17 Series · SOC 17-2011
Aerospace Engineers Salary
National pay, percentile range, growth outlook, and state-by-state detail from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS survey (May 2025).
- $134,960
- Median / year
- $205,890
- Top 10% earn
- +6.1%
- Growth '23–'33
- 67,710
- US workers
Aerospace Engineers earn a median of $134,960 per year.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS survey, the median annual wage is $134,960, based on the most recent survey of employers. Reported pay ranges from $86,700 (10th percentile) to $205,890 (90th percentile) nationally, across roughly 67,710 US workers. Minnesota pays the most ($159,060), since pay varies by state and metro area.
The pay verdict
Aerospace Engineers earn a median of $134,960, putting them among the better-paid US occupations and higher than 94% of the 825 occupations with a published BLS median. Within Architecture and Engineering, it ranks #3 of 36 by median pay. Employment is projected to grow 6.1% by 2033.
- $134,960
- Median annual wage
- Top 6%
- of 825 US occupations with published wages
- #3 of 36
- in Architecture and Engineering
- 2.4×
- 90th-to-10th pay spread
Highest-paying state: Minnesota at $159,060. Typical entry-level education: Bachelor's degree.
Aerospace Engineers (SOC 17-2011) pays a national median of $134,960 per year according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey released in May 2025. Full-range compensation stretches from $86,700 at the 10th percentile to $205,890 at the 90th, with a mean of $142,060 indicating a right-skew where top earners pull the average above the midpoint. An estimated 67,710 Americans work in this occupation across 41 reporting states and 96 metro areas.
BLS Employment Projections forecast a +6.1% change in employment from 2024 to 2034, which the agency classifies as faster than average relative to the 5% all-occupations baseline. About 4,500 openings are projected per year, combining new positions with replacement needs from retirements and occupation-switchers. Typical entry-level preparation is Bachelor's degree. The BLS Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries (CFOI) and Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses (SOII) produce a workplace-safety grade of A for this role, with a fatality rate of 2 per 100,000 and injury rate of 0.5 per 100.
Geographic variation matters as much as the headline median. Minnesota pays the highest state median at $159,060, which is +18% above the national figure. The top metro is San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA at $191,260 - metro premiums typically reflect higher cost of living, industry concentration, or specialized employer demand. When using this page for negotiation or career planning, pair the national median with the state and metro rows below, remember that BLS wages exclude benefits, bonuses, and overtime, and revisit after each May OEWS release since percentiles shift with cost-of-living cycles and industry demand. See our methodology for exactly how these figures are sourced, computed, and verified.
Median Salary
$134,960
per year
Median Hourly
$64.89/hr
per hour
Mean Salary
$142,060
average
Employment
67,710
jobs nationwide
How does this pay compare nationally?
Where Aerospace Engineers pay sits nationally
Median annual wage vs. 825 detailed BLS occupations with a published median
$134,960 Top 6% higher than 94% of 825 US occupations
Each bar is a $20K-wide band; taller bars hold more US occupations. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.
Source U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS · May 2025
Does this job pay well and grow?
Each dot is a 17-series occupation, placed by projected 2024–2034 growth and median pay. The highlighted dot is Aerospace Engineers; the upper-right quadrant is the sweet spot (high pay + fast growth).
Among 23 17-series occupations with growth data, Aerospace Engineers sits on the faster-growing side at +6.1% growth and $134,960 median pay.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS (wages, May 2025) and Employment Projections (2024–2034).
Job Outlook (2024–2034)
Projected Growth
+6.1%
Faster than average
Annual Openings
4,500
per year (projected)
Typical Education
Bachelor's degree
Source: BLS Employment Projections, 2024–2034
Workplace Safety
All safety ratings →Very Safe
Safety Grade (BLS 2023)
Fatality Rate
2/100K
Injury Rate
0.5/100
Danger Index
3/100
Source: BLS Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries (CFOI) & Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses (SOII), 2023
Career Intelligence
Skills, knowledge, and tasks most important for Aerospace Engineers roles, ranked by importance. Source: O*NET.
Top Skills
Knowledge Areas
Key Tasks
- ▸ Formulate mathematical models or other methods of computer analysis to develop, evaluate, or modify design, according to customer engineering requirements.
- ▸ 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.
- ▸ Direct or coordinate activities of engineering or technical personnel involved in designing, fabricating, modifying, or testing of aircraft or aerospace products.
- ▸ Diagnose performance problems by reviewing reports or documentation from customers or field engineers or by inspecting malfunctioning or damaged products.
- ▸ Evaluate product data or design from inspections or reports for conformance to engineering principles, customer requirements, environmental regulations, or quality standards.
- ▸ Direct aerospace research and development programs.
- ▸ Develop design criteria for aeronautical or aerospace products or systems, including testing methods, production costs, quality standards, environmental standards, or completion dates.
Source: O*NET Online, National Center for O*NET Development. Data represents typical importance ratings for this occupation.
Salary Range
Annual Salary Distribution
Hourly Rate Distribution
10th Percentile
$86,700
25th Percentile
$106,110
Median
$134,960
75th Percentile
$169,690
90th Percentile
$205,890
Salary by State
Highest Paying States
Lowest Paying States
View all 41 states →
| # | State | Median Salary | vs National |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Minnesota | $159,060 | +18% above national |
| 2 | Washington | $158,370 | +17% above national |
| 3 | California | $157,620 | +17% above national |
| 4 | District of Columbia | $157,600 | +17% above national |
| 5 | Maryland | $156,750 | +16% above national |
| 6 | Colorado | $156,190 | +16% above national |
| 7 | Massachusetts | $149,470 | +11% above national |
| 8 | Vermont | $144,400 | +7% above national |
| 9 | Virginia | $143,210 | +6% above national |
| 10 | Georgia | $140,460 | +4% above national |
| 11 | Ohio | $138,440 | +3% above national |
| 12 | Hawaii | $137,240 | +2% above national |
| 13 | South Carolina | $137,030 | +2% above national |
| 14 | Louisiana | $136,970 | +1% above national |
| 15 | Utah | $135,840 | +1% above national |
| 16 | Nebraska | $135,670 | +1% above national |
| 17 | Pennsylvania | $133,940 | 1% below national |
| 18 | New Mexico | $132,850 | 2% below national |
| 19 | Missouri | $130,680 | 3% below national |
| 20 | Kansas | $130,330 | 3% below national |
| 21 | New York | $130,330 | 3% below national |
| 22 | Texas | $130,270 | 3% below national |
| 23 | Connecticut | $129,500 | 4% below national |
| 24 | Florida | $129,280 | 4% below national |
| 25 | Michigan | $128,960 | 4% below national |
| 26 | Tennessee | $128,510 | 5% below national |
| 27 | Alabama | $127,540 | 5% below national |
| 28 | New Jersey | $126,430 | 6% below national |
| 29 | Kentucky | $126,130 | 7% below national |
| 30 | Oklahoma | $125,470 | 7% below national |
| 31 | Oregon | $124,630 | 8% below national |
| 32 | Arizona | $123,170 | 9% below national |
| 33 | North Carolina | $122,930 | 9% below national |
| 34 | Mississippi | $109,200 | 19% below national |
| 35 | Illinois | $108,940 | 19% below national |
| 36 | Indiana | $107,400 | 20% below national |
| 37 | Arkansas | $102,040 | 24% below national |
| 38 | Alaska | $101,710 | 25% below national |
| 39 | Nevada | $96,730 | 28% below national |
| 40 | Idaho | $95,700 | 29% below national |
| 41 | Wisconsin | $88,400 | 34% below national |
Salary by Metro Area
Highest Paying Metros
View all 96 metro areas →
| # | Metro Area | Median Salary | vs National |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $191,260 | +42% above national |
| 2 | San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $181,630 | +35% above national |
| 3 | Omaha, NE-IA | $171,380 | +27% above national |
| 4 | Boulder, CO | $167,160 | +24% above national |
| 5 | Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD | $166,980 | +24% above national |
| 6 | Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | $166,420 | +23% above national |
| 7 | Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | $163,580 | +21% above national |
| 8 | Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | $163,280 | +21% above national |
| 9 | Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI | $159,950 | +19% above national |
| 10 | Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO | $156,190 | +16% above national |
| 11 | Colorado Springs, CO | $151,980 | +13% above national |
| 12 | Provo-Orem-Lehi, UT | $150,700 | +12% above national |
| 13 | Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA | $150,220 | +11% above national |
| 14 | Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | $149,470 | +11% above national |
| 15 | New Orleans-Metairie, LA | $149,430 | +11% above national |
| 16 | Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood, MI | $144,020 | +7% above national |
| 17 | Cleveland, OH | $143,020 | +6% above national |
| 18 | Waterbury-Shelton, CT | $142,840 | +6% above national |
| 19 | Salt Lake City-Murray, UT | $141,010 | +4% above national |
| 20 | Greeley, CO | $140,780 | +4% above national |
| 21 | Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA | $140,540 | +4% above national |
| 22 | Eastern Washington nonmetropolitan area | $139,710 | +4% above national |
| 23 | Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC | $139,010 | +3% above national |
| 24 | Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA | $138,670 | +3% above national |
| 25 | Decatur, AL | $138,460 | +3% above national |
| 26 | Lexington Park, MD | $138,380 | +3% above national |
| 27 | Charleston-North Charleston, SC | $137,030 | +2% above national |
| 28 | Northeast Virginia nonmetropolitan area | $136,970 | +1% above national |
| 29 | Las Cruces, NM | $136,860 | +1% above national |
| 30 | Atlantic City-Hammonton, NJ | $136,590 | +1% above national |
| 31 | San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA | $135,490 | same as national |
| 32 | San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | $135,010 | same as national |
| 33 | Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | $134,570 | same as national |
| 34 | Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | $134,510 | same as national |
| 35 | Ogden, UT | $134,240 | 1% below national |
| 36 | Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX | $133,970 | 1% below national |
| 37 | Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY | $133,840 | 1% below national |
| 38 | Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN | $133,810 | 1% below national |
| 39 | Albuquerque, NM | $132,850 | 2% below national |
| 40 | Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC | $132,830 | 2% below national |
| 41 | Fort Collins-Loveland, CO | $132,800 | 2% below national |
| 42 | Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | $132,230 | 2% below national |
| 43 | Southern Ohio nonmetropolitan area | $131,600 | 2% below national |
| 44 | Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville, FL | $131,570 | 3% below national |
| 45 | Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL | $131,210 | 3% below national |
| 46 | Huntsville, AL | $131,090 | 3% below national |
| 47 | Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA | $130,870 | 3% below national |
| 48 | Wichita, KS | $130,720 | 3% below national |
| 49 | Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ | $130,470 | 3% below national |
| 50 | Oklahoma City, OK | $130,230 | 4% below national |
| 51 | Memphis, TN-MS-AR | $129,830 | 4% below national |
| 52 | Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA | $129,530 | 4% below national |
| 53 | Dayton-Kettering-Beavercreek, OH | $129,410 | 4% below national |
| 54 | Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI | $128,960 | 4% below national |
| 55 | Bakersfield-Delano, CA | $128,720 | 5% below national |
| 56 | Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA | $128,670 | 5% below national |
| 57 | Crestview-Fort Walton Beach-Destin, FL | $128,440 | 5% below national |
| 58 | San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX | $128,400 | 5% below national |
| 59 | Pittsburgh, PA | $128,390 | 5% below national |
| 60 | Rochester, NY | $127,910 | 5% below national |
| 61 | New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | $126,620 | 6% below national |
| 62 | Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL | $126,500 | 6% below national |
| 63 | Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN | $126,130 | 7% below national |
| 64 | Gulfport-Biloxi, MS | $125,580 | 7% below national |
| 65 | Columbus, OH | $125,500 | 7% below national |
| 66 | Akron, OH | $124,980 | 7% below national |
| 67 | Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL | $124,420 | 8% below national |
| 68 | Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX | $123,210 | 9% below national |
| 69 | Charlottesville, VA | $122,690 | 9% below national |
| 70 | Deltona-Daytona Beach-Ormond Beach, FL | $122,270 | 9% below national |
| 71 | Warner Robins, GA | $120,490 | 11% below national |
| 72 | Richmond, VA | $120,370 | 11% below national |
| 73 | Jacksonville, FL | $119,430 | 12% below national |
| 74 | Corpus Christi, TX | $117,840 | 13% below national |
| 75 | Eastern North Carolina nonmetropolitan area | $115,210 | 15% below national |
| 76 | Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood, IN | $112,140 | 17% below national |
| 77 | El Paso, TX | $109,810 | 19% below national |
| 78 | Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT | $108,900 | 19% below national |
| 79 | Tulsa, OK | $107,110 | 21% below national |
| 80 | Knoxville, TN | $107,100 | 21% below national |
| 81 | Tucson, AZ | $106,760 | 21% below national |
| 82 | Bend, OR | $105,760 | 22% below national |
| 83 | Kansas City, MO-KS | $105,730 | 22% below national |
| 84 | Ann Arbor, MI | $102,290 | 24% below national |
| 85 | Greenville-Anderson-Greer, SC | $102,280 | 24% below national |
| 86 | Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR | $102,040 | 24% below national |
| 87 | Anchorage, AK | $101,710 | 25% below national |
| 88 | Eastern New Mexico nonmetropolitan area | $101,020 | 25% below national |
| 89 | Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY | $100,580 | 25% below national |
| 90 | Las Vegas-Henderson-North Las Vegas, NV | $98,510 | 27% below national |
| 91 | Mobile, AL | $97,730 | 28% below national |
| 92 | Southeast Alabama nonmetropolitan area | $96,240 | 29% below national |
| 93 | Birmingham, AL | $93,400 | 31% below national |
| 94 | Reno, NV | $89,460 | 34% below national |
| 95 | Northwestern Idaho nonmetropolitan area | $81,570 | 40% below national |
| 96 | Hot Springs, AR | $79,610 | 41% below national |
Similar Occupations in the Same Category
Other roles in SOC major group 17 (architecture and engineering) with comparable pay and career paths.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does a Aerospace Engineers make? ▼
What state pays Aerospace Engineers the most? ▼
What education do you need to become a Aerospace Engineers? ▼
How dangerous is being a Aerospace Engineers? ▼
Is Aerospace Engineers a good career? ▼
How does Aerospace Engineers pay vary by state? ▼
Which metro areas pay the most for Aerospace Engineers? ▼
What to do with this data
How to use Aerospace Engineers pay figures in a real decision
- For an experienced offer, anchor on the 75th percentile (about $169,690/year), not the median. The median marks the middle worker; the upper quartile is the realistic target with strong experience. Salary calculator
- Location moves pay significantly: Minnesota leads at $159,060/year for this role. Weigh state pay against local cost of living before relocating or negotiating remote. Pay by state
- Compare this occupation against similar roles before you decide, so you are reading the pay band in context rather than in isolation. Compare jobs
These are BLS survey estimates for the occupation, not a salary offer or a prediction for any individual. Your pay depends on experience, employer, exact role, and location.
Every figure on WageDex is rendered directly from U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics wage data, no number is typed in by an editor. This occupation's figures are computed directly from the BLS OEWS and Employment Projections datasets, nothing is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of May 2025.
This page is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial or career advice. Actual pay for a specific role, employer, or offer may differ from these national/state figures, consult a qualified career counselor, recruiter, or financial advisor before making decisions based on this data.