Aerospace, Aeronautical and Astronautical Engineering at University of Notre Dame

Notre Dame aerospace engineering graduates start strong at $81,000—landing in the 95th percentile nationally—but here's the puzzle: those earnings barely budge four years later. This flat trajectory is unusual for engineering, where most graduates see steady salary growth as they gain experience. The small sample size (under 30 graduates) means a few career paths could be skewing the data, but it's still worth noting that Purdue aerospace grads, starting at $72,000, likely see more typical upward momentum.

The debt picture is reasonable at $24,000, creating a manageable 0.30 ratio to first-year income. That's competitive with the national median and slightly above Indiana's typical debt load for this major. Within Indiana's limited aerospace landscape (just two programs), Notre Dame ranks in the 60th percentile—essentially middle-of-the-pack despite its elite admissions profile.

For a family weighing Notre Dame's prestige and price tag, the starting salary is legitimately impressive. But the lack of earnings growth raises questions: are graduates staying in lower-paying roles, or is this just statistical noise from a tiny cohort? At a school this selective, you'd typically expect stronger career progression. The debt is manageable enough that this remains a viable choice, but don't assume the Notre Dame brand automatically translates to aerospace industry dominance—at least not based on these limited numbers.