Aerospace Engineeringat California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo
Graduates earn $85,509/yr in their first year — about 17.0% above the national Aerospace Engineering average. Base-case 10-year earnings $1,055K; scenarios range from $899K to $1,084K depending on AI disruption.
What this degree looks like at Cal Poly SLO
Cal Poly SLO’s Aerospace Engineering program consistently places graduates into high-impact roles, a testament to its distinctive "learn by doing" philosophy. This hands-on approach, deeply embedded in the curriculum, means you're not just learning theory; you're actively designing, building, and testing, often through industry-sponsored projects. This practical experience is highly valued by employers, creating strong recruiting pipelines into major aerospace and defense contractors like Northrop Grumman, Lockheed Martin, and Boeing, as well as burgeoning space tech companies across California. Your career path will likely involve complex design, analysis, and project management, requiring a blend of technical expertise and problem-solving. Given the evolving nature of the field, actively pursuing internships and participating in student project teams will be crucial to building a competitive portfolio and navigating future industry shifts.
Three scenarios, ten years out
Each scenario is a different assumption about how AI reshapes the career paths this major feeds into. Earnings projections stack the full 10-year cumulative trajectory; scores use the same 0–100 metric as the hero, recomputed under that scenario's assumptions.
10 year projection
Year-by-year earnings under each scenario. Base case reflects BLS growth patterns applied to Cal Poly SLO's starting earnings; optimistic and pessimistic adjust for AI's effect on each career path this major feeds into.
Common career destinations for this program's graduates, weighted by the school's specific occupation mix. Salary is BLS national median; AI risk is per-role task-exposure research.
Peer schools offering Aerospace Engineering
How Cal Poly SLO stacks up against other schools offering this major.
Other top programs at Cal Poly SLO
Other highest-scoring programs offered at Cal Poly SLO, ranked by DegreeOutlook Score.
Frequently asked about Aerospace Engineering at Cal Poly SLO
What does a 77/100 DegreeOutlook Score mean for Aerospace Engineering at California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo?
At 77/100, this is a high-performing program. The DegreeOutlook Score combines earnings, AI resilience, and ROI — and this program delivers on all three.
Should I worry about AI if I study Aerospace Engineering at California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo?
The 41% AI task exposure score is above average. Our model shows this affecting job availability more than salaries — graduates may face stiffer competition for fewer positions.
Is California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo one of the best schools for Aerospace Engineering?
Among 57 Aerospace Engineering programs, California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo's #1 position reflects consistently above-average results across earnings, ROI, and employment probability.