Aerospace, Aeronautical and Astronautical Engineering at Ohio State University-Main Campus

Ohio State's aerospace engineering program lands graduates squarely in the middle of the pack—earning $72,062 in their first year, just below the national median of $72,210. More concerning is the state comparison: this ranks in just the 40th percentile among Ohio's five aerospace programs, trailing both Case Western ($83,639) and Cincinnati ($74,992) by meaningful margins. For a flagship state university with a 1407 average SAT and relatively selective 51% admission rate, these outcomes suggest the program isn't translating institutional prestige into standout job placements.

The financial picture itself isn't problematic—$25,853 in median debt translates to a manageable 0.36 debt-to-earnings ratio, and graduates see steady 12% earnings growth to $80,463 by year four. The moderate sample size adds some uncertainty, but the consistency across metrics points to a stable, if unremarkable, program.

For Ohio families paying in-state tuition, this represents a reasonable path into aerospace, but parents should recognize their student could potentially do better at Cincinnati with similar in-state costs, or justify the premium at Case Western for significantly higher earnings. If your child has strong credentials that earned them admission to Ohio State, they likely have options worth exploring before committing.