ROI Major

Aerospace, Aeronautical, and Astronautical Engineering at Texas A&M University

TX · Bachelor's Degree · CIP 14.02

Data: 2026 release

Executive Summary

Graduates with a Aerospace, Aeronautical, and Astronautical Engineering degree from Texas A&M University earn a median salary of $100,560 within five years of graduation. Adjusted for the cost of living in TX, this represents a national purchasing power equivalent of $109,186. The degree typically pays for itself in 3.5 years.

Quick Insights

Solid Investment

How this degree looks at a glance

A fast read on salary range, break-even speed, living-cost impact, and where bachelor's graduates from this school usually land.

Salary Ranges

Starting Range

$87,885

Typical Career

$100,560

Top Performers

$116,156

Estimated break-even: 3.5 years.

Debt-to-Income Check

$670

Estimated comfortable monthly loan payment

Typical monthly pay is approximately $8,380. Most students can comfortably afford about a $670 monthly loan payment with this degree.

Comparison Bench

This degree earns 2.6x more than the average US high school graduate and 1.3x more than the average college graduate.

Purchasing Power Context

A dollar in Texas buys what costs $0.92 nationally.

Industry Breadcrumbs

Top industries for bachelor's graduates from this school: Professional, Scientific & Technical Services, Educational Services, Health Care & Social Assistance.

Where Bachelor's Graduates from This School Work

Professional, Scientific & Technical Services 18.5%
Educational Services 17.4%
Health Care & Social Assistance 10.0%

Institution-wide industry mix for bachelor's graduates, 5 years after graduation. This is not major-specific. Source: Census PSEO Flows.

5-Year Median Salary — National Purchasing Power Equivalent

$109,186

Nominal: $100,560 in Texas (COL 92.1% of national avg) · 8.6% higher purchasing power

10-Year Earnings Curve

Break-Even Timeline

How long until cumulative earnings advantage exceeds total college investment (tuition + opportunity cost vs. entering workforce directly after high school).

3.5 years to break even
Graduation 15 years

Total Investment

$155,168

4yr tuition + 4yr opportunity cost

HS Graduate Baseline

$38,792/yr

BLS 2023 median, HS diploma

View Raw Data: Median Earnings by Year
Timeframe 25th Pct. Median (50th) 75th Pct.
1 Year After Graduation $55,111 $74,092 $87,506
5 Years After Graduation $87,885 $100,560 $116,156
10 Years After Graduation $106,065 $127,457 $154,423

Source: US Census Bureau Post-Secondary Employment Outcomes (PSEO), 2025 release. Earnings shown for Bachelor's degree graduates (all cohorts combined).

How We Calculate Purchasing Power

The median salary of $100,560 is reported by the US Census Bureau's Post-Secondary Employment Outcomes (PSEO) dataset for graduates working in TX, which has a cost-of-living index of 92.1% of the national average.

Formula: Adjusted Salary = Nominal × (1.0 ÷ COL Index)
= $100,560 × (1.0 ÷ 0.9210) = $109,186 National Average equivalent.

COL index source: BLS Regional Consumer Price Index & MIT Living Wage Project, 2023. Full methodology →

Career Verdict

Graduates in Aerospace, Aeronautical, and Astronautical Engineering from Texas A&M University experience a significant earnings trajectory. Median earnings one year after graduation stand at $74,092, which increases to $100,560 after five years and reaches $127,457 after ten years. When adjusted for purchasing power, the median five-year salary aligns with a national equivalent of $109,185.67, indicating that graduates can expect their earnings to maintain a competitive edge relative to the national average.

The top industries for graduates include Professional, Scientific & Technical Services (18.5%), Educational Services (17.4%), and Health Care & Social Assistance (10.0%). The estimated break-even point for these graduates compared to a high-school-only path is approximately 3.5 years, suggesting a favorable return on investment for those pursuing this degree. Overall, the data indicates that a degree in this field from Texas A&M University offers strong financial benefits and diverse career opportunities.

AI-assisted editorial analysis based on Census PSEO data. Fact-checked against source data.

Compare with Another School

See how the Aerospace, Aeronautical, and Astronautical Engineering degree at Texas A&M University stacks up against another institution side-by-side.

Data sources: US Census Bureau Post-Secondary Employment Outcomes (PSEO). Cost-of-living index: BLS Regional CPI & MIT Living Wage Project. Cost of attendance: IPEDS. For informational use only; data may be suppressed for small cohort sizes.

Explore More