Aerospace, Aeronautical and Astronautical Engineering at University of Arizona

University of Arizona's aerospace engineering program starts graduates $15,000 below the national median in year-one earnings—landing in just the 5th percentile nationally. That's a significant gap in a field where starting salaries typically run strong. While earnings jump 44% to $82,720 by year four, which sounds impressive, graduates are essentially playing catch-up to reach what peers at other programs earned from day one. Even within Arizona's small aerospace market, this program ranks at the 25th percentile, trailing both Embry-Riddle Prescott and ASU's main campus by substantial margins.

The saving grace here is manageable debt at $23,656, creating a reasonable 0.41 debt-to-earnings ratio that won't burden graduates financially. However, the small sample size (under 30 graduates) means these numbers could swing dramatically year to year—what looks like catch-up growth might just be statistical noise from a handful of data points.

For a family considering this program, the question becomes whether UA's more accessible admissions (86% acceptance rate) justifies accepting below-market starting pay in a competitive field where internships and first jobs matter tremendously. If your student has options at ASU or out-of-state programs with stronger aerospace placement, those merit serious consideration despite potentially higher upfront costs.