When searching for the best aeronautical engineering universities in USA, you should consider four main things: Location, specialization, program path and cost. Find out where these top aeronautical engineering universities are located, what they specialize in, their ideal program path and how much they cost to attend before you make your decision.
The best aeronautical engineering universities in the USA combine top-notch education with resources to help you get the knowledge and experience you need to be successful in your field. Plus, most of these universities provide you with hands-on learning opportunities to give you more practical experience so that, when you graduate, you’re fully prepared to enter the workforce.
Without much further ado, here are the top 4 best aeronautical engineering universities in the USA.
What is Aeronautical Engineering?
Aeronautical engineering is a type of engineering concerned with designing and building aircraft, rockets, and spacecraft.
It involves applying principles of physics, aerodynamics, structural analysis, biomechanics and propulsion to solve problems related to flight. Aeronautical engineers use analytical models (physical, mathematical or computer-based) to predict forces (lift, drag and thrust) and moments acting on a vehicle. Those findings are then used to help build aircraft.
Aerospace engineers are employed by an array of industries including commercial aviation, space exploration, research and development, defence contracting, education and others.
Why pursue an Aeronautical Engineering Degree in USA?
Aeronautical engineering degrees are popularly being pursued because of their impressive salary and graduates with a degree are in high demand. Studying aeronautics puts you on track for professional careers at aviation-related companies, as well as positions with aircraft manufacturers and defence contractors.
But why choose to study in the United States and not anywhere else? Because American universities are recognized worldwide for their excellence, particularly when it comes to prestigious engineering degrees.
In fact, many of these universities offer unique coursework and research opportunities that can’t be found anywhere else and students who choose to enrol at one of these top aeronautical engineering schools are all but guaranteed a successful career ahead.
Top 4 Best Aeronautical Engineering Universities in USA
1. Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Located in Cambridge, Massachusetts and founded on April 10, 1861, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) is a private land-grant research university often referred to as a university with a special emphasis on technology and science.
MIT’s aeronautics and astronautics program attracts mass students from all over the globe to study and work at one of their five campuses. MIT offers 44 undergraduate degrees and many graduate degrees, so you can be sure that you’ll find one that suits your needs.
With over 161 years of technological research under its belt, MIT has been ranked #1 in the best aerospace engineering schools by US News & World Reports. And it’s not hard to see why; Students have a variety of pathways from which to choose and shape their own career paths, most notably that they can combine any number of different degrees within MIT’s School of Engineering or within its Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory.
Some of Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s notable alumni are:
- Buzz Aldrin, a former American astronaut and one of the two people to the first land on the moon
- Virgilio Barco Vargas, a civil engineer and former President of Colombia
- Ben Bernanke, the former Federal Reserve Bank chairman
- Edward Michael Fincke, an American astronaut and USAF Colonel with the record for most time spent in space
- Ronald Erwin McNair, NASA astronaut and physicist of the Space Shuttle Challenger
- Michael James Massimino, former NASA Astronaut, engineer and a professor of mechanical engineering at Columbia University
2. California Institute of Technology
The California Institute of Technology, popularly known as Caltech, is an American private research university located in Pasadena, California.
The school was originally named Throop University at the time of its establishment on September 23, 1891, but was renamed to the current one after going through a series of name changes.
Caltech is not affiliated with any religious institution, the institute has historical roots tracing back to 1891 when it was founded by Amos G. Throop as a preparatory and vocational school. Today, Caltech has six academic divisions with strong emphases on science and engineering.
The aeronautical engineering department at Caltech is known to be among some of the best in all of America and has produced many successful graduates such as George Ellery Hale and Arthur Amos Noyes. Professors are very approachable and encouraging, which makes learning a fulfilling experience.
Caltech is a leading and internationally renowned research institute for aeronautics and aerospace. The institute offers great academic programs. Undergraduate students can choose from varieties of degree programs such as Applied Physics, Biochemistry, Bioengineering, Computation and Neural Systems, Control and Dynamical Systems, Environmental Science and Engineering, Geobiology and Astrobiology, Geochemistry, and Planetary Astronomy.
Some of California Institute of Technology’s notable alumni are:
- William Bradford Shockley Jr, an American physicist and the manager at Bell Labs
- Edwin Mattison McMillan, a physicist, Nobel laureate and the first-ever to produce a transuranium element
- John McCarthy, the inventor of Lisp programming language and a computer and cognitive scientist
- Charles Gordon Fullerton, a United States Air Force colonel and a USAF, NASA astronaut
- France Anne-Dominic Cordova, an American astrophysicist and the 14th director of the National Science Foundation
- Stanislav Konstantinovich Smirnov, a Russian mathematician at the University of Geneva
- Charles Thomas Munger, an American billionaire, businessman, investor and a former real estate attorney
3. Stanford University
Officially known as Leland Stanford Junior University, Stanford University is a private research university in established on November 11, 1885, by Leland & Jane Stanford and located in a census-designated place. It is situated on an 8,180-acre campus near the city of Palo Alto, Stanford, California.
It is one of two private land-grant universities in California (the other being UC Berkeley). Stanford University is widely considered one of America’s most prestigious institutions of higher learning because of its rigorous academic challenge and helping its students achieve prominence as leaders in a specific career path around the world.
The Aeronautics and Astronautics Department at Stanford University teaches a diverse range of subjects, ranging from theoretical aerodynamics to applied remote sensing. After completing the undergraduate program in aeronautics, you will be conferred the Bachelor of Science in Engineering.
Some of Stanford University’s notable people in the society are:
- John Fitzgerald Kennedy, the United States of America’s 35th president
- Herbert Clark Hoover, an American politician, engineer, the 31st president of the United States and the winner of the Uncommon man award
- Andrew Zachary Fire, a professor of pathology and genetics at the Stanford University School in Medicine
- Roger David Kornberg, an American biochemist and professor of structural biology
- Andrei Dmitriyevich Linde, a Russian-American theoretical physicist and professor of Physics at Stanford University
4. Georgia Institute of Technology
The Georgia Institute of Technology or Georgia Tech is a public research university in Atlanta, Georgia established on October 13, 1885. The school began as an idea of a technology school in Georgia that was introduced in 1865 by Major Fletcher Hanson and Nathaniel Edwin Harris.
The institute specializes mainly in engineering and applied science programs but also includes other majors such as business, computing, liberal arts and sciences, design (for architecture), humanities and social sciences. It’s one of the largest universities in the US with around 36,489 students enrolled each year. It offers world-class facilities and a stellar reputation among employers.
The Georgia Institute of Technology’s main campus is at Atlanta, but they also have campuses all over. A very prestigious school and has the top aeronautical engineering program. It was ranked as one of the best universities for aerospace engineering by US News & World Report.
Some of Georgia Institute of Technology alumni are:
- James Dixon Robinson III, CEO of American Express
- Juan Carlos Varela Rodriguez, a Panamanian Businessman and industrial engineering graduate
- David Dorman, CEO of AT&T corporation
Conclusion
Choosing a school to attend for an aeronautical engineer degree is an important and exciting decision, but it can also be daunting.
For a career in aviation, aeronautical engineering at an accredited university is necessary if you want to fully make a career out of your degree and get hired by notable firms.
To get your aviation degree you’ll be studying all aspects of aerodynamics, propulsion and flight mechanics with the goal of designing, testing or maintaining aircraft and their components for commercial or military use.
Hope this list of the best aeronautical engineering universities in the USA helps you find a program that’s right for you!
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