How to become an aerospace engineer

1. 1Load up on math and physics in high school

   Time: 4 years (high school)Sources 1

   Engineering programs expect you to start college ready for calculus, so take the most advanced math your school offers, plus physics and chemistry. AP or dual-enrollment calculus and physics can let you skip introductory courses. Robotics clubs, model rocketry, drone building and coding projects are useful because they give you hands-on design experience to talk about in college applications and, later, internship interviews.

2. 2Earn an ABET-accredited engineering bachelor's degree

   Time: 4 yearsCost: $12,453/yr median public in-state tuitionSources 1, 4, 5

   Choose aerospace engineering if your school has it; mechanical engineering, electrical engineering and physics also lead into the field, especially for structures, avionics and propulsion roles. Expect two years of math and science before courses in aerodynamics, flight mechanics, structures, propulsion and control systems, ending in a team design project. Use ABET's program search to confirm accreditation, because most states require an accredited degree for a PE license.

3. 3Get internship or co-op experience

   Time: 1-3 summers or co-op termsCost: Usually paidSources 1

   Aerospace employers lean heavily on interns when hiring new graduates. Many universities run co-op programs that alternate semesters of school with paid work at an aircraft maker, space company or government lab. Student design teams that build rockets, aircraft or satellites count as experience too. Apply early in the fall for the following summer, and note that some defense internships need a clearance or U.S. citizenship.

4. 4Take the FE exam near graduation (optional)

   Time: 6-hour appointmentCost: $225 (2026)Sources 2

   The Fundamentals of Engineering exam is a computer-based test of 110 questions, offered year-round at Pearson test centers, with 5 hours and 20 minutes of exam time inside a 6-hour appointment. There is no aerospace version, so aerospace graduates pick another discipline, such as FE Mechanical or FE Other Disciplines. Passing lets you apply to your state board for engineer intern or engineer-in-training status, the first step toward a PE license.

5. 5Start work and decide on clearance, grad school or PE

   Time: OngoingCost: VariesSources 1, 3

   Most new graduates start as analysts or design engineers in one discipline. On defense programs, your employer may sponsor a security clearance. A master's degree, often paid for by employers, helps for research, guidance and control and advanced analysis roles. A PE license is uncommon in aerospace but useful for consulting; it requires about four years of experience and a PE exam in another discipline, such as PE Mechanical.

Programs, tuition and graduates’ earnings

U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard (most recent cohorts, released 2026-10-15). Scorecard groups programs by 4-digit field, so a row can include related programs. Tuition is the median published undergraduate tuition and fees of the colleges offering the program (shown only for undergraduate credentials); debt is the median of programs’ median federal loan debt at completion; earnings are the national median for the field and credential four years after completion.

Requirements differ by state. Check your state’s rules in the CareerOneStop License Finder (U.S. Department of Labor) before you enroll.

Advanced math

Loads, airflow, orbits and control laws are all worked out with calculus, differential equations and linear algebra.

Simulation and programming

Engineers write scripts and run CFD, finite element and trajectory software to test designs long before hardware exists.

Attention to detail

A small error in a stress margin or a unit conversion can mean a failed test or a lost vehicle.

Technical writing

Every design must be backed by test plans, analyses and certification reports that others can check.

Teamwork

Aircraft and spacecraft are built by large teams, and each engineer's part has to fit everyone else's weight, power and schedule limits.

O*NET 31.0 rates these skills as most important for the occupation: reading comprehension, critical thinking, writing, mathematics, science.

Training cost

$50.0K–$62.5K

Before financial aid

Time

4-5 years

Typical path

Median pay

$134,960

All US jobs: $50,980

Payback once qualified

Under 1 year

Pay above the all-jobs median vs. cost

Low: 4 years x College Scorecard median public in-state tuition for aerospace engineering bachelor's programs ($12,453) = $49,812, plus the $225 FE exam fee = $50,037. High: 5 years (a combined bachelor's/master's or a degree stretched by co-op terms) x $12,453 = $62,265 + $225 = $62,490. Not included: fees, housing, books and out-of-state or private tuition, which can be much higher. Median federal loan debt for these graduates is $21,439.

Rough guide only: ignores taxes, aid, interest and earnings given up during training. How we calculate it.

• Lead or principal engineer

  Several years of experience in one discipline, often with a master's degree, leads to technical lead roles that set design direction.

• Engineering or program manager

  Engineers who show leadership move into managing teams, budgets and schedules; some add an MBA or project management training.

• Mechanical engineer$104,110 median

  Aerospace training transfers directly to mechanical engineering jobs in energy, automotive and machinery, with no extra degree required.

• Electrical engineer$120,630 median

  Avionics and guidance specialists can move into electrical engineering roles, often after coursework in circuits and power systems.