Best colleges for Aerospace, Aeronautical, and Astronautical/Space Engineering in California
Program-level earnings — not school prestige — rank these. Among the California programs in the federal field-of-study file, University of Southern California leads: its Aerospace, Aeronautical, and Astronautical/Space Engineering graduates earn a median $125,514 four years after finishing, against the field's $98,207 national median. (Scorecard field-of-study, 2026.)
| # | College | Grad earnings, 4 yrs | Vs field median |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | University of Southern California | $125,514 | +$27,307 |
| 2 | University of California-Los Angeles | $115,706 | +$17,499 |
| 3 | California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo | $107,498 | +$9,291 |
| 4 | California State Polytechnic University-Pomona | $106,171 | +$7,964 |
How big is the earnings gap between California Aerospace programs?
$19,343 separates the top and bottom of this list — $125,514 at University of Southern California against $106,171 at California State Polytechnic University-Pomona, four years after finishing. Same field, same state, same federal measure: where you study moves pay by that much.
Do California Aerospace graduates earn more than the national median?
The state's strongest program pays $27,307 above the $98,207 national median for the field. Program-level medians come from federal tax records of graduates who received aid, so they track actual pay rather than advertised salaries.