Home › University of California-Davis › Aerospace Engineering

Aerospace Engineering at University of California-Davis

Davis, CA · Public · Bachelor's Degree · Aerospace, Aeronautical and Astronautical Engineering
72 /100
DegreeOutlook Score (Base Case) — assumes in-state tuition
72
Optimistic
72
Base Case
70
Pessimistic
Earnings $71,633/yr (-2% vs median)
AI Risk High (41% exposed)
Job Market Medium (25,800 openings/yr)
ROI 15.5x earnings multiple (5.1x out-of-state)
Ranked #29 of 57 Aerospace programs

How AI Changes the Outlook

Three scenarios based on how aggressively AI disrupts the career paths available to Aerospace Engineering graduates.

Optimistic
No Disruption		 Base Case
Gradual AI		 Pessimistic
Aggressive AI
10-Year Earnings $967K $943K $815K
Earnings Multiple (In-State) 15.9x 15.5x 13.4x
Earnings Multiple (Out-of-State) 5.3x 5.1x 4.4x
Probability of Field Employment 85% 81% 61%
DegreeOutlook Score 72 72 70

10-Year Earnings Projection

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

4-Year Tuition, In-State (Sticker)
$60,988
Out-of-state: $184,096 (5.1x ROI)
4-Year Net Price (After Aid)
$61,152
-0% less than sticker · See by income
Median Debt at Graduation
$18,748
3.1 months of Year 1 earnings
Reported Earnings (5 Year)
$98,457
37% growth from Year 1

Program Analysis

First-year earnings of $71,633 track close to the $73,060 national median for Aerospace Engineering programs. This is a middle-of-the-road outcome on salary alone.

The 15.5x 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 16% scenario spread suggests disruption would dent but not destroy the earnings outlook.

At $18,748 in median debt against $71,633 in first-year earnings, graduates can expect to clear their loan balance in under six months of full earnings.

At #29 out of 57 programs, University of California-Davis's financial outcomes for Aerospace Engineering trail the majority of peers. The value case depends on other factors.

The five-year earnings trajectory from $71,633 to $98,457 shows 37% growth, reflecting steady but unremarkable salary progression.

About University of California-Davis

With a 42% acceptance rate, University of California-Davis is moderately selective, serving a student body of 31,777 in Davis, CA.

See all programs and financial aid at University of California-Davis →

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 Engineering →

Aerospace Engineering 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 University of California-Davis

Computer Engineering ($96,418) Computer and Information Sciences, General ($84,343) Engineering, General ($82,956) Mechanical Engineering ($75,231) Civil Engineering ($75,165) Materials Engineering ($74,110) Biomedical/Medical Engineering ($68,419) Chemical Engineering ($68,337)

Frequently Asked Questions

How does University of California-Davis's Aerospace Engineering program score?
A score of 72/100 reflects decent absolute metrics, but University of California-Davis trails the majority of Aerospace Engineering programs on relative rankings. Context matters more than the raw number.
How vulnerable is Aerospace Engineering to AI automation?
AI won't 'replace' Aerospace Engineering 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.
Scores use College Scorecard earnings, BLS employment projections, and AI task-exposure research. See full methodology →