Aerospace, Aeronautical and Astronautical Engineering at University of Michigan-Ann Arbor

Michigan's aerospace engineering program produces graduates earning $80,225 right out of college—$7,400 above the national median and roughly $5,000 ahead of the state average. However, that state comparison deserves scrutiny: with only two Michigan schools offering this program, the 60th percentile ranking essentially means "second place" rather than indicating any real weakness. The real story is that Michigan competes nationally at the 95th percentile, placing graduates into premium aerospace positions that justify the selective 18% admission rate.

The debt picture is equally compelling. At $21,603, graduates borrow about 15% less than the typical aerospace engineer nationwide, creating a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.27—low enough that most graduates could reasonably pay off their loans within a couple of years of focused repayment. That manageable debt burden, combined with strong 21% earnings growth to $97,263 by year four, suggests graduates are launching into genuine engineering careers at major aerospace companies, not struggling to find relevant work.

For families who can secure admission to this highly selective program, the math works clearly in their favor. You're looking at top-tier national outcomes with below-average debt—exactly the combination that makes an engineering degree a sound investment.