Aerospace Engineers Salary
Architecture and Engineering Occupations · 68K employed in the U.S.
Median annual
$134,960
Median hourly
$65
Average annual
$142,060
Typical range
$86,700–$205,890
Pay distribution
10th to 90th percentile, with the median marked.
What this role pays
The median annual salary for Aerospace Engineers is $134,960 as of May 2025, based on the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey. That works out to about $65 an hour at a full-time schedule.
Perform engineering duties in designing, constructing, and testing aircraft, missiles, and spacecraft. May conduct basic and applied research to evaluate adaptability of materials and equipment to aircraft design and manufacture.
Most earn between $86,700 and $205,890 a year. There are roughly 68K people employed as aerospace engineers in the United States. Use the state and metro pages below to see how pay changes by location, and the calculator to convert any hourly or annual figure.
Salary calculator
Convert your pay and see where it lands for Aerospace Engineers.
- Hourly
- $64.88
- Daily
- $519
- Weekly
- $2,595
- Bi-weekly
- $5,191
- Monthly
- $11,247
- Annual
- $134,960
$134,960 a year is around the 50th percentile for Aerospace Engineerss. The median is $134,960.
Highest-paying states
Median annual wage by state.
- 1Minnesota$159,060
- 2Washington$158,370
- 3California$157,620
- 4District of Columbia$157,600
- 5Maryland$156,750
- 6Colorado$156,190
- 7Massachusetts$149,470
- 8Vermont$144,400
- 9Virginia$143,210
- 10Georgia$140,460
- 11Ohio$138,440
- 12Hawaii$137,240
Top-paying metro areas
Median annual wage by metro area.
- 1San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA$191,260
- 2San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA$181,630
- 3Omaha, NE-IA$171,380
- 4Boulder, CO$167,160
- 5Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD$166,980
- 6Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV$166,420
- 7Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA$163,580
- 8Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA$163,280
- 9Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI$159,950
- 10Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO$156,190
- 11Colorado Springs, CO$151,980
- 12Provo-Orem-Lehi, UT$150,700
Related job titles
Employers advertise Aerospace Engineers roles under these titles.
- Aerodynamicist
- Aerodynamics Engineer
- Aeronautical Design Engineer
- Aeronautical Engineer
- Aeronautical Project Engineer
- Aeronautical Research Engineer
- Aeronautical Test Engineer
- Aerospace Engineer
- Aerospace Physiologist
- Aerospace Programmable Logic Design Engineer
- Aerospace Stress Engineer
- Aerospace Systems Engineer
- Aircraft Design Engineer
- Aircraft Designer
- Aircraft Engineer
- Aircraft Instrument Engineer
Related occupations
- Aerospace Engineering and Operations Technologists and Technicians$82,890
- Electro-Mechanical and Mechatronics Technologists and Technicians$73,900
- Avionics Technicians$82,280
- Mechanical Engineers$104,110
- Mechanical Engineering Technologists and Technicians$74,510
- Aircraft Mechanics and Service Technicians$79,870
- Engineers, All Other$122,930
- Electronics Engineers, Except Computer$130,220
What a Aerospace Engineers does
- Plan or conduct experimental, environmental, operational, or stress tests on models or prototypes of aircraft or aerospace systems or equipment.
- Formulate conceptual design of aeronautical or aerospace products or systems to meet customer requirements or conform to environmental regulations.
- Plan or coordinate investigation and resolution of customers' reports of technical problems with aircraft or aerospace vehicles.
- Write technical reports or other documentation, such as handbooks or bulletins, for use by engineering staff, management, or customers.
- Evaluate product data or design from inspections or reports for conformance to engineering principles, customer requirements, environmental regulations, or quality standards.
- Analyze project requests, proposals, or engineering data to determine feasibility, productibility, cost, or production time of aerospace or aeronautical products.
- Maintain records of performance reports for future reference.
- Formulate mathematical models or other methods of computer analysis to develop, evaluate, or modify design, according to customer engineering requirements.
Frequently asked questions
- How much does a Aerospace Engineers make?
- The median annual wage for Aerospace Engineers is $134,960 ($65 per hour). Pay ranges from about $86,700 at the 10th percentile to $205,890 at the 90th percentile.
- What is the average salary for a Aerospace Engineers?
- The average (mean) annual salary is $142,060, which is higher than the median because a small number of high earners pull the average up.
- Which state pays Aerospace Engineerss the most?
- Minnesota has the highest median annual wage for this occupation at $159,060.
- Is Aerospace Engineers a growing occupation?
- BLS employment data for May 2025 counts about 68K people in this occupation. Projected growth is published separately in the BLS Employment Projections program.
- What does a Aerospace Engineers do?
- Plan or conduct experimental, environmental, operational, or stress tests on models or prototypes of aircraft or aerospace systems or equipment.; Formulate conceptual design of aeronautical or aerospace products or systems to meet customer requirements or conform to environmental regulations.; Plan or coordinate investigation and resolution of customers' reports of technical problems with aircraft or aerospace vehicles..