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Aerospace at Purdue University-Main Campus

West Lafayette, IN · Public · Bachelor's Degree · Aerospace, Aeronautical and Astronautical Engineering
75 /100
DegreeOutlook Score (Base Case) — assumes in-state tuition
75
Optimistic
75
Base Case
73
Pessimistic
Earnings $71,989/yr (-1% vs median)
AI Risk High (41% exposed)
Job Market Medium (25,800 openings/yr)
ROI 23.4x earnings multiple (8.1x out-of-state)
Ranked #13 of 57 Aerospace programs Top 25%

How AI Changes the Outlook

Three scenarios based on how aggressively AI disrupts the career paths available to Aerospace graduates.

Optimistic
No Disruption		 Base Case
Gradual AI		 Pessimistic
Aggressive AI
10-Year Earnings $960K $937K $810K
Earnings Multiple (In-State) 24.0x 23.4x 20.3x
Earnings Multiple (Out-of-State) 8.3x 8.1x 7.0x
Probability of Field Employment 85% 81% 61%
DegreeOutlook Score 75 75 73

10-Year Earnings Projection

*Year 1 uses actual reported earnings. Scenarios diverge as AI impact compounds over time.

4-Year Tuition, In-State (Sticker)
$39,968
Out-of-state: $115,176 (8.1x ROI)
4-Year Net Price (After Aid)
$55,780
-40% less than sticker · See by income
Median Debt at Graduation
$21,500
3.6 months of Year 1 earnings
Reported Earnings (5 Year)
$97,947
36% growth from Year 1

Program Analysis

First-year earnings of $71,989 track close to the $73,060 national median for Aerospace programs. This is a middle-of-the-road outcome on salary alone.

The 23.4x earnings multiple means ten-year projected earnings exceed tuition cost by an order of magnitude. By pure financial math, this is a standout.

AI risk is moderate — 41% task exposure — and the 16% scenario spread suggests disruption would dent but not destroy the earnings outlook.

At $21,500 in median debt against $71,989 in first-year earnings, graduates can expect to clear their loan balance in under six months of full earnings.

Ranked #13 out of 57 programs, Purdue University-Main Campus's Aerospace program lands in the top 5% — a strong signal of graduate success.

The five-year earnings trajectory from $71,989 to $97,947 shows 36% growth, reflecting steady but unremarkable salary progression.

About Purdue University-Main Campus

With a 50% acceptance rate, Purdue University-Main Campus is moderately selective, serving a student body of 39,637 in West Lafayette, IN.

See all programs and financial aid at Purdue University-Main Campus →

Top Career Paths

Architectural and engineering managers $167,740/yr
Aerospace engineers $134,830/yr
Engineering teachers, postsecondary $106,120/yr
View all 5 career paths with salary ranges and AI risk →

Compare & Explore

Compare this program → View all 57 schools offering Aerospace →

Aerospace at Other Schools

California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo ($85,509) Case Western Reserve University ($83,639) University of Colorado Boulder ($81,835) University of Notre Dame ($81,057) The University of Texas at Austin ($81,022) University of Michigan-Ann Arbor ($80,225) Georgia Institute of Technology-Main Campus ($79,300) University of Southern California ($78,980)

Other Majors at Purdue University-Main Campus

Computer Science ($94,786) Computer Engineering ($89,965) Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering ($84,300) Industrial Engineering ($81,379) Chemical Engineering ($81,105) Mechanical Engineering ($80,374) Materials Engineering ($78,265) Construction Engineering ($76,966)

Frequently Asked Questions

How does Purdue University-Main Campus's Aerospace program score?
A score of 75/100 indicates strong financial outcomes. Purdue University-Main Campus's Aerospace graduates fare well on earnings, job market size, and return on investment.
How vulnerable is Aerospace to AI automation?
AI won't 'replace' Aerospace careers outright, but it is likely to reduce the number of job openings. We model 41% task exposure, which compresses field employment probability in our scenarios.
Why does Purdue University-Main Campus rank so high for Aerospace?
The #13 ranking out of 57 programs is driven by strong financial outcomes — graduates earn well, debt is manageable relative to income, and the job market supports the field.
Scores use College Scorecard earnings, BLS employment projections, and AI task-exposure research. See full methodology →