MS in Aerospace Engineering in USA is a 1 - 2 year degree available as a full-time, part-time, and online program. All Masters in Aerospace Engineering programs in USA are accredited by Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET). Aerospace engineering graduates from top USA universities are hired by the largest aerospace engineering companies such as NASA, Boeing, etc. The average salary of a MS Aerospace Engineering graduate is 92,000 USD (74.92 lakhs INR).
To study this course, international students should apply for USA student visa.

MS in Aerospace Engineering in USA: Highlights

Course Type Thesis/ Non-Thesis
Course Duration 1 - 2 years
Eligibility Criteria Bachelor’s of Science or Bachelor of Engineering with a minimum 3.0 GPA (83-86%)
English Proficiency Requirements IELTS/TOEFL iBT
Average Salary 108,917 USD (88,92,348 INR)
Top Recruiters NASA, Boeing, Collins Aerospace

Top Universities for MS in Aerospace Engineering in USA

Mentioned below are the top universities for Masters in Aerospace Engineering in USA.

University Course Deadlines Tuition Fees (USD)
University of California, Los Angeles M.S Aerospace Engineering 1 December 2022 33,238
Georgia Institute of Technology M.S Aerospace Engineering 1 December 2022 ( For research Assistantship) 1 April 2023 (All other applicants) 14,570
University of Texas M.S Aerospace Engineering 1 December 2022 23,763
University of Illinois M.S Aerospace Engineering 1 December 2022 36,798
Washington University M.S Aerospace Engineering 1 March 2023 59,420
University of Southern California

M.S Aerospace and Mechanical Engineering (Dynamics and Control) | M.S Aerospace and Mechanical Engineering (Computational Fluid and Solid Mechanics)

 15 January 2023 64,698
Ohio State University M.S Aerospace Engineering 1 February 2023 43,638
University of Maryland M.S Aerospace Engineering 15 March 2023 53,079
University of California, Irvine M.S Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering 15 January 2023 11,700
Purdue University M.S Aeronautics and Astronautics 15 December 2022 14,959

Table of Content

  1. What is a MS in Aerospace Engineering?
  2. Why study MS in Aerospace Engineering in USA?
  3. MS in Aerospace Engineering in USA: Admission requirements
    3.1 MS in Aerospace Engineering in USA: Eligibility Criteria
    3.2 MS in Aerospace Engineering in USA: Additional Requirements
  4. MS in Aerospace Engineering in USA: Cost
    4.1 MS in Aerospace Engineering in USA: Tuition Fees
    4.2 Cost of Living in USA
  5. MS in Aerospace Engineering in USA: Scholarships
  6. MS in Aerospace Engineering in USA: Placements
  7. MS in Aerospace Engineering in USA: ROI
  8. MS in Aerospace Engineering in USA: College Comparison
  9. FAQs

What is MS in Aerospace Engineering in USA?

The USA universities offering this course mainly teach the students two different areas of aerospace engineering. It gives them exposure and makes them capable of pursuing their career choice with elective subjects. It develops the ability to find a technical problem, understand and analyse it through different approaches (theoretical, numerical, or experimental) and evaluate the results. Students can work their way through this course into a doctoral degree by opting for MS Thesis in Aerospace Engineering. This course is also available as a non-thesis program and can be studied through distance education/ online learning.

The specialisations of this course are

  1. Aerodynamics/ Fluid Dynamics Specialisation
  2. Aerospace Control
  3. Aerospace Design
  4. Aerospace Structures
  5. Fluid Mechanics
  6. Propulsion

Why Study MS in Aerospace Engineering in USA?

There are various reasons why a student shall pursue a Masters in Aerospace Engineering in USA.

  • 6 of the universities offering this course are among the top 150 universities in the world.
University QS World Ranking 2023
University of California, Los Angeles 44
Georgia Institute of Technology 88
Washington University 118
Purdue University 129
University of South California 134
Ohio State University 140
  • Employment of aerospace engineers is expected to grow by 6% from 2021 to 2031.
  • It can be expected that there will be around 3800 job openings in USA for aerospace engineers every year over the next 10 years.
  • The students willing to study aerospace engineering with a thesis, can ask for an advisor and get funding assistance from the university.

Admissions to MS in Aerospace Engineering in USA

To apply to USA universities, international students need to fulfil the Masters in Aerospace Engineering requirements. The academic and other requirements for the program admission are mentioned in this section.

Eligibility Criteria for MS in Aerospace Engineering in USA

Given below are the masters in aerospace engineering requirements - academic and english proficiency requirements.

University Academic Requirements English Language Proficiency
University of California, Los Angeles Bachelor of Science Degree with 3.0/4.0 GPA (83-86%) TOEFL iBT - 87 IELTS - 7.0
Georgia Institute of Technology 4 years of Bachelor of Engineering TOEFL iBT - 90 | IELTS - 7.0
University of Texas Bachelor of Science in aerospace engineering with a 3.0/4.0 GPA (83-86%) TOEFL iBT - 84 | IELTS - 6.5
University of Illinois BS in Aerospace Engineering with 3.0/4.0 GPA (83-86%) TOEFL iBT - 79 | IELTS - 6.5
Washington University Bachelor’s Degree with 2.7 GPA (82%) TOEFL iBT - 90 | IELTS - 6.5
University of Southern California Bachelor’s Degree in engineering with 3.0 GPA (83-86%) TOEFL iBT - 90 | IELTS - 6.5
Ohio State University 4 years of Bachelor of Engineering with 3.0 GPA (83-86%) TOEFL iBT - 79 | IELTS - 7.0
University of Maryland Bachelor of Engineering with 3.2 GPA (83-86%) TOEFL iBT - 96 | IELTS - 7.0 | PTE - 68
University of California, Irvine Bachelor’s Degree in engineering with 3.0 GPA (83-86%) TOEFL iBT - 80 | IELTS - 7.0
Purdue University Bachelor’s Degree with 3.25 GPA (83-86%) TOEFL iBT - 80 | IELTS - 6.5

Additional Requirements for MS in Aerospace Engineering in USA

There are some additional requirements universities ask to fulfill in order to complete the application process1. Official Transcripts from previous institutions

  1. Letters of Recommendation (3)
  2. Statement of Purpose
  3. GRE Scores
  4. CV/Resume/Portfolio

Cost of Studying MS in Aerospace Engineering in USA

The cost of studying Masters in Aerospace Engineering in USA involves two categories - tuition fees and cost of living. This section covers the average cost of both categories.

Tuition Fees for MS in Aerospace Engineering in USA

The tuition fees for a Master of Aerospace Engineering in USA range from 11,000 USD (8 lakhs INR) to 65,000 USD (53 lakhs INR). The table below shows the tuition fees for the top universities.

University Tuition Fee (USD) Tuition Fee (INR
University of California, Los Angeles 33,238 27,13,661
Georgia Institute of Technology 14,570 11,89,543
University of Texas 23,763 19,40,090
University of Illinois 36,798 30,06,545
Washington University 59,420 48,51,247
University of Southern California 64,698 52,82,161
Ohio State University 43,638 35,62,752
University of Maryland 53,079 43,33,547
University of California, Irvine 11,700 9,55,227
Purdue University 14,959 12,21,302

Cost of Living in USA

The cost of living varies with the state as well as the type of student housing in USA, living standards, etc. Some other expenses also need to be considered as living expenses in the USA.

Expense Type Average Cost (USD Average Cost (INR)
Accommodation 9,800-11,100 8,13,868 - 9,21,831
Food 250 per month 20,668
Transportation 350 per month 28,935
Internet 45 per month 3,720
Books 1,200-1,500 99,207-1,24,008
Health Insurance 700 57,870

Scholarships for MS in Aerospace Engineering in USA

Various scholarships for masters students are available through universities or even private agencies and organizations. The table below shows some of the international scholarships to study in USA.

Scholarship Eligibility Awards (USD
The Aga Khan Foundation International Scholarship Students from developing countries with no other source of financial help for masters in the USA Tuition fees and living expenses Awarded on a 50% grant: 50% loan basis
AAUW International Fellowship Program Non-American women pursuing graduate and post-graduate studies in any subject $20,000-$50,000
P.E.O International Peace Scholarship Non-American women who have applied for graduate studies in any university in USA $5000 can only be renewed twice
Dean’s Scholarship Pursuing a master’s degree full-time from the Viterbi School of Engineering at USC $5000-$20,000

MS in Aerospace Engineering in USA: Placements

High academic achievers are offered placements by top aerospace companies such as NASA, Boeing, etc. The salary of entry-level engineers is also great. Job roles in Aerospace Engineering along with their average annual salaries are mentioned below.

MS in Aerospace Engineering in USA: Placements
Job Role Average Annual Salary (USD) Average Annual Salary (INR)
Aerospace Engineer 108,917 88,92,348
Aircraft Technician 51,661 42,17,777
Aeronautical Engineer 115,000 93,88,985
Mechanical Engineer 90,985 74,28,320
Aircraft Designer 71,257 58,17,660
Data Processing Manager 123,795 1,01,07,038
Inspector or Compliance Officer 75,012 61,31,578

MS in Aerospace Engineering in USA: Return on Investment

The tuition fees for masters in aerospace engineering in USA can seem to be a huge investment but the universities make it worth investing. Here is the ROI of some universities in USA.

MS in Aerospace Engineering in USA: ROI
University Tuition Fees (USD) Average Annual Salary (USD)
University of California, Los Angeles 33,238 101,000
University of South California 14,570 100,000
Georgia Institute of Technology 23,763 94,000
University of Texas 64,698 107,000
Purdue University 14,959 85,000

MS in Aerospace Engineering in USA: Universities Comparison

To find out which university is the best for you, have a look at the comparison below.

University Tuition Fees (USD) GRE Exam Score
University of California, Los Angeles 33,238 Optional
Georgia Institute of Technology 14,570 Not Required
University of Texas 23,763 146 - Verbal | 155 - Quantitative
University of Southern California 64,698 Not Required
Purdue University 14,959 156 - Verbal | 159 - Quantitative
University of Maryland 53,079 85 percentile

You can start working as an Aerospace Engineer immediately after getting a degree at entry-level positions. However, for further advancement in career, a Professional Engineering (PE) licence is required. The process of acquiring this licence is as follows:

  • Pass the Fundamentals of Engineering (FE) exam. The title of Engineer in Training (EIT) is given to them after passing this exam.
  • Complete 4 years of on-the-job training.
  • Pass the PE exam.

Bachelors students can also apply for a Professional Engineering licence. Aerospace Engineers work in aircraft, missiles, systems for national defence, or spacecraft. They engage in manufacturing, analysis and design, research, and development for the federal government.

Frequently Asked Questions

Ques: Is Aerospace Engineering in demand in USA?

Ans: According to US Labour Statistics, it is estimated that there will be a 6% increase in employment for aerospace engineers. So the demand for aerospace engineering will be increasing over the next few years.

Ques: Is MS in Aerospace Engineering worth it?

Ans: Masters in Aerospace Engineering is a graduate program that leads to different opportunities such as doing research as a Ph.D. program or taking up job opportunities with good salary packages. The role of an aerospace engineer is highly respected and demanded.

Ques: Which country is best for studying Aerospace Engineering?

Ans: USA is one of the best countries in the world to study Aerospace Engineering as it has a high-quality academic system and top universities in the world.

Ques: What is the biggest aerospace company in USA?

Ans: The Boeing Company is the biggest aerospace company in the world. It is a manufacturing company for commercial and military aircraft, defence, space, and security products and systems.

Ques: Is MS in Aerospace Engineering available without GRE in USA?

Ans: Since the COVID-19 pandemic many universities in the USA have removed the GRE requirements for students. Universities such as Georgia Tech and the University of Southern California do not require candidates to submit the GRE scores for MS in Aerospace Engineering.