Aerospace, Aeronautical and Astronautical Engineering at Case Western Reserve University

Case Western's aerospace engineering program launches graduates into strong initial earnings—$83,639 in the first year, well above both national and Ohio medians. However, the small sample size here (under 30 graduates) means a single cohort working in a particular sector or company could skew these numbers significantly. The debt load of $26,410 is reasonable, translating to a manageable 0.32 debt-to-earnings ratio that suggests monthly payments won't overwhelm early-career budgets.

The concerning pattern is the earnings decline to $79,428 by year four. While this drop could reflect the small sample (perhaps some graduates pursued master's degrees or took research positions), it's worth noting that aerospace careers typically show steady growth as engineers gain security clearances and project experience. The 60th percentile ranking among Ohio programs is also modest—Cincinnati's aerospace graduates earn similar amounts, and this is a selective program at a school with a 1501 average SAT.

Given the tiny cohort size, these numbers might not represent what your child would actually experience. If aerospace engineering is the goal, this program offers solid preparation and reasonable debt, but the earnings trajectory raises questions that warrant a conversation with the department about typical career paths and whether recent graduates are pursuing advanced degrees or entering industries with different compensation patterns.