Aerospace, Aeronautical and Astronautical Engineering at University of Southern California

USC's aerospace engineering program commands a premium price tag—literally the highest debt load among California's 11 programs—yet delivers earnings that land squarely in the middle of the pack statewide. At $78,980 in first-year earnings, graduates trail Cal Poly SLO by nearly $7,000 and even lag Cal Poly Pomona. The debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.27 is manageable, but you're essentially paying private school prices for public school outcomes.

The context matters here: while USC ranks in the 91st percentile nationally, California is an aerospace powerhouse where even UC Davis and UCLA underperform the national median. The real competition is Cal Poly SLO, which offers similar selectivity, better career outcomes, and dramatically lower debt. USC's 23% earnings growth to nearly $97,000 by year four is solid, but this pattern of strong later-career earnings is common across aerospace programs as engineers gain experience and security clearances.

For families choosing between USC and California's public options, the math is straightforward: you're paying roughly $25,000 more in debt than at the Cal Polys for outcomes that don't justify the premium. Unless your child has meaningful financial aid bringing costs down, or places exceptional value on USC's broader university experience and alumni network, the engineering-focused public schools deliver better return on investment in this field.