Aerospace, Aeronautical and Astronautical Engineering at Syracuse University

Syracuse's aerospace engineering program lands squarely in the middle of the pack—both nationally and within New York state—with first-year earnings of $71,417 that barely trail the $71,600 state median. Among the four New York schools offering this major, Syracuse sits third, behind RPI and Clarkson but ahead of Buffalo. The $27,000 median debt is remarkably low for an engineering degree at a private university, ranking in just the 5th percentile nationally for program debt.

The 20% earnings growth to $86,000 by year four suggests decent career progression, though that growth rate is fairly standard for engineering fields. What matters more here is the starting point: aerospace graduates from Syracuse aren't commanding the premium salaries you might expect from a program at a selective private institution with 1351 average SATs. They're earning essentially what the typical New York aerospace grad makes, regardless of school prestige.

For parents weighing the investment, the low debt load makes this manageable—the 0.38 debt-to-earnings ratio means students can handle their loans without strain. But you're essentially paying private school tuition for public school outcomes. If your child has in-state options at SUNY Buffalo, the $2,000 salary difference doesn't justify Syracuse's likely higher cost of attendance. The program works financially but offers no particular advantage over less expensive alternatives.