Aerospace Colleges Under $20,000

Stanford University breaks the mold for aerospace engineering affordability with a net price of just $12,136 despite its $62,484 sticker price, proving that elite private education can compete with public options. The 20 most affordable aerospace programs nationwide span from $6,351 at the University of Florida to $14,013 at Arizona State, with graduates earning between $54,974 and $71,575. Public universities dominate this market, though graduation rates vary dramatically from 36.1% at West Virginia University Institute of Technology to over 90% at Stanford and Georgia Tech. The aerospace industry's concentration in states like California, Florida, and Washington creates natural pipelines between these affordable programs and major employers like Boeing, SpaceX, and Lockheed Martin. New Mexico State leads in graduate earnings at $71,575, while the University of California system places three campuses on this list despite California's typically high education costs.

Programs

$6,351 – $19,880

Net Price Range

$64,356

Avg. Program Earnings

72.1%

Avg. Graduation Rate

45 Aerospace, Aeronautical and Astronautical Engineering Programs

Program rankings
#	School	Net Price	In-State Tuition	Graduation Rate	Acceptance Rate
1	University of Florida Gainesville, Florida	$6,351	$6,381	91.5%	23.4%
2	New Mexico State University-Main Campus Las Cruces, New Mexico	$6,747	$8,147	52.2%	78.1%
3	California State University-Long Beach Long Beach, California	$8,931	$7,008	69.9%	40.0%
4	West Virginia University Institute of Technology Beckley, West Virginia	$9,957	$8,064	36.1%	64.6%
5	University of Nevada-Las Vegas Las Vegas, Nevada	$10,011	$9,142	50.1%	85.3%
6	Morehead State University Morehead, Kentucky	$10,089	$9,838	47.7%	84.0%
7	University of Central Florida Orlando, Florida	$10,650	$6,368	75.1%	41.0%
8	California State Polytechnic University-Pomona Pomona, California	$11,580	$7,439	66.7%	55.4%
9	University of California-San Diego La Jolla, California	$11,750	$15,265	87.6%	23.7%
10	Stanford University Stanford, California	$12,136	$62,484	92.8%	3.7%
11	University of California-Irvine Irvine, California	$12,840	$14,237	86.0%	21.2%
12	West Virginia University Morgantown, West Virginia	$12,997	$9,648	61.2%	88.4%
13	Georgia Institute of Technology-Main Campus Atlanta, Georgia	$13,289	$11,764	92.3%	17.1%
14	University of Washington-Seattle Campus Seattle, Washington	$13,485	$12,643	83.7%	47.5%
15	Arizona State University Campus Immersion Tempe, Arizona	$13,670	$12,051	67.8%	89.8%
16	San Jose State University San Jose, California	$13,741	$7,992	64.7%	76.7%
17	Missouri University of Science and Technology Rolla, Missouri	$13,773	$14,278	63.6%	81.5%
18	Wichita State University Wichita, Kansas	$13,776	$9,322	51.4%	94.9%
19	Purdue University-Main Campus West Lafayette, Indiana	$13,945	$9,992	83.1%	52.7%
20	University of California-Los Angeles Los Angeles, California	$14,013	$13,747	92.7%	8.6%
21	University of Michigan-Ann Arbor Ann Arbor, Michigan	$14,832	$17,228	93.2%	17.7%
22	University of Akron Main Campus Akron, Ohio	$14,981	$12,799	48.2%	82.9%
23	University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign Champaign, Illinois	$15,201	$16,004	84.9%	44.8%
24	The University of Texas at Arlington Arlington, Texas	$15,235	$11,728	56.5%	80.8%
25	University of California-Davis Davis, California	$15,288	$15,247	85.1%	37.3%
26	Mississippi State University Mississippi State, Mississippi	$15,501	$9,815	62.9%	75.2%
27	University of Maryland-College Park College Park, Maryland	$15,590	$11,505	88.6%	44.6%
28	California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo San Luis Obispo, California	$15,624	$11,075	85.2%	30.4%
29	University of Arizona Tucson, Arizona	$15,960	$13,626	65.9%	86.8%
30	San Diego State University San Diego, California	$16,174	$8,290	78.3%	39.3%
31	Oklahoma State University-Main Campus Stillwater, Oklahoma	$16,378	$10,234	65.9%	70.6%
32	North Carolina State University at Raleigh Raleigh, North Carolina	$16,931	$8,895	84.6%	47.2%
33	University of Minnesota-Twin Cities Minneapolis, Minnesota	$17,139	$16,488	84.8%	74.9%
34	University of Kansas Lawrence, Kansas	$17,365	$11,700	68.8%	87.8%
35	University of Oklahoma-Norman Campus Norman, Oklahoma	$17,413	$9,595	75.3%	72.9%
36	The University of Tennessee-Knoxville Knoxville, Tennessee	$18,109	$13,484	73.5%	68.4%
37	Iowa State University Ames, Iowa	$18,165	$10,497	75.5%	90.2%
38	Ohio State University-Main Campus Columbus, Ohio	$18,292	$12,859	87.7%	52.7%
39	Western Michigan University Kalamazoo, Michigan	$18,701	$15,298	57.8%	84.6%
40	Illinois Institute of Technology Chicago, Illinois	$19,353	$51,763	72.4%	61.4%
41	Kent State University at Kent Kent, Ohio	$19,614	$12,846	65.5%	88.0%
42	The University of Texas at Austin Austin, Texas	$19,678	$11,678	87.6%	31.4%
43	Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University-Worldwide Daytona Beach, Florida	$19,733	$11,665	21.6%	57.7%
44	Massachusetts Institute of Technology Cambridge, Massachusetts	$19,813	$60,156	96.1%	4.0%
45	University of Alabama in Huntsville Huntsville, Alabama	$19,880	$11,770	61.9%	78.1%

Frequently Asked Questions

What makes Stanford University affordable for aerospace engineering students?

Stanford's need-based financial aid reduces the net price to $12,136 for qualifying students, despite the $62,484 total cost. The university maintains a 92.8% graduation rate, the highest among affordable aerospace programs. This combination of generous aid and strong outcomes makes it competitive with public options like the University of Florida at $6,351.

How do graduation rates vary among affordable aerospace programs?

Graduation rates span a 56-point range, from 36.1% at West Virginia University Institute of Technology to 92.8% at Stanford. Public flagships like Georgia Tech (92.3%) and the University of Florida (91.5%) maintain rates above 90%. Mid-tier programs typically graduate 50-70% of students, while regional universities often fall below 50%.

Where do aerospace engineering graduates earn the highest starting salaries?

New Mexico State University graduates lead with $71,575 in early career earnings, followed by Georgia Tech at $69,983. The University of Florida graduates earn $68,965 despite having the lowest net price at $6,351. California schools show mixed results, with UC San Diego graduates earning $61,218 and Cal Poly Pomona at $64,087.

Does attending a more selective program guarantee higher earnings?

Selectivity doesn't always correlate with earnings in aerospace engineering. Stanford accepts only 3.68% of applicants but earnings data isn't available, while New Mexico State accepts 78.05% yet produces the highest-earning graduates at $71,575. Georgia Tech balances both with 17.13% acceptance and $69,983 average earnings. Program strength and regional job markets matter more than admission rates alone.

Is student debt a major concern for affordable aerospace programs?

Student debt ranges from $12,410 at the University of Washington to $27,242 at both West Virginia universities. California State schools average around $25,000 in debt, while UC campuses keep debt lower at $18,000-20,000. The University of Florida combines the lowest net price with moderate debt of $17,416.

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Net price reflects the average cost after grants and scholarships for first-time, full-time students. See our methodology for details.