positions, but you may require more education and specialization depending on your career aspirations. Most aerospace engineers will hold higher degrees, such as a master's or doctorate degree in aerospace engineering or a related field. If you dream of becoming an astronaut and going into space, you will need a doctorate degree. Many aerospace engineers have a background in the US military. This can be beneficial depending on your career trajectory. Along with degree requirements, many aerospace engineers will work in roles related to national defense, which will require a security clearance. You will need to consistently renew your clearance throughout your career.

Updated January 8, 2025

4 min read

There are several educational requirements to become an aerospace engineer. Aerospace engineers usually study aerospace engineering, mechanical engineering, or engineering. 72% of aerospace engineers hold a bachelor's degree, and 17% hold an master's degree. We analyzed 1,075 real aerospace engineer resumes to see exactly what aerospace engineer education sections show.

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

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

There are certain aerospace engineer certifications that you should consider. These aerospace engineer certifications include Engineer In Training Certification (EIT) and Certified Systems Engineering Professional (CSEP).

What education do you need to become an aerospace engineer?

What degree do you need to be an aerospace engineer?

The most common degree for aerospace engineers is bachelor's degree, with 72% of aerospace engineers earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are master's degree degree at 17% and master's degree degree at 5%.

Bachelor's, 72%

Master's, 17%

Associate, 5%

Doctorate, 3%

Other Degrees, 3%

What should I major in to become an aerospace engineer?

You should major in aerospace engineering to become an aerospace engineer. 47% of aerospace engineers major in aerospace engineering. Other common majors for an aerospace engineer include mechanical engineering and engineering.

Aerospace Engineering, 47%

Mechanical Engineering, 25%

Engineering, 6%

Electrical Engineering, 4%

Other Majors, 18%

Most common colleges for aerospace engineers

Aerospace engineers often get their degrees at Georgia Institute of Technology, Purdue University, and Auburn University Main Campus. Here are the most common colleges for aerospace engineers in the US based on their resumes.

Aerospace engineer common college	Percentages
Georgia Institute of Technology	9.09%
Purdue University	7.79%
Auburn University Main Campus	6.93%
Pennsylvania State University	6.49%
Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University	6.49%

Show more common aerospace engineer colleges

Best majors for aerospace engineers

Rank	Major	Percentages
1	Aerospace Engineering	47.3%
2	Mechanical Engineering	24.8%
3	Engineering	5.7%
4	Electrical Engineering	3.7%
5	Business	2.8%

Show more common aerospace engineer majors

Best colleges for aerospace engineers

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

An aerospace 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 aerospace 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 aerospace 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 aerospace engineers

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4.6

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Aerospace and Aeronautical Engineering: Master the Mechanics of Airplanes - Aerodynamics, Flight Maneuvers, JET Engines...

4. Aerospace Engineering: Airplanes, Airlines and Airports

4.5

(780)

Understand how Airplanes generate Lift, how Airlines and Airports operate and what is Aerospace Engineering today...

5. Power Engineering: Power System Analysis - Part 1

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6. Introduction to SOLIDWORKS

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Learn the fundamentals of SOLIDWORKS engineering and design software including parts, drawings, and assemblies...

7. Interplanetary Spacecraft and Satellite Engineering

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Aerospace Engineering: A Complete Guide to Design and Technology of Interplanetary Rocket Space Missions and Satellites...

8. Computational Fluid Dynamics Fundamentals Course

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9. Aerospace Engineering: Rocket Science and Engineering

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16. Railway Systems Engineering (Equivalent to Micro MSc )

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Pass the Google Cloud Professional Data Engineer Exam...

18. Product Development & Systems Engineering

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19. Expert Malware Analysis and Reverse Engineering

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20. Ansys Workbench - Analysis Engineering Training Program

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Top 10 most affordable universities for aerospace engineers

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

If the best universities for aerospace 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 aerospace 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 aerospace engineers

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

Some great schools for aerospace 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 aerospace 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 aerospace engineers

The easiest schools for aerospace 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 aerospace 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 aerospace 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 aerospace engineer salary by education level

Aerospace engineers with a Doctorate degree earn more than those without, at $111,584 annually. With a Master's degree, aerospace engineers earn a median annual income of $106,423 compared to $97,909 for aerospace engineers with an Bachelor's degree.

Aerospace engineer education level	Aerospace engineer salary
Master's Degree	$106,423
Bachelor's Degree	$97,909
Doctorate Degree	$111,584

Aerospace engineer education FAQs

What degree do you need to be an aerospace engineer?

What is the best college for Aerospace 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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