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Aerospace at Illinois Institute of Technology

Chicago, IL · Private nonprofit · Bachelor's Degree · Aerospace, Aeronautical and Astronautical Engineering
53 /100
DegreeOutlook Score (Base Case)
54
Optimistic
53
Base Case
52
Pessimistic
Earnings $63,169/yr (-14% vs median)
AI Risk High (41% exposed)
Job Market Medium (25,800 openings/yr)
ROI 3.5x earnings multiple
Ranked #57 of 57 Aerospace programs

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 $741K $728K $653K
Earnings Multiple 3.6x 3.5x 3.2x
Probability of Field Employment 85% 81% 61%
DegreeOutlook Score 54 53 52

10-Year Earnings Projection

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

4-Year Tuition (Sticker)
$207,052
4-Year Net Price (After Aid)
$77,412
63% less than sticker · See by income
Median Debt at Graduation
$27,000
5.1 months of Year 1 earnings
Reported Earnings (5 Year)
$75,993
20% growth from Year 1

Program Analysis

First-year earnings of $63,169 track close to the $73,060 national median for Aerospace programs. This is a middle-of-the-road outcome on salary alone.

An earnings multiple of 3.5x means ten-year projected earnings exceed tuition, but not by a dramatic margin. Returns are positive but modest.

Some AI exposure exists in Aerospace's typical career paths, with 41% of job tasks potentially affected. The pessimistic scenario still projects solid returns, with a 12% gap from the optimistic case.

At $27,000 in median debt against $63,169 in first-year earnings, graduates can expect to clear their loan balance in under six months of full earnings.

Ranked #57 of 57 Aerospace programs, Illinois Institute of Technology falls below the median. Stronger options exist, though cost and location may compensate.

Earnings grow from $63,169 to $75,993 over five years — a 20% increase that's moderate and in line with typical career progression.

About Illinois Institute of Technology

With a 55% acceptance rate, Illinois Institute of Technology is moderately selective, with a smaller student body of 2,812 in Chicago, IL. The average net cost of $77,412 over four years represents a 63% discount from published tuition.

See all programs and financial aid at Illinois Institute of Technology →

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 Illinois Institute of Technology

Computer Science ($86,005) Computer Engineering ($81,252) Engineering-Related Fields ($72,164) Civil Engineering ($71,760) Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering ($69,966) Mechanical Engineering ($65,386) Chemical Engineering ($64,526) Computer and Information Sciences, General ($61,313)

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the DegreeOutlook Score for Aerospace at Illinois Institute of Technology?
This program scores 53/100 — a respectable number in isolation, but it ranks in the bottom half of Aerospace programs nationally. The field is competitive, and stronger options exist.
Will AI replace Aerospace careers?
With 41% of typical job tasks exposed to AI, this is one of the higher-risk fields. Our pessimistic scenario projects $652,579 in decade earnings vs $740,640 in the optimistic case — a meaningful gap.
Is Illinois Institute of Technology a hidden gem for Aerospace?
After financial aid, the average student pays $77,412 over four years — 63% below the $207,052 sticker price. That gap makes the ROI significantly better than published tuition suggests.
Scores use College Scorecard earnings, BLS employment projections, and AI task-exposure research. See full methodology →