Master’s in Aerospace Engineering in the USA

When we talk of Aerospace and aircraft, what comes to our mind? If you think of a few organisations like NASA, Boeing, SpaceX, Gulfstream, Lockheed Martin, and Textron then you are bang on target as these all are in the USA. Aerospace is the area where the USA rules the global market.

Many top American universities offer research, thesis-based courses in this field which will uplift your career graph. There are various reasons to pursue Aerospace Engineering in the USA and we will look at some of the important ones:

1. Scope: We looked at some of the US Labour statistics and it gives staggering inputs on the same. There are more than 5000 opportunities on average available for Aerospace Engineering in the USA and not only that but as soon as you finish your post-graduation your annual pay on average is above USD 85,000. So, within 6 months you can recover all the money that you have invested in pursuing your course.

2. World-class institutions: USA is known for its world-class education and the world’s top universities. Most of the US universities feature in the QS World University Rankings 2023, and 6 of the top 10 universities are in the USA*. It is to be noted that some of the world’s best universities like MIT, Stanford, UCLA etc all feature in the top 100 colleges of the world for Aerospace Engineering as per QS rankings, hence it’s a no-brainer.

* https://www.topuniversities.com/university-rankings/world-university-rankings/2023

3. Better Learning: We all know that the USA is a technology leader in many areas, and with that, the education system is also good. The Universities here are well equipped with state-of-the-art learning systems which are easy for a reader to adapt to. Also, these universities provide top tools, equipment and labs to learn and understand things practically and experientially, this prepares you well for the future.

Eligibility criteria vary with the institution we choose. But here are the basic criteria that you need to fulfil for admission to US universities:

• Bachelor’s Degree

  You require a four-year Bachelor’s degree in Aeronautics Engineering with a specialisation in Mathematics or Physics from a recognised university. A minimum grade of B or a GPA score of 3 to 3.5 or above is mandatory.

• Language Test Score

  An international student from a native country needs to submit English language proficiency test scores in terms of IELTS for admission. You are expected to have a minimum band of 6.5 and above.

• Student Visa

  All international students who wish to pursue education in the US need to secure USA Student Visa and to make sure, needs to be applied in advance as soon as the acceptance letter is received to avoid any kind of delay.

• GRE Scores

  Well, this is optional with many universities in the USA, but for technical fields, universities like MIT, Harvard or Stanford require GRE scores too for boosting your application.

Many universities in the US take admission for MS in Aerospace Engineering all round year, the application would be available for Fall, Summer and Spring intakes. You must check the available intakes of the university before applying. One thing you need to make sure of is to be an early applicant as their universities attract a lot of applications every year and only a few get selected. We will below see the step-by-step guide for the admission process:

1. Shortlist the university to which you would like to apply.

2. Go to those university websites and check their entry requirements and documents.

3. Consult an admission counsellor for any further requirements.

4. Fill out the application form and pay the required initial fees.

5. Prepare all the documents and submit them with the application.

6. Check your emails regularly unless you get a conditional offer.

7. Once you get selected accept the offer and pay the required fees.

8. After this you will get an acceptance letter, go to the nearest US Embassy and apply for your student visa.

To complete the application form for American universities here is the list of common documents that you need to submit:

• Bachelor’s degree certificate

• Official Academic Transcripts

• Test Scorecards

• Statement of Purpose

• Up to 3 letters of recommendation

• Updates Resume or CV

• Proof of financial resources

• Work experience certificate (if any)

Do check for all requirements on the university website before applying.

The curriculum of the course in Aerospace Engineering revolves around the basic framework of graduate coursework and research papers. To finish your master’s, you need complete anywhere between 35 to 40 semester hours of coursework including 3 to 5 credit hours of special problem research credit to earn a degree, this may vary from university to university. You can also choose from below specialisations.

• Propulsion and Combustible Technology

• Flight Mechanics and in-flight controls

• System Design and Optimisation

• Safety, Security, Cyber Security and Reliability

• Structural Mechanics and Material Behaviour

• Earth Monitoring and Space Exploration

• Missile and Defence Equipment

• Aero Elasticity and Structural Dynamics

The cost of pursuing an MS in Aerospace Engineering in the USA may differ from university to university and the type of specialisation that you choose. If you choose from one of the best universities, the cost may be high. Also, the tuition fee and the living cost will depend upon the city where you pursue your course. On average, the fees for this course will range anywhere between USD 15,000 and USD 65,000.

On the other hand, if you talk about the cost of living for an international in the US, it will depend on the city you stay. By this we can estimate the range of USD 1,200 to 1,500 per month which would mean a cost of USD 14,000 to 16,000 per year which would include your food, accommodation, stay and daily expense.

Some of the scholarships available for master’s degree students are listed below:

Well as we told you earlier the job scope and salaries are highly rated in this field, with an expected annual average salary of USD 80,000, students studying in the top US universities can expect to get placements right away in some of the best aviation companies which is an added advantage in this field. We would also like to tell you that you can further advance your career with professional engineering programs which will take you to much greater heights.

Here's the average salary you can earn with each specialisation:

As we told earlier, the USA is a front-runner in Aerospace technology. From universities to companies, the USA offers the best in this field. Unsurprisingly the best universities in this field are also in the USA. Though for any student it will be tough to choose from the best we have some suggestions for you in this area:

Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)

All of you might have heard the name MIT and goes without saying this is the best institute for Aerospace Engineering in the world. Admission here is hard to come by but the quality of education is the best in the world. Here the program is a 2-year program with research and experience in SM thesis style.

The degree prepares each student with world-class amenities resulting in an advanced position in the aerospace engineering field and providing a solid base in the industry. Some of the course contents that we noted would be Flight Engineering, Aerodynamics, Propulsion technology and Autonomy principles.

University of Michigan (Ann Harbour)

This is one of the best and oldest universities in the world, its renowned research centre in aircraft and spacecraft systems is famous in the world and it attracts the best of minds in the business. The curriculum revolves around aerospace dynamics, propulsion and structures, space system and instruments, computation, etc.

University of California (UCLA)

The aerospace program here is a bit different. The course revolves around a broad Interdisciplinary area based on Rocket Science to Robots, Advance materials to Energy and Sustainability. The theoretical-based program offers experiential studies covering a wide range of topics, including aerospace and mechanical engineering and propulsion systems with clean and sustainable energy.

Stanford University

The aerospace program here is based on transcripts and fellow research modules. The program emphasises Structural designs, Aerodynamics, propulsions and guidance technology, and aircraft and spacecraft maintenance.

Georgia Institute of Technology

With a full spectrum of Aerospace Engineering, the program is designed on experiential-based studies with fundamental theoretical and research-based studies with the best of lab-based experiments in the country. The program emphasises Structural designs, equipment maintenance, new propulsion technology and instrument development.

To sum it up the USA is considered to be one of the best destinations for Aerospace Engineering and will provide you with the brightest platform to kick-start your career in the field. Not only that, but you also get to learn from the best of faculties from across the globe with huge international exposure. Technology and practical-based studies provide the best of studies in the field, and you can rest assured that your career has the best base.

If you are looking for some assistance in getting admission to MS in Aerospace Engineering in the US, connect with international education experts at IDP who will guide you with the end-to-end admission process. We wish you all the best for your future.