Aerospace Engineeringat University of Maryland-College Park
Graduates earn $78,631/yr in their first year — about 8.0% above the national Aerospace Engineering average. Base-case 10-year earnings $1,008K; scenarios range from $864K to $1,036K depending on AI disruption.
What this degree looks like at University of Maryland-College Park
Your proximity to the Washington D.C. metropolitan area and the I-270 technology corridor is a significant advantage for UMD's Aerospace Engineering program. This region is a global hub for government agencies like NASA and the Department of Defense, along with major defense contractors such as Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman, and emerging private aerospace innovators. This unique ecosystem ensures a constant demand for skilled engineers, driving robust career prospects.
The program's strong industry connections mean recruiters are frequently on campus, offering unparalleled access to internships and full-time positions in areas like spacecraft design, propulsion systems, and advanced avionics. You'll enter a field where hands-on experience and specialized knowledge are highly valued. To truly distinguish yourself and secure the most resilient career path, prioritize hands-on research opportunities or specialized certifications in areas like advanced materials, autonomy, or space systems, building expertise beyond routine tasks.
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 University of Maryland-College Park'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 University of Maryland-College Park stacks up against other schools offering this major.
Other top programs at University of Maryland-College Park
Other highest-scoring programs offered at University of Maryland-College Park, ranked by DegreeOutlook Score.
Frequently asked about Aerospace Engineering at University of Maryland-College Park
What is the DegreeOutlook Score for Aerospace Engineering at University of Maryland-College Park?
This program scores 76/100 — placing it among the stronger programs for Aerospace Engineering nationally. The score reflects above-average earnings, manageable AI risk, and solid financial return.
Will AI replace Aerospace Engineering careers?
With 41% of typical job tasks exposed to AI, this is one of the higher-risk fields. Our pessimistic scenario projects $863,669 in decade earnings vs $1,035,501 in the optimistic case — a meaningful gap.