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Aerospace at San Diego State University

San Diego, CA · Public · Bachelor's Degree · Aerospace, Aeronautical and Astronautical Engineering
75 /100
DegreeOutlook Score (Base Case) — assumes in-state tuition
76
Optimistic
75
Base Case
73
Pessimistic
Earnings $74,375/yr (2% vs median)
AI Risk High (41% exposed)
Job Market Medium (25,800 openings/yr)
ROI 26.6x earnings multiple (10.9x out-of-state)
Ranked #7 of 57 Aerospace programs Top 25%

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 $904K $883K $770K
Earnings Multiple (In-State) 27.3x 26.6x 23.2x
Earnings Multiple (Out-of-State) 11.2x 10.9x 9.5x
Probability of Field Employment 85% 81% 61%
DegreeOutlook Score 76 75 73

10-Year Earnings Projection

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

4-Year Tuition, In-State (Sticker)
$33,160
Out-of-state: $80,680 (10.9x ROI)
4-Year Net Price (After Aid)
$64,696
-95% less than sticker · See by income
Median Debt at Graduation
$23,417
3.8 months of Year 1 earnings
Reported Earnings (5 Year)
$93,649
26% growth from Year 1

Program Analysis

At $74,375/yr, Aerospace graduates from San Diego State University land near the $73,060 national average — neither a standout nor a red flag.

The 26.6x earnings multiple means ten-year projected earnings exceed tuition cost by an order of magnitude. By pure financial math, this is a standout.

AI risk is moderate — 41% task exposure — and the 15% scenario spread suggests disruption would dent but not destroy the earnings outlook.

The median debt load of $23,417 represents less than half a year of starting salary — among the lightest debt-to-income ratios we track.

Ranked #7 out of 57 programs, San Diego State University's Aerospace program lands in the top 5% — a strong signal of graduate success.

The five-year earnings trajectory from $74,375 to $93,649 shows 26% growth, reflecting steady but unremarkable salary progression.

About San Diego State University

A 34% acceptance rate puts San Diego State University in competitive admissions territory, serving a student body of 33,654 in San Diego, CA.

See all programs and financial aid at San Diego State University →

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 San Diego State University

Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing ($100,221) Construction Engineering Technologies ($81,608) Computer Engineering ($76,812) Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering ($75,061) Computer Science ($74,523) Civil Engineering ($73,584) Mechanical Engineering ($69,754) Environmental/Environmental Health Engineering ($66,482)

Frequently Asked Questions

How does San Diego State University's Aerospace program score?
A score of 75/100 indicates strong financial outcomes. San Diego State University's Aerospace graduates fare well on earnings, job market size, and return on investment.
How vulnerable is Aerospace to AI automation?
AI won't 'replace' Aerospace careers outright, but it is likely to reduce the number of job openings. We model 41% task exposure, which compresses field employment probability in our scenarios.
Why does San Diego State University rank so high for Aerospace?
The #7 ranking out of 57 programs is driven by strong financial outcomes — graduates earn well, debt is manageable relative to income, and the job market supports the field.
Scores use College Scorecard earnings, BLS employment projections, and AI task-exposure research. See full methodology →