Purdue’s graduate program in aeronautics and astronautics was ranked as the sixth-best in the nation by the U.S News & World Report.

The “Best Colleges” rankings from the news site are released annually. The 2021 edition of the rankings evaluates programs in business, law, medicine, nursing, engineering, education and other fields, according to its website. There is a unique set of rankings for each of those disciplines with corresponding ranking methodologies that take multiple factors into account, the website said. 

Engineering "specialty rankings" for individual research areas, such as aerospace engineering and mechanical engineering, are based "solely on peer assessments by department heads in each specialty area," the website said. U.S. News conducted peer assessment surveys for those rankings.

Purdue’s No. 6 ranking is in “best graduate aerospace/aeronautical/astronautical engineering.” AAE consistently has been ranked among the top programs, ranked either No. 5 or No. 6 in the last 10 years. 

The Gambaro Graduate Program of Aeronautics and Astronautics, named in December 2018, offers master’s (thesis program, non-thesis program, distance learning and professional master’s) and Ph.D. programs. Research areas include aerodynamics, aerospace systems, astrodynamics and space applications, autonomy and control, propulsion, and structures and materials.

The College of Engineering at Purdue was ranked the seventh-best overall engineering program in the nation.

AAE’s undergraduate program is ranked No. 4 by USNWR. U.S. News releases those rankings separately.