Online Master's Degree in Aeronautical and Astronautical Engineering (MSAAE) | Purdue University

Online Master of Science in Aeronautics and Astronautics

First man on the moon Neil Armstrong (BSAE 1955)
We are the #2 graduate aerospace engineering program in the U.S. U.S. News & World Report (2024)
Largest academic propulsion lab in the world Zucrow Labs

Overview

Purdue's School of Aeronautics and Astronautics is one of the top aerospace engineering programs in the nation and is consistently ranked among the top six in aerospace graduate programs and Purdue's online graduate engineering program is consistently ranked among the top three in Best Online Master's in Engineering Programs by U.S. News & World Report (2025). The online master's program focus on aerospace engineering is specifically designed for working engineers and offers flexible plans of study with a format that allows you to study from where you are.

Program Highlights

  • Flexible Learning: The online Master of Science in Aeronautics and Astronautics program offers flexibility for working professionals, allowing students to balance their studies with other commitments.
  • World-Class Faculty: Students learn from renowned faculty members who engage in cutting-edge research and are leaders in their technical disciplines.
  • Specialized Curriculum: Students may focus in areas such as aerodynamics, propulsion, astrodynamics and space applications, structures and materials, aerospace systems, and autotomy and control, allowing students to tailor their education to their career goals.
  • Top-Ranked Engineering School: Purdue’s Aeronautics and Astronautics program is consistently ranked among the top aerospace engineering programs in the nation, ranked #2 (tie) Aerospace and Aeronautical Engineering Graduate Program (U.S. News & World Report, 2025).

Curriculum

  • Complete 10 courses totaling 30 credit hours
  • 4 courses in one of the six available focus areas within Aeronautics and Astronautics
  • 2 courses in a secondary area
  • 2 courses to meet the math requirement
  • 2 technical electives which gives flexibility to take a wide range of courses that fit the student’s interest and goals
  • Engineering Leadership concentration available, where students can take professional oriented courses, usually in Management.

Additional curriculum information:

Courses offered in the following topic areas:

online graduate student working at a cafe while wearing a Purdue shirt

Suggested Prerequisites

Math Background:

  • We recommend a background in: Calculus 1, 2, and 3; Differential Equations; Linear Algebra; Partial Differential Equations; Statistics; and Physics 1 and 2.

    • Undergraduate Degree:

  • No formal prerequisites, but a BS in engineering or science disciplines is typical. We prefer the following engineering disciplines: Aerospace, Mechanical, Electrical/Computer, Chemical, or Materials. Degrees in Math or Physics are also well suited.

    • Test Scores:

  • Valid GRE score unless a waiver applies.

    • Requirements

  • Transcripts from all universities attended
  • 3 letters of recommendation
  • An academic statement of purpose
  • A personal history statement
  • A professional resume
  • TOEFL or IELTS scores (international students only)
  • Full admissions requirements

    • Deadlines

    For Spring start:

  • November 1

    • For Fall start:

  • July 1

    • Tuition*

  • In-state: $1,139 per credit hour
  • Out of state & international: $1,459 per credit hour

    • Domestic students and permanent residents may qualify for the following types of financial aid:

  • US federal financial aid
  • US veterans financial aid

    • *The cost of attending Purdue varies depending on where you choose to live, enrollment in a specific program or college, food and travel expenses, and other variables. The Office of the Bursar website shows estimated costs for the current aid year for students by semester and academic year. These amounts are used in determining a student’s estimated eligibility for financial aid. You can also use our tuition calculator to estimate tuition costs.

    Coming Soon: Major in Space Systems Engineering

    The Master of Science in Aeronautics and Astronautics degree (MSAAE), with a major in Space Systems Engineering, provides students with the opportunity to study and gain skills in the tools, methods, and processes of designing, analyzing, controlling, and improving complex engineered space systems. The program has been designed to produce students with firm grounding in space systems engineering and well prepared to lead and execute transdisciplinary processes that result in space systems that are responsive to stakeholder's needs. Specifically, the program will educate students to develop new products, services, and organizations to address grand challenges facing society in space.

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    online master's program graduate Collin Drake

    Meet Collin Drake, Flight Science Engineer and MSAAE Alumni

    Often from 2015-2017 while Drake was taking online courses for his master’s, he’d find what he learned was directly — and immediately — applicable to his day-to-day responsibilities at Edwards. After working a 12-hour day during the week, Drake would go home and study. He’d load up the weekends with more coursework. Though a challenging experience, he said, ultimately, it was well worth the long hours.

    “It did not take long before really digging into a lot of the things I was doing that, all of a sudden, I just find myself spitting out the information I had learned in grad school and I almost surprised myself that, wow, this really does have actual impact,” he said. “Especially through the aero department, I think it’s definitely kudos to Purdue for really being able to give that context in the coursework. There was always engineering context around what we were learning. We learned the theory, but the professors did a great job of giving case examples of their past experience — because a lot of them have worked in industry before or work with industry now."

    “The quality of education is off the charts. I could not have asked for a higher-quality education, especially for a distance program. Because the quality of education was so high, I felt like it was just like being on campus as a student. I really liked that part about it. You have the same professors. You have the same TAs. You take the same tests. You do the same homework. You have the exact same lectures.”