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Engineering · Aerospace Engineering Rank #54 of 57

Aerospace Engineeringat University of Alabama in Huntsville

Graduates earn $70,383/yr in their first year — about 4.0% below the national Aerospace Engineering average. Base-case 10-year earnings $746K; scenarios range from $666K to $760K depending on AI disruption.

Huntsville, AL Public Bachelor's Degree
DegreeOutlook Score
59 SOLID
60
Optimistic
58
Pessimistic
Earnings
$70,383
1-year post-graduation
ROI
13.9x
Earnings : in-state tuition
10-yr Base
$746K
Cumulative base-case earnings
AI Risk
High
47% task exposure
Program Analysis

What this degree looks like at University of Alabama in Huntsville

First-year earnings of $70,383 track close to the $73,060 national median for Aerospace Engineering programs. This is a middle-of-the-road outcome on salary alone.

With a 15.8x return on in-state tuition over ten years, the financial case for this program is compelling by virtually any measure.

The 12% difference between AI scenarios reflects partial automation exposure. Some Aerospace Engineering career paths face displacement, but others in the field are more insulated.

At $23,250 in median debt against $70,383 in first-year earnings, graduates can expect to clear their loan balance in under six months of full earnings.

A #54 ranking among 57 Aerospace Engineering programs places University of Alabama in Huntsville in the lower half. Price, proximity, and personal fit become the stronger arguments.

AI Outlook Integration

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.

Pessimistic
Mass Automation
$666K
10-year cumulative earnings
Scenario Score58/100
Earnings Multiple14.1x
Base Case
Moderate Integration
$746K
10-year cumulative earnings
Scenario Score59/100
Earnings Multiple15.8x
Optimistic
AI Augmentation
$760K
10-year cumulative earnings
Scenario Score60/100
Earnings Multiple16.1x
Earnings Trajectory

10 year projection

Year-by-year earnings under each scenario. Base case reflects BLS growth patterns applied to University of Alabama in Huntsville's starting earnings; optimistic and pessimistic adjust for AI's effect on each career path this major feeds into.

Career Paths

Where Aerospace Engineering graduates typically work

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.

1
Architectural and engineering managers
+3.8% 10-yr growth · 14,500 openings/yr
$167,740/yr
Moderate
2
Aerospace engineers
+6.1% 10-yr growth · 4,500 openings/yr
$134,830/yr
High
3
Engineering teachers, postsecondary
+8.1% 10-yr growth · 4,100 openings/yr
$106,120/yr
High
4
Avionics technicians
+8.2% 10-yr growth · 1,800 openings/yr
$81,390/yr
Low
5
Aerospace engineering and operations technologists and technicians
+8.1% 10-yr growth · 900 openings/yr
$79,830/yr
Moderate
Source: BLS Occupational Employment & Wage Statistics, May 2024. AI exposure from OpenAI GPTs-are-GPTs and Felten AIOE research.
Compare & Explore

Peer schools offering Aerospace Engineering

How University of Alabama in Huntsville stacks up against other schools offering this major.

Highest earnings
California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo
CA · Public
77
DW Score
$86K
1-yr earn
24.4x
ROI
University of Notre Dame
IN · Private nonprofit
61
DW Score
$81K
1-yr earn
2.9x
ROI
The University of Texas at Austin
TX · Public
76
DW Score
$81K
1-yr earn
20.5x
ROI
University of Michigan-Ann Arbor
MI · Public
74
DW Score
$80K
1-yr earn
15.4x
ROI
Georgia Institute of Technology-Main Campus
GA · Public
76
DW Score
$79K
1-yr earn
20.7x
ROI
Also at University of Alabama in Huntsville

Other top programs at University of Alabama in Huntsville

Other highest-scoring programs offered at University of Alabama in Huntsville, ranked by DegreeOutlook Score.

FAQ

Frequently asked about Aerospace Engineering at University of Alabama in Huntsville

What does a 59/100 DegreeOutlook Score mean for Aerospace Engineering at University of Alabama in Huntsville?

At 59/100, the score looks reasonable — but Aerospace Engineering is a high-scoring field overall. Compared to peers, this program's earnings and ROI fall below the median.

Should I worry about AI if I study Aerospace Engineering at University of Alabama in Huntsville?

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.