2017 RANKING & REVIEWS
TOP RANKING AEROSPACE ENGINEERING SCHOOLS


Finding the Best Aerospace Engineering Schools

Going after an aerospace engineering degree is a fantastic choice for students interested in the study of flight for both aircraft and spacecraft.

As aerospace engineering courses can be difficult to master at first, it is important to find the best aerospace engineering schools to attend.

The top aerospace engineering schools will offer students aerospace engineering programs that are filled with the proper instructors, school equipment, and texts to better the overall learning experience.

In the United States, there are a plethora of aerospace engineering colleges to choose from, but, not all colleges with aerospace engineering courses are created equal.

Red Award Emblem for Best Aerospace Engineering Schools

Award Emblem: Top 6 Best Aerospace Engineering Schools

Below, you’ll find our comprehensive guide on the best aerospace engineering universities in the United States.

We have determined our ranking system for the top aerospace engineering schools by looking at reviews from other students and academic overviews of the courses and campus.

With this list as your guide, you’ll be able to determine which of the top aerospace engineering schools is the best choice for you.

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Why Study for an Aerospace Engineering Degree?

There are a wide variety of creative and inventive ways to make good use of attending aerospace engineering schools.

The typical route for many students who attend the top aerospace engineering universities is the opportunity to work on the design and creation of aircraft, both space and commercial.  

The term “rocket scientist” would certainly apply to a student with an aerospace engineering degree.

However, the top aerospace engineering schools have also been responsible for creating some of the biggest technological advances known to mankind. A few examples include the widespread use of handheld calculators and nonstick frying pans.

Aerospace engineering programs cultivate the active use of teamwork and communication to craft technological advances in manufacturing, offices, laboratories, and more.

Some of the biggest upsides to attending colleges for aerospace engineering include:

  • 67.5% employment rate
  • 2 out of 3 aerospace graduates are employed after six months
  • Wide variety of career options


AdvisoryHQ’s List of the Top 6 Best Aerospace Engineering Universities

List is sorted alphabetically (click any of the top aerospace engineering schools below to go directly to the detailed review section for that university):


Top 6 Best Aerospace Engineering Schools | Brief Comparison

Top Aerospace Engineering Schools

Tuition Per Year

Total Enrollment Full-Time

Georgia Institute of Technology

$27,872 (out-of-state)
$13,452 (in-state)

3,889

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

$46,400

3,106

Purdue University – West Lafayette

$29,132 (out-of-state)
$10,330 (in-state)

2,787

Stanford University

$48,720

3,300

University of Michigan – Ann Arbor

$44,216 (out-of-state)
$23,504 (in-state)

3,005

University of Texas – Austin

$17,506 (out-of-state)
$9,564 (in-state)

1,996

Table: Top 6 Best Aerospace Engineering Universities | Above list is sorted alphabetically



FAQ Section

What are the entry requirements for many of the best aerospace engineering schools?

In order to gain entry into aerospace engineering universities, it is important to have high competency levels of both mathematics and physics.

Aerospace Engineering Schools

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The type of GPA you’d need to gain acceptance into colleges with aerospace engineering depends on each individual school.

How many specializations do many of the top aerospace engineering universities focus on?

While aerospace engineering schools are already specialized, there are still smaller deviations that you can choose to focus on.

Some of the personalized specialties in aerospace engineering courses include aerodynamics, aeroelasticity, avionics, composites analysis, and propulsion.

Which work industries are the most prevalent for students who have attended colleges for aerospace engineering?

There are a wide variety of career work environment for students who have graduated with an aerospace engineering degree.

Some of these include working for the government, manufacturing parts in a factory, conducting research in physics and life sciences, or providing engineering services.

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Detailed Review – Top Ranking Best Aerospace Engineering Schools

Below, please find the detailed review of each university on our list of the top ranking best aerospace engineering schools. We have highlighted some of the factors that allowed these top aerospace engineering schools and best aerospace engineering universities to score so highly in our selection ranking.



Georgia Institute of Technology Review


The Georgia Institute of Technology is a public university founded in 1885. The campus is located in Atlanta, Georgia and features six different colleges within the campus, including their College of Engineering.

Georgia Institute of Technology is one of the top aerospace engineering schools as they offer students a wide variety of specialties and numerous staff to offer guidance.

Students interested in attending their aerospace engineering courses should be aware of the following:

  • Application fee is $75
  • Student-faculty ratio is 4.4:1
  • 500 full-time faculty on staff

Detailed Overview of the Georgia Institute of Technology

Numerous Degree Choices

Students who attend the Georgia College of Engineering will have a wide variety of degree options to choose from in comparison to many other aerospace engineering schools.

As one of the best aerospace engineering universities, the Georgia Institute of Technology offers almost 20 different specialty areas.

They offer aerospace engineering courses along with industrial engineering and biomedical engineering programs.

Off-Campus Options

Students enrolled in aerospace engineering courses at one of the top aerospace engineering universities will find their housing option limitless.

As one of the best aerospace engineering schools, Georgia Institute offers dual programs at universities abroad in France, Germany, and China.

Outside of study-abroad options, students enrolled in the aerospace engineering programs can choose to board on campus in Atlanta.



Massachusetts Institute of Technology Review


As one of the top aerospace engineering schools, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology is a private school that was founded in 1861.

Located in Cambridge, Massachusetts right across the river from Boston and Harvard University, college students attending MIT will find themselves located in a highly academic setting.

MIT’s schooling focuses on science and technology and features five different schools, including their aerospace engineering colleges.

The current full-time time tuition rate is $46,400 per year, and as one of the greatest choice of aerospace engineering universities, you’ll find student-faculty ratios here of 5.6:1, with 376 full-time faculty.

Detailed Overview of Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Incredible Research

Students interested in attending colleges with aerospace engineering will find that MIT offers a plethora of high-quality research opportunities into various niches within their aerospace engineering courses.

MIT has 20 research centers on campus, each one devoted to various needs and concerns. Many of these focus on engineering, making it a fantastic choice among aerospace engineering colleges.

Career Change

For those who have already graduated with an aerospace engineering degree from colleges with aerospace engineering, MIT offer a part-time Career Reengineering Program.

Students looking to change their career to another one in the engineering field will find that MIT is one of the best aerospace engineering universities.

As one of the top aerospace engineering schools, students are able to complete a semester-long course, an internship, and career workshops to navigate to their new career choice.

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Purdue University – West Lafayette Review


Purdue University – West Lafayette is one of the best aerospace engineering schools for students looking to get involved in campus life and organizations.

As one of the best public aerospace engineering schools, Purdue University – West Lafayette’s campus is located in West Lafayette, Indiana, which features four other college campuses associated with the school.

Purdue University has earned the ranking as one of the top aerospace engineering schools thanks to famous alumni such as Neil Armstrong, the first man to step foot on the moon.

Earning the name “Cradle of Astronauts,” Purdue University in Indiana is one of the best aerospace engineering universities.

Detailed Overview of Purdue University – West Lafayette

Endless Aerospace Engineering Programs

The Purdue College of Engineering is one of the best aerospace engineering schools thanks to their 70 academic programs and 600 research and study areas.

Their aerospace engineering programs have received great notice and top rankings, especially for their biological engineering and civil engineering programs.

Students looking for colleges for aerospace engineering will find Purdue University supplies more than enough focused research on aerospace engineering courses.

Outstanding Organizations

Although academics are a huge part of being ranked as one of the best aerospace engineering schools, it is not the only important feature.

The Purdue College of Engineering hosts a multitude of organizations in the engineering field that students can get involved in and network with peers.

There are even initiatives like the Engineering Projects in Community service associated with aerospace engineering universities groups in Purdue.




Stanford University Review


Located about 35 miles outside of San Francisco, Stanford University has earned its name as one of the best aerospace engineering universities.

As one of the private aerospace engineering schools, Stanford University features a suburban campus where students interested in gaining an aerospace engineering degree can do so in one of the top aerospace engineering schools.

Aerospace Engineering Colleges

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Stanford has been ranked at #5 in the 2017 edition of Best Colleges in National Universities, making it a top pick for aerospace engineering courses.

Detailed Overview of Stanford University

Many Degree Options

Students hoping to find colleges with aerospace engineering will discover that Stanford University offers graduate degrees in 10 main areas.

These degrees include:

  • Materials Science
  • Engineering
  • Aeronautics
  • Astronautics

With connections to Silicon Valley and various lab partnerships, Stanford University is one of the best aerospace engineering universities to make connections and start your education.

Cross-School Programs

Students who find themselves torn between two different interests will find that Stanford is one of the best aerospace engineering universities.

Stanford offers students a cross-school program that allows you to be involved in both aerospace engineering courses as well as those in theater or art.

This cross-school program is one of the reasons Stanford falls into the top aerospace engineering universities list.

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University of Michigan – Ann Arbor Review


The University of Michigan – Ann Arbor is one of the best aerospace engineering schools with a fantastically lively college campus life.

Located 40 minutes away from the main city of Detroit, the University of Michigan – Ann Arbor is a great choice of aerospace engineering colleges.

Students looking into aerospace engineering universities should be aware of these key factors of the University of Michigan, including:

  • $75 application fee
  • Student-faculty ratio of 4.3:1
  • 378 full-time faculty on staff

Detailed Overview of the University of Michigan – Ann Arbor

Annual Symposium

Students in search of the best aerospace engineering schools will find that the annual Engineering Graduate Symposium at the University of Michigan gives them insight into the school.

Students who have already graduated with an aerospace engineering degree or who are currently enrolled in aerospace engineering programs use the symposium as a way to engage with staff on research projects.

Just ASK Program

As one of the top aerospace engineering schools, the University of Michigan offers students the Just ASK Program.

This program assists graduate students with any questions that they may have after graduation.

The individuals answering are alumni of the campus, giving personal insight into the aftermath of graduating from the best aerospace engineering universities.



University of Texas – Austin Review


As one of the largest schools in the United States, the University of Texas – Austin features a fantastic campus for engineer students.

The school continues to produce amazing innovations in the fields of civil, environmental, and petroleum engineering, making it one of the top aerospace engineering schools to attend.

Detailed Overview of the University of Texas – Austin

Affordable Tuition

When compared to many of the other top aerospace engineering schools on our list, the University of Texas offers students one of the most affordable tuition options.

In-state students would be able to attend one of the best aerospace engineering universities for $9,564/yr, while out-of-state students would only pay $17,506/yr.

This makes it one of the top aerospace engineering schools for students hoping to leave school with as little debt as possible.

Campus Involvement

The University of Texas – Austin receives numerous donations for their aerospace engineering programs.

Graduate students are able to participate in 30 centers around campus that encourage research and studying in the aerospace engineering courses.

Through their labs, students are able to partner up with businesses on their start-ups and business ideas, making it one of the best aerospace engineering universities.

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Conclusion—Top 6 Best Aerospace Engineering Schools

As you can see, there are a lot of worthwhile career choices that can come about from attending one of the best aerospace engineering schools.

The best aerospace engineering universities offer students technological equipment and labs, a fully reliable staff, alumni services, and networking guides to some of the biggest names and businesses.

With our comprehensive guideline of the top aerospace engineering schools, you can attend one of the best aerospace engineering universities and finally receive your aerospace engineering degree.

You can now better distinguish between the aerospace engineering universities and their programs, campus life, extra features, and more in order to choose the best college experience for your engineering future.



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