Architecture and Engineering Occupations
BLS May 2025 wages Peer-group outlier SOC 17-3021

Aerospace Engineering and Operations Technologists and Technicians

Median pay sits 31% below the mid peer in Architecture and Engineering Occupations (neighbors include Aerospace Engineers, Industrial Engineers, Marine Engineers and Naval Architects, Electronics Engineers, Except Computer).

Full salary details → About this data

Same-major-group titles next to Aerospace Engineering and Operations Technologists and Technicians: Aerospace Engineers ($135K) , Industrial Engineers ($102K) , Marine Engineers and Naval Architects ($112K) , Electronics Engineers, Except Computer ($130K) . Hash-ordered per card so residual SOC siblings do not share an identical peer sentence.

What Aerospace Engineering and Operations Technologists and Technicians publish as work

O*NET task statements for SOC 17-3021 - occupation-level descriptions, not every employer's posting. Sibling cards diverge here because the task set is entity-keyed.

  1. 1. Test aircraft systems under simulated operational conditions, performing systems readiness tests and pre- and post-operational checkouts…
  2. 2. Identify required data, data acquisition plans, and test parameters, setting up equipment to conform to these specifications
  3. 3. Inspect, diagnose, maintain, and operate test setups and equipment to detect malfunctions
  4. 4. Confer with engineering personnel regarding details and implications of test procedures and results
  5. 5. Operate and calibrate computer systems and devices to comply with test requirements and to perform data acquisition and analysis
  6. 6. Record and interpret test data on parts, assemblies, and mechanisms
  7. 7. Finish vehicle instrumentation and deinstrumentation
  8. 8. Adjust, repair, or replace faulty components of test setups and equipment
  9. 9. Fabricate and install parts and systems to be tested in test equipment, using hand tools, power tools, and test instruments
  10. 10. Construct and maintain test facilities for aircraft parts and systems, according to specifications
  11. 11. Design electrical and mechanical systems for avionic instrumentation applications

Aerospace Engineering and Operations Technologists and Technicians: O*NET ranks Critical Thinking first

Importance-ranked O*NET profile for SOC 17-3021 - lead skill Critical Thinking at 3.9 ; lead knowledge Mechanical. Sibling cards diverge here even when peer titles overlap.

Top skills

  1. 1. Critical Thinking 3.9
  2. 2. Reading Comprehension 3.8
  3. 3. Operations Monitoring 3.8
  4. 4. Quality Control Analysis 3.8
  5. 5. Active Listening 3.6
  6. 6. Speaking 3.6
  7. 7. Complex Problem Solving 3.5
  8. 8. Troubleshooting 3.3

Knowledge areas

  1. 1. Mechanical 4.5
  2. 2. Engineering and Technology 4.3
  3. 3. Mathematics 3.9
  4. 4. Production and Processing 3.8
  5. 5. Customer and Personal Service 3.7
  6. 6. English Language 3.4
Pay vs Architecture and Engineering Occupations peers
-31%
vs mid peer median $120,630
This role $82,890/yr
$83K
National median
↑ +8%
Growth 2024-2034
900
Annual openings
11,280
Estimated US jobs
Aerospace Engineers
Highest-pay peer · $135K

Typical Entry and Preparation Assignments

Entry education Associate's degree

Top Paying States for Aerospace Engineering and Operations Technologists and Technicians

1. Washington $125,160
2. Alaska $105,780
3. Virginia $81,040
4. Maryland $91,820
5. California $99,000
6. Connecticut $79,410
7. Nevada $102,980
8. Colorado $98,990
9. Oregon $81,100
10. Massachusetts $79,420

Other Architecture and Engineering Occupations titles

  1. 1. Marine Engineers and Naval Architects $112,230
  2. 2. Electronics Engineers, Except Computer $130,220
  3. 3. Aerospace Engineers $134,960
  4. 4. Industrial Engineers $102,440
  5. 5. Mechanical Engineers $104,110
  6. 6. Environmental Engineers $107,110

Among Architecture and Engineering Occupations peers on this card, Aerospace Engineering and Operations Technologists and Technicians sits 31% below the mid peer median ($120,630). Its own median is $82,890.

Employment Projections expect +8% change between 2024 and 2034 (much faster than average vs baseline 3.1%). About 900 annual openings are projected. BLS assigns Associate's degree as typical education needed for entry. These are occupation-level assignments, not universal requirements. BLS does not publish a separate occupation-specific safety rate for this role; its broad SOC-group rate is excluded from this career card's grade.

Highest published state median in this ranking: Washington at $125,160. The table records differences without proving causes. Highest-pay peer shown here: Aerospace Engineers at $134,960. Compare the same statistic in the relevant local wage area before treating the national median as a personal benchmark; OEWS excludes employer benefits.

Aerospace Engineering and Operations Technologists and Technicians pay-rank #20 in Architecture and Engineering Occupations

Aerospace Engineering and Operations Technologists and Technicians sits at pay-rank #20 of 36 detailed Architecture and Engineering Occupations, the middle third of the major-group median table. ROW_NUMBER on median; title breaks ties.

Other mid-table titles · closest medians

Full Salary Details Compare this role

Data from U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025. Projections from BLS Employment Projections program, 2024-2034.

Aerospace Engineering and Operations Technologists and Technicians pays 31% below its major-group peer median. See the state map and the peers closest to (and furthest from) this line.

Aerospace Engineering and Operations Technologists and Technicians salary map

State, metro, and percentile for SOC 17-3021

Washington · top state for Aerospace Engineering and Operations Technologists and Technicians

$125K published median

Alaska · #2 state pay

$106K · behind Washington

Aerospace Engineers

Highest-pay peer vs Aerospace Engineering and Operations Technologists and Technicians · $135K

Industrial Engineers

Lower-pay peer beside Aerospace Engineering and Operations Technologists and Technicians · $102K

Compare Aerospace Engineering and Operations Technologists and Technicians

Head-to-head OEWS medians with another SOC
Compare Aerospace Engineering and Operations Technologists and Technicians with another occupation →

Peer-comparison next reads

Compare Aerospace Engineering and Operations Technologists and Technicians

Against another occupation

Aerospace Engineers card

Top peer in this major group

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Aerospace Engineering and Operations Technologists and Technicians mid-table among Architecture and Engineering Occupations? ▼
Yes: pay-rank #20 of 36 detailed Architecture and Engineering Occupations, the middle third. Mid-table neighbors: Cartographers and Photogrammetrists ($81K), Landscape Architects ($80K), Engineering Technologists and Technicians, Except Drafters, All Other ($78K), Electrical and Electronic Engineering Technologists and Technicians ($78K). ROW_NUMBER on median; title breaks ties.
What do aerospace engineering and operations technologists and technicians do day to day? ▼
O*NET lists published task statements for Aerospace Engineering and Operations Technologists and Technicians. Leading ones include: Test aircraft systems under simulated operational conditions, performing systems readiness tests and pre- and post-operational checkouts…; Identify required data, data acquisition plans, and test parameters, setting up equipment to conform to these specifications; Inspect, diagnose, maintain, and operate test setups and equipment to detect malfunctions; Confer with engineering personnel regarding details and implications of test procedures and results. These are occupation-level task descriptions, not every employer's job description.
Which O*NET skills rank highest for aerospace engineering and operations technologists and technicians? ▼
For SOC 17-3021, O*NET importance scores lead with Critical Thinking (3.9), Reading Comprehension (3.8), Operations Monitoring (3.8), Quality Control Analysis (3.8). Knowledge areas emphasize Mechanical, Engineering and Technology, Mathematics. These are occupation-level profiles, not a hiring checklist for every employer.
What is the OEWS national median for Aerospace Engineering and Operations Technologists and Technicians? ▼
May 2025 OEWS reports $82,890 as the national median for Aerospace Engineering and Operations Technologists and Technicians. The published 10th-90th range is $59,050 to $125,160. Beside Aerospace Engineers ($134,960), this is the occupation-level national figure, not a local offer.
What employment change does BLS publish for Aerospace Engineering and Operations Technologists and Technicians? ▼
The 2024-2034 projection for Aerospace Engineering and Operations Technologists and Technicians is +8%. Projected annual openings: about 900. Relative to the current all-occupations baseline of 3.1%: much faster than average.
What typical entry education does BLS assign to Aerospace Engineering and Operations Technologists and Technicians? ▼
BLS assigns Associate's degree as the typical-education-needed-for-entry category for Aerospace Engineering and Operations Technologists and Technicians. These are occupation-level labels, not every employer's hiring rule.
Which three states show the highest OEWS medians for Aerospace Engineering and Operations Technologists and Technicians? ▼
Washington ($125,160), Alaska ($105,780), Virginia ($81,040) lead this ranking. The table does not identify why those state estimates differ.

Source data and WageDex calculations are identified in context on this page. Wage and state figures use BLS OEWS May 2025; growth and education use BLS Employment Projections for 2024-2034; safety fields cite BLS CFOI/SOII; task statements cite O*NET where shown. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.

Disclaimer: Wage and outlook figures on this page are provided for informational purposes only and do not constitute career, financial, or salary-negotiation advice. Actual pay varies by employer, experience, and local conditions; consult a career counselor or the hiring employer for guidance specific to your situation.

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OES Occupational wage estimates by area and industry · 2025

Federal sources on this Aerospace Engineering and Operations Technologists and Technicians card
  • BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS / OES) - national median and percentiles for SOC 17-3021. bls.gov/oes
  • O*NET OnLine - task and skill statements for Aerospace Engineering and Operations Technologists and Technicians. onetcenter.org
  • BLS Employment Projections - 2024-2034 change and openings for this occupation. bls.gov/emp
  • U.S. Census Bureau ACS - demographic and labor-force context for state and metro geography. census.gov/programs-surveys/acs
  • IRS Statistics of Income (SOI) - payroll-tax aggregate context for wage comparisons. irs.gov/statistics