Aerospace Engineer salary

Q: How much does an aerospace engineer make?

The median aerospace engineer salary in the U.S. is about $134,830 per year. Most aerospace engineers earn between $85,350 and $205,850, and top earners (90th percentile) make $205,850 or more. These national figures come from published U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS OEWS) wage data.

Q: How much do entry-level aerospace engineers make?

Entry-level aerospace engineers (0–2 years) earn about $105,000 per year, rising to roughly $145,500 at mid-level and $182,000+ at the principal/staff level. These by-experience figures are modeled estimates based on typical engineering career progression.

Q: Do aerospace engineers make good money?

Yes. The median aerospace engineer salary of $134,830 is 12% above the roughly $120,395 median across engineering occupations, and experienced aerospace engineers can earn $205,850 or more.

Q: Which cities pay aerospace engineers the most?

Estimated aerospace engineer pay is highest in Seattle ($174,130), Colorado Springs ($170,080), San Jose ($167,340). These are cost-of-labor estimates that adjust the national baseline by local wage levels — not direct BLS metro wages.

Verified

Updated March 2025

Aerospace engineers design aircraft, spacecraft, satellites, and missiles, and test prototypes to ensure they function safely.

Median pay

$134,830

U.S. typical

Top earners

$205,850

90th percentile

Entry level

$105,000

0–2 yrs

Senior

$182,000

15+ yrs

The median aerospace engineer salary in the U.S. is about $134,830 per year. Entry-level pay starts near $85,350, while top earners (90th percentile) make $205,850 or more. Add your city and experience for a sharper, local number.

Median annual wage

$134,830

Mean

$141,180

10th pct · $85,35090th pct · $205,850

What aerospace engineers do

Design aerodynamic, propulsion, and structural systems, run simulations and wind-tunnel tests, and support manufacturing and flight test.

Aerospace engineers design aircraft, spacecraft, satellites, and missiles, and test prototypes to ensure they function safely.

What affects aerospace engineer pay

▹Defense/space clearance requirements
▹Industry (commercial aviation, defense, new space)
▹Years of experience
▹Specialty (propulsion, GNC, structures, avionics)
▹Metro cost of labor

Aerospace Engineer salary by experience

Pay typically climbs from about $105,000 for entry level engineers to $182,000+ at the principal / staff level.

Entry level 0–2 yrs

$105,000

Early career 3–5 yrs

$126,500

Mid level 6–9 yrs

$145,500

Senior 10–14 yrs

$164,500

Principal / Staff 15+ yrs

$182,000

Your actual offer depends on company, location, and specialization — run the calculator for a tailored range.

Highest-paying cities for aerospace engineers

Published aerospace engineer pay in the top-paying U.S. metro areas, vs the national benchmark.

15results

Metro	State	Median	90th pct	vs U.S.	Data
Seattle Washington	WA	$174,130	$218,290	+29%	Verified
Colorado Springs Colorado	CO	$170,080	$203,310	+26%	Verified
San Jose California	CA	$167,340	$220,390	+24%	Verified
Baltimore Maryland	MD	$161,580	$227,280	+20%	Verified
San Francisco California	CA	$160,000	$238,710	+19%	Verified
Bridgeport Connecticut	CT	$158,170	$193,310	+17%	Verified
Washington, D.C. District of Columbia	DC	$157,980	$221,890	+17%	Verified
Denver Colorado	CO	$151,800	$220,970	+13%	Verified
Boston Massachusetts	MA	$151,080	$204,750	+12%	Verified
Los Angeles California	CA	$143,860	$238,230	+7%	Verified
Boulder Colorado	CO	$143,210	$222,880	+6%	Verified
Lexington Park Maryland	MD	$142,940	$191,880	+6%	Verified
Cleveland Ohio	OH	$140,400	$191,880	+4%	Verified
Albuquerque New Mexico	NM	$139,610	$188,420	+4%	Verified
Phoenix Arizona	AZ	$139,260	$226,850	+3%	Verified

Aerospace Engineer salary by state

All 42 states with published aerospace engineer wage data, ranked highest to lowest. Open a state for its full metro-level breakdown.

Rank	State	Median	90th pct
1	District of Columbia	$175,350	$205,840
2	Washington	$158,600	$218,290
3	Maryland	$158,220	$227,270
4	Massachusetts	$152,210	$204,760
5	Colorado	$151,570	$220,970
6	Iowa	$150,010	$156,120
7	Minnesota	$147,940	$198,210
8	California	$143,860	$224,660
9	Georgia	$142,910	$232,200
10	Vermont	$140,520	$194,420
11	New Mexico	$139,770	$178,300
12	Arizona	$135,620	$225,640
13	Hawaii	$134,910	$225,180
14	Ohio	$134,230	$200,040
15	Maine	$133,660	$201,090
16	Alabama	$133,080	$198,840
17	Virginia	$132,160	$202,260
18	South Carolina	$131,820	$164,210
19	Utah	$130,670	$172,290
20	New Jersey	$128,400	$169,830
21	Florida	$127,680	$177,620
22	Kansas	$126,640	$162,700
23	Texas	$126,470	$187,840
24	New York	$125,270	$209,020
25	Illinois	$122,540	$195,750
26	Tennessee	$122,430	$170,980
27	Louisiana	$121,430	$147,840
28	Connecticut	$119,060	$158,630
29	Kentucky	$117,660	$174,420
30	North Carolina	$117,190	$166,960
31	Michigan	$115,540	$175,330
32	Oregon	$112,460	$167,110
33	Missouri	$112,220	$180,280
34	Oklahoma	$109,920	$152,510
35	Pennsylvania	$108,510	$175,000
36	Indiana	$104,160	$175,990
37	Arkansas	$103,900	$153,570
38	Nevada	$100,920	$173,970
39	Alaska	$100,610	$174,430
40	Mississippi	$96,810	$157,350
41	Idaho	$81,570	$136,330
42	Wisconsin	$75,790	$147,450

Figures are published state wage data, not modeled. States without published data for this occupation are not listed. See Source details for provenance.

Aerospace Engineer salary — frequently asked questions

How much does an aerospace engineer make?

The median aerospace engineer salary in the U.S. is about $134,830 per year. Most aerospace engineers earn between $85,350 and $205,850, and top earners (90th percentile) make $205,850 or more. These national figures come from published U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS OEWS) wage data.

What is the highest aerospace engineer salary?

Top-earning aerospace engineers (90th percentile) make about $205,850 or more nationally. In the highest-paying metros, estimated pay can run even higher — for example around $174,130 in Seattle. Metro figures are cost-of-labor estimates, not direct BLS metro data.

How much do entry-level aerospace engineers make?

Entry-level aerospace engineers (0–2 years) earn about $105,000 per year, rising to roughly $145,500 at mid-level and $182,000+ at the principal/staff level. These by-experience figures are modeled estimates based on typical engineering career progression.

Do aerospace engineers make good money?

Yes. The median aerospace engineer salary of $134,830 is 12% above the roughly $120,395 median across engineering occupations, and experienced aerospace engineers can earn $205,850 or more.

Which cities pay aerospace engineers the most?

Estimated aerospace engineer pay is highest in Seattle ($174,130), Colorado Springs ($170,080), and San Jose ($167,340). These are cost-of-labor estimates that adjust the national baseline by local wage levels — not direct BLS metro wages.

How can an aerospace engineer earn more?

Aerospace Engineer pay rises most with defense/space clearance requirements, industry (commercial aviation, defense, new space), and years of experience. Moving to a higher-cost metro, specializing, and taking on senior or lead scope are the biggest levers — the salary calculator lets you model each one.

Source details

Published wage from BLS OEWS May 2024 for SOC 17-2011 (Aerospace Engineers), national.

Benchmarks come from published government wage data via BLS OEWS. Local and emerging-role figures are labeled estimates. Full methodology →