See the 23 Best Graduate Aerospace Engineering Programs

Darian Somers , Ilana Kowarski
·7 min read

Take flight with an aerospace engineering grad degree.

The incredible technology that allows aircraft to take off, fly through the skies and land safely has fascinated people for years. And for some, that fascination could shape their career goals. A graduate degree in engineering concentrated in aerospace could give individuals the boost they need to reach new career heights. With that in mind, here are the 23 best aerospace engineering graduate programs.

23. Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (NY)

Location: Troy, New York

Overall U.S. News Best Engineering Schools rank: 43 (tie)

Percent of graduate engineering students who specialize in aerospace: 8.8%

Number of aerospace engineering faculty members: 12

Learn more about RPI.

21 (tie). University of Notre Dame (IN)

Location: Notre Dame, Indiana

Overall U.S. News Best Engineering Schools rank: 47 (tie)

Percent of graduate engineering students who specialize in aerospace: Not provided

Number of aerospace engineering faculty members: Not provided

Learn more about Notre Dame's College of Engineering.

21 (tie). University of Southern California (Viterbi)

Location: Los Angeles

Overall U.S. News Best Engineering Schools rank: 12 (tie)

Percent of graduate engineering students who specialize in aerospace: Not provided

Number of aerospace engineering faculty members: Not provided

Learn more about USC's Viterbi School of Engineering.

19 (tie). Ohio State University

Location: Columbus, Ohio

Overall U.S. News Best Engineering Schools rank: 30

Percent of graduate engineering students who specialize in aerospace: 3.6%

Number of aerospace engineering faculty members: 23

Learn more about OSU's College of Engineering.

19 (tie). University of Washington

Location: Seattle

Overall U.S. News Best Engineering Schools rank: 22 (tie)

Percent of graduate engineering students who specialize in aerospace: 7.2%

Number of aerospace engineering faculty members: 25

Learn more about the UW College of Engineering.

17 (tie). University of California--San Diego (Jacobs)

Location: La Jolla, California

Overall U.S. News Best Engineering Schools rank: 9

Percent of graduate engineering students who specialize in aerospace: 1.3%

Number of aerospace engineering faculty members: 13

Learn more about UCSD's Jacobs School of Engineering.

17 (tie). University of Minnesota--Twin Cities

Location: Minneapolis

Overall U.S. News Best Engineering Schools rank: 33 (tie)

Percent of graduate engineering students who specialize in aerospace: 5.3%

Number of aerospace engineering faculty members: 19

Learn more about Minnesota's College of Science and Engineering.

15 (tie). Pennsylvania State University--University Park

Location: University Park, Pennsylvania

Overall U.S. News Best Engineering Schools rank: 33 (tie)

Percent of graduate engineering students who specialize in aerospace: 5.1%

Number of aerospace engineering faculty members: 27

Learn more about Penn State's College of Engineering.

15 (tie). Virginia Tech

Location: Blacksburg, Virginia

Overall U.S. News Best Engineering Schools rank: 31 (tie)

Percent of graduate engineering students who specialize in aerospace: 10.8%

Number of aerospace engineering faculty members: 34

Learn more about Virginia Tech's College of Engineering.

13 (tie). University of California--Los Angeles (Samueli)

Location: Los Angeles

Overall U.S. News Best Engineering Schools rank: 16

Percent of graduate engineering students who specialize in aerospace: 2.6%

Number of aerospace engineering faculty members: 42

Learn more about UCLA's Henry Samueli School of Engineering and Applied Science.

13 (tie). University of Maryland--College Park (Clark)

Location: College Park, Maryland

Overall U.S. News Best Engineering Schools rank: 20

Percent of graduate engineering students who specialize in aerospace: 7.6%

Number of aerospace engineering faculty members: 52

Learn more about UMCP's A. James Clark School of Engineering.

10 (tie). Cornell University (NY)

Location: Ithaca, New York

Overall U.S. News Best Engineering Schools rank: 12 (tie)

Percent of graduate engineering students who specialize in aerospace: 1.4%

Number of aerospace engineering faculty members: 26

Learn more about Cornell's College of Engineering.

10 (tie). Princeton University (NJ)

Location: Princeton, New Jersey

Overall U.S. News Best Engineering Schools rank: 22 (tie)

Percent of graduate engineering students who specialize in aerospace: 12.3%

Number of aerospace engineering faculty members: 24

Learn more about Princeton's School of Engineering & Applied Science.

10 (tie). University of Colorado--Boulder

Location: Boulder, Colorado

Overall U.S. News Best Engineering Schools rank: 26 (tie)

Percent of graduate engineering students who specialize in aerospace: 24.7%

Number of aerospace engineering faculty members: 46

Learn more about the University of Colorado--Boulder College of Engineering and Applied Science.

9. Texas A&M University--College Station

Location: College Station, Texas

Overall U.S. News Best Engineering Schools rank: 11

Percent of graduate engineering students who specialize in aerospace: 5.7%

Number of aerospace engineering faculty members: 48

Learn more about Texas A&M's College of Engineering.

8. University of Texas--Austin (Cockrell)

Location: Austin, Texas

Overall U.S. News Best Engineering Schools rank: 12 (tie)

Percent of graduate engineering students who specialize in aerospace: 6.1%

Number of aerospace engineering faculty members: 42

Learn more about the UT--Austin's Cockrell School of Engineering.

6 (tie). Purdue University--West Lafayette (IN)

Location: West Lafayette, Indiana

Overall U.S. News Best Engineering Schools rank: 4 (tie)

Percent of graduate engineering students who specialize in aerospace: 13%

Number of aerospace engineering faculty members: 38

Learn more about Purdue's College of Engineering.

6 (tie). University of Illinois--Urbana-Champaign

Location: Urbana, Illinois

Overall U.S. News Best Engineering Schools rank: 10

Percent of graduate engineering students who specialize in aerospace: 3.9%

Number of aerospace engineering faculty members: 20

Learn more about the University of Illinois--Urbana-Champaign College of Engineering.

5. University of Michigan--Ann Arbor

Location: Ann Arbor, Michigan

Overall U.S. News Best Engineering Schools rank: 7

Percent of graduate engineering students who specialize in aerospace: 6.7%

Number of aerospace engineering faculty members: 34

Learn more about the University of Michigan--Ann Arbor College of Engineering.

4. Georgia Institute of Technology

Location: Atlanta

Overall U.S. News Best Engineering Schools rank: 8

Percent of graduate engineering students who specialize in aerospace: 9.8%

Number of aerospace engineering faculty members: 42

Learn more about Georgia Tech's College of Engineering.

3. Stanford University (CA)

Location: Stanford, California

Overall U.S. News Best Engineering Schools rank: 2

Percent of graduate engineering students who specialize in aerospace: 6.1%

Number of aerospace engineering faculty members: 16

Learn more about Stanford's School of Engineering.

1 (tie). California Institute of Technology

Location: Pasadena, California

Overall U.S. News Best Engineering Schools rank: 4 (tie)

Percent of graduate engineering students who specialize in aerospace: 12.5%

Number of aerospace engineering faculty members: 18

Learn more about CalTech's Division of Engineering and Applied Science.

1 (tie). Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Location: Cambridge, Massachusetts

Overall U.S. News Best Engineering Schools rank: 1

Percent of graduate engineering students who specialize in aerospace: 8.3%

Number of aerospace engineering faculty members: 36

Learn more about MIT's School of Engineering.

Learn more about the best graduate schools.

Check out all of the 2022 Best Graduate Schools rankings, and learn about the various types of engineering degrees and engineering jobs. Stay up to date on education news by following U.S. News Education on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn.

Here are the highest ranked aerospace engineering grad programs.

-- 1 (tie). California Institute of Technology

-- 1 (tie). Massachusetts Institute of Technology

-- 3. Stanford University

-- 4. Georgia Institute of Technology

-- 5. University of Michigan--Ann Arbor

-- 6 (tie). Purdue University--West Lafayette

-- 6 (tie). University of Illinois--Urbana-Champaign

-- 8. University of Texas--Austin (Cockrell)

-- 9. Texas A&M University--College Station

-- 10 (tie). Cornell University

-- 10 (tie). Princeton University

-- 10 (tie). University of Colorado--Boulder

-- 13 (tie). University of California--Los Angeles (Samueli)

-- 13 (tie). University of Maryland--College Park (Clark)

-- 15 (tie). Pennsylvania State University--University Park

-- 15 (tie). Virginia Tech

-- 17 (tie). University of California--San Diego (Jacobs)

-- 17 (tie). University of Minnesota--Twin Cities

-- 19 (tie). Ohio State University

-- 19 (tie). University of Washington

-- 21 (tie). University of Notre Dame

-- 21 (tie). University of Southern California (Viterbi)

-- 23. Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute