---

astronautical engineering

Types of Degrees astronautical engineering Majors Are Earning

Students pursuing astronautical engineering have the option of earning degrees at several award levels.

Award Level	Graduates
Bachelor’s Degree	49
Master’s Degree	8

What astronautical engineering Majors Need to Know

Coursework for astronautical engineering emphasize a specific mix of knowledge, skills, and abilities — derived from O*NET surveys of workers in occupations that astronautical engineering graduates commonly enter.

Knowledge Areas

According to O*NET, a major in astronautical engineering emphasizes the following knowledge areas:

• Engineering and Technology — Importance 4.6 / 5; level 5.9 / 7.
• Mathematics — Importance 4.2 / 5; level 5.5 / 7.
• English Language — Importance 4.2 / 5; level 4.8 / 7.
• Computers and Electronics — Importance 4.1 / 5; level 5.3 / 7.
• Design — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.7 / 7.

^{Importance is rated 1–5; level is 1–7. Source: ONET Online — weighted across related occupations.*}

Skills

Skills built by a astronautical engineering program reflects the day-to-day work of related occupations:

• Speaking — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.4 / 7.
• Reading Comprehension — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 4.6 / 7.
• Active Listening — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 4.0 / 7.
• Critical Thinking — Importance 3.8 / 5; level 4.1 / 7.
• Writing — Importance 3.8 / 5; level 4.4 / 7.

Abilities

The cognitive and physical abilities most relevant to astronautical engineering careers — again drawn from O*NET surveys of related occupations:

• Oral Expression — Importance 4.2 / 5; level 5.0 / 7.
• Written Comprehension — Importance 4.1 / 5; level 4.8 / 7.
• Oral Comprehension — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.9 / 7.
• Speech Clarity — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 4.2 / 7.
• Deductive Reasoning — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 4.3 / 7.

Common Job Activities

Day-to-day, astronautical engineering graduates report doing:

Activity	Frequency / Importance
Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge	4.4 / 7
Making Decisions and Solving Problems	4.4 / 7
Analyzing Data or Information	4.4 / 7
Thinking Creatively	4.3 / 7
Working with Computers	4.3 / 7
Processing Information	4.3 / 7
Getting Information	4.3 / 7
Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates	4.1 / 7
Training and Teaching Others	4.1 / 7
Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work	3.9 / 7

Technology Skills Used on the Job

Most frequently-cited tools used by astronautical engineering professionals:

Tool / Software	Category	In-Demand
Oracle Java	Object or component oriented development software	—
Microsoft Excel	Spreadsheet software	✓
Microsoft Office software	Office suite software	✓
Python	Object or component oriented development software	✓
Microsoft Project	Project management software	—
Microsoft PowerPoint	Presentation software	✓
Microsoft Word	Word processing software	—
Computer aided design CAD software	Computer aided design CAD software	—
Web browser software	Internet browser software	—
Oracle Primavera Enterprise Project Portfolio Management	Project management software	—
Dassault Systemes SolidWorks	Computer aided design CAD software	✓
Dassault Systemes CATIA	Computer aided design CAD software	✓

^{Source: ONET Online technology skills, weighted across related occupations.*}

Sample Job Titles

Real job postings for astronautical engineering graduates include:

• Engineering Lecturer
• Industrial Engineering Professor
• Drawing Instructor
• Engineering Teacher
• Design Teacher
• Plastics Engineering Teacher
• Sanitary Engineering Teacher
• Civil Engineering Teacher
• Ceramic Engineering Professor
• Engineering Professor
• Adjunct Professor
• Surveying Teacher
• Assistant Professor
• Mechanical Engineering Professor
• Ship Construction Teacher

Education Typically Required

Across the occupations open to astronautical engineering graduates, the typical level of education actually held by current workers is distributed as:

Education Level	Share of Workers
Doctoral degree	34.8%
Bachelor’s degree	18.6%
Master’s degree	12.4%
Post-master’s certificate	11.2%
Post-doctoral training	10.5%
Associate’s degree (or other 2-year)	4.5%
Postsecondary certificate	4.3%
High school diploma or equivalent	1.9%
First professional degree	1.0%
Post-baccalaureate certificate	0.8%

^{Source: ONET Online education / training / experience requirements.*}

Who Is Earning a Degree in astronautical engineering?

Gender Distribution

This field skews predominantly male, with men earning 77.2% of astronautical engineering degrees.

Gender	Graduates	Share
Women	13	22.8%
Men	44	77.2%

Racial-Ethnic Diversity

At the national level, the racial-ethnic distribution of astronautical engineering graduates is as follows:

Race / Ethnicity	Graduates	Share
White	32	56.1%
Asian	3	5.3%
Hispanic or Latino	9	15.8%
Black or African American	2	3.5%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander	1	1.8%
Two or More Races	5	8.8%
Race Unknown	1	1.8%
International Students	4	7.0%

^{See minority definition below.}

How Much Do astronautical engineering Graduates Earn?

The U.S. Department of Education tracks median earnings of astronautical engineering graduates 1, 4, and 5 years after completion. Wages typically rise steadily as graduates gain experience and move into mid-career roles.

Years Out	Median Earnings
1 year	$77,688
4 years	$89,440
5 years	$101,440

By year 5 out, median earnings rise to $101,440 — roughly 31% above the 1-year mark.

^{Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, field-of-study earnings tracker.}

Online astronautical engineering Programs

Online study is reported by IPEDS for astronautical engineering. The table below shows how many graduates earned at least some of their coursework online (Distance-Ed Available) versus completing the entire program online (Distance-Ed Only).

Award Level	Distance-Ed Available	Distance-Ed Only
Doctoral (Research)	1	0

^{Distance-Ed Only = degrees completed entirely online; Distance-Ed Available = degrees including at least some online coursework. Source: IPEDS Completions by Distance Education status.}

Is a Degree in astronautical engineering Worth It?

Strictly by the federal earnings tracker, astronautical engineering graduates earn a median of $89,440 four years after completion — roughly 135% above the national median for workers with only a high school diploma (~$38,000).

^{ROI estimate compares the program’s 4-yr median earnings against the 2023 BLS CPS median earnings for high-school-only workers. Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard + BLS Current Population Survey.}

Related Programs

You may also be interested in these closely related fields of study:

Program	CIP Code
Aerospace, Aeronautical, and Astronautical/Space Engineering	14.02
Aerospace, Aeronautical, and Astronautical/Space Engineering, General	14.0201
Aerospace, Aeronautical, and Astronautical/Space Engineering, Other	14.0299
Electrical and Electronics Engineering	14.1001
Mechanical Engineering	14.1901
Agricultural Engineering	14.0301
Architectural Engineering	14.0401
Biochemical Engineering	14.4301
Bioengineering and Biomedical Engineering	14.0501
Biological/Biosystems Engineering	14.4501
Ceramic Sciences and Engineering	14.0601
Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering	14.0702

References

The racial-ethnic minorities count is calculated by taking the total number of students and subtracting white students and international students. This number is then divided by the total number of students to obtain the racial-ethnic minorities percentage.

• College Factual
• National Center for Education Statistics (IPEDS)
• O*NET Online
• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
• U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard

More about our data sources and methodologies.