Aerospace, Aeronautical and Astronautical Engineering at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University-Daytona Beach

Embry-Riddle Daytona Beach's aerospace engineering program delivers exactly what you'd expect from a specialized aviation university: strong starting salaries with exceptionally manageable debt. With graduates earning $75,483 right out of college and carrying just $26,995 in debt, this program achieves a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.36—meaning students can realistically pay off their loans in about four years of focused repayment.

The financial fundamentals are solid across multiple comparisons. Nationally, this program ranks in the 71st percentile for earnings while maintaining debt levels in the 5th percentile (meaning 95% of similar programs saddle students with more debt). Within Florida's limited aerospace landscape of just six programs, Embry-Riddle ties for the highest starting salary at $75,483, matching their worldwide campus and significantly outpacing UF ($70,760) and other state competitors.

What seals the deal is the steady 15% earnings growth to $86,529 by year four, suggesting graduates build valuable experience that employers reward. The robust sample size of 100+ graduates makes these numbers reliable, not statistical noise. For parents concerned about ROI in engineering education, this program offers the rare combination of a respected specialized degree, reasonable debt, and strong earning potential from day one.