Aeronautical Engineering vs Aerospace Engineering – Find out the Better Option
Aeronautical Engineering is the study of aircraft that operates within the earth's atmosphere whereas Aerospace engineering focuses on designing both spacecraft and aircraft dealing with the study of all the space crafts employed within and out of the earth's atmosphere.
Aeronautical Engineering vs Aerospace Engineering - Do you aspire to work in organizations like NASA and ISRO? Then it is important to understand the branches of engineering that you can opt for graduation in order to work with the top space organizations in the world. Aeronautical Engineering and Aerospace Engineering are the two programmes that can lead you closer to your goals.
Both aeronautical engineering and aerospace engg are emerging fields of engineering education in India. However, one can pursue aeronautical engineering and pursue higher education in the same field from universities overseas. Aeronautical engineers are in demand in some of the most reputed space centers in the world such as NASA.
Aerospace Engineering also offers bright career opportunities. Similar to aspiring aeronautical engineers, students looking for aerospace engg courses can look for colleges in India as well as overseas. Find out the difference between the two branches below.
Aeronautical Engineering VS Aerospace Engineering
Candidates can check the difference between Aerospace Engineering and Aeronautical Engineering from the table below.| Features | Aerospace Engineering | Aeronautical Engineering |
| About the Course | In this branch of engineering, students learn about the professional design, building, testing, and maintenance of civil aircraft, missiles, space shuttles, rockets, space stations, and other such units. Aerospace is a broad field and also comprises subjects that are taught in the aeronautical engineering course. | Aeronautical engineering is a field of Aerospace Engineering. It can also be understood as a specialization in the field of aerospace. This field of engineering comprises the study of designing and building aircraft such as airplanes and helicopters. |
| Duration | 4 year | 4 year |
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| Fees | Aerospace Engineering Fees will vary from INR 5,00,000 to INR 12,00,000. | Aeronautical Engineering Fees will vary from INR 6,00,000 to INR 12,00,000 depending on the type of institute offering the course. |
Scope in India | Aerospace Engineers have the option of working in government as well as private organizations. Some of the departments where aerospace engineers can work are Air Force, Corporate Research Companies, Airlines, Helicopter Companies, Aviation Companies, Defence Ministry, Aircraft manufacturing, government-owned air services, etc. | Although there are a lot of opportunities for Aeronautical Engineering graduates, the opportunities in the core profile are better outside India. Since there are better space centers outside India, the scope of this field is much better once you have pursued Master from university abroad. However, there are a few government organizations that offer high-paying Aeronautical Engineering Jobs in this field. |
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| Job and Salary | Salary packages depend on the colleges that a student has graduated from. However, candidates can expect a starting package of up to INR 5,00,000. Students graduating from IITs can also get a package of up to INR 11,00,000. | Aeronautical Engineering Salary may range between INR 6,00,000 to INR 11,00,000 depending on the college of graduation. An aeronautical earns up to $ 107,700 per year in US. |
Also Read: Top 20 Architecture Colleges in India: Fees, Entrance Exam and Number of Seats
Aeronautical Engineering Eligibility Criteria
Aeronautical Engineering aspiring candidates should correspond to the eligibility criteria to opt for this 4 years course. Check out the Aeronautical Engineering Eligibility Criteria here in detail-- Candidates should have 70-75% marks in aggregate in Physics, Chemistry, and Mathematics in Class 10+2
- Some of the entrance exams that have to be cleared such as JEE Main and JEE Advanced.
- Aircraft Maintenance Engineering Diploma Holders are also eligible for pursuing Aeronautical Engineering Course
- For post-graduation or diploma courses, candidates should have completed their BTech in Aeronautical Engineering Course.
- For getting a post-graduation degree from some institutes like IITs, IISc, and Science research institutions, a candidate should pass the GATE exam.
Also Read: How Good is an Aeronautical Engineering Career?
Aerospace Engineering Eligibility Criteria
Aerospace Engineering course durations for 4 years and candidates willing to pursue the course should be able to crack the eligibility criteria. Candidates need to fit the Aerospace Engineering criteria to opt for the course:- For Aerospace Engineering courses, candidates should have a minimum of 60% marks (55% marks for SC/ST) in the Science stream (Physics, Chemistry, Mathematics).
- For admission to Aerospace engineering postgraduation courses, candidates should complete his/her bachelor’s degree (BE/B.Tech or equivalent) with at least 60% marks (55% marks for SC/ST).
- National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) in the US suggests a degree in a variety of disciplines, including Industrial Engineering, Biomedical Engineering, Metallurgy, Chemistry, Ceramic Engineering, Oceanography, Optical Engineering, and Materials Engineering. Ph.D. is favorably suggested for entering NASA.
Quick Link: Taking up a career as an aerospace engineer
Aeronautical Engineering Colleges & Fees
The aeronautical engineering colleges in India along with their fees have been listed in the table below.| College Name | Total Aeronautical Engineering Fees (Approx) |
| Indian Institute Technology (IIT), Madras | INR 8,00,000 |
| Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Bombay | INR 10,39,000 |
| Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Kanpur | INR 8,00,000 |
| Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Kharagpur | INR 3,50,000 |
| Punjab Engineering College (Deemed To Be University), Chandigarh | INR 7, 50,000 |
| Madras Institute of Technology, Chennai | INR 65,000 |
| Amity University, Gautam Budh Nagar | INR 10,00,000 |
| Jawaharlal Nehru Technical University, Hyderabad | INR 3,60,000 |
| Manipal Institute of Technology, Karnataka | INR 16,16,000 |
| Rajiv Gandhi Institute of Petroleum Technology | INR 9,61,000 |
Also Read: Top Aeronautical Engineering Colleges in Uttar Pradesh
Aerospace Engineering Colleges & Fees
Some of the top Aerospace Engineering colleges along with their fees have been listed in the table below.| Aerospace Engineering Government Colleges | Aerospace Engineering Course Fee |
| Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Bombay | INR 10,00,000 |
| Indian Institute of Engineering Science and Technology | INR 10,00,000 |
| Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Madras | INR 9,00,000 |
| Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Kharagpur | INR 12,00,000 |
| Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Kanpur | INR 8,00,000 |
| Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Hyderabad | INR 8,00,000 |
| Indian Institute of Engineering Science and Technology (IIEST) Shibpur | INR 5,00,000 |
| SRM Institute of Science and Technology | 14,00,000 |
| Amrita School of Engineering | 14,00,000 |
| Chandigarh University (CU) | 12,00,000 |
| Amity University, Noida | 10,00,000 |
| Lovely Professional University (LPU) | 10,00,000 |
| SASTRA (Deemed to be University) | 7,00,000 |
| KIIT School of Engineering, Bhubaneshwar | 14,00,000 |
| Birla Institute of Technology, Mesra | 10,00,000 |
Quick Link:
- MTech Aerospace Engineering Colleges in India
- B.Tech aerospace engineering colleges in India
- PhD in aerospace engineering colleges in India
Which Branch is Better?
Both Aerospace and Aeronautical Engineering are good branches. You should choose the branch depending on the career path you foresee for yourself. If you want to work in the aircraft building industry then aerospace engineering is the right course for you. However, if you look forward to working in the space industry, then aeronautical engineering is the right branch for you.
You can also choose an aeronautical specialization after pursuing B.Tech in Aerospace or Mechanical Engineering. Make sure that you take admission to good colleges while choosing these streams of engineering in order to ensure jobs.
Also Read: Coaching vs Self Study – Choose the Right Option to Crack an Entrance Exam!
You can also check colleges offering Aerospace Engineering and Aeronautical Engineering colleges at collegedekho.com.