A degree in aerospace engineering and a degree in aeronautical engineering both prepare students to design aircraft. In fact, aeronautical engineering is a branch of aerospace engineering. Though the two degree programs teach similar engineering principles, there is a critical distinction between designing for air and space.
Engineering for Air or Space Flight
Aerospace engineering is concerned with designing and building aircraft and spacecraft. Aerospace engineering can be divided into two specializations: aeronautical engineers, who handle aircraft, and astronautical engineers, who design spacecraft, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
A bachelor's degree in aerospace engineering would likely include both specializations, whereas a bachelor's degree in aeronautical engineering would focus solely on those vehicles that fly within the Earth's atmosphere. Both options usually require students to take some similar courses, like dynamics, propulsion and fluid mechanics.
<h3 id="section---ImportantFactsAboutThisOccupation">Important Facts About This Occupation</h3><p></p><table border="1"><tr><td>Median Pay </td><td> In 2021, the median pay for aerospace engineers was $122,270.</td></tr>
<tr><td>Job Outlook</td><td> Employment of individuals in this field is expected to grow as fast as average, by 6% from 2021 to 2031.*</td></tr>
<tr><td>Entry-Level Education</td><td> Minimum of a bachelor's degree. Some occupations, such as those in academia or research and development, may require a master's degree.</td></tr>
<tr><td>Work Environment</td><td> The main employers of aerospace engineers are the federal government and companies that work in manufacturing, design, development, or analysis of aircraft, missiles, national defense systems, or spacecraft. Most of the work will be done in an office using specialized computer systems.</td></tr>
</table><p><i>Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics</i>
</p><h3 id="section---AeronauticalEngineering">Aeronautical Engineering</h3><p>Aeronautical engineering is the practice of designing and building aircraft, like airplanes and helicopters. Students earning a degree in aeronautical engineering take classes such as:
</p><ul><li>Thermodynamics
</li><li>Heat Transfer
</li><li>Aircraft Structures
</li><li>Flight Mechanics
</li><li>Aircraft Stability and Control
</li></ul><h3 id="section---AerospaceEngineeringAndAstronautics">Aerospace Engineering and Astronautics</h3><p>On the astronautical side of aerospace engineering, professionals design and build units like space shuttles and space stations. In addition to the aeronautical engineering courses listed above, students earning a Bachelor of Science in Aerospace Engineering will take astronautical courses like:
</p><ul><li>Spacecraft Design
</li><li>Introduction to Astronautics
</li><li>Fundamentals of Jet Propulsion
</li><li>Spacecraft Dynamics
</li><li>Orbital Mechanics</li></ul>
