Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV · CBSA 47900
Aerospace Engineer Salary in Washington, D.C.
VerifiedPublished metro-area wages for aerospace engineers in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV, from the BLS OEWS May 2024 release — with the local distribution set against District of Columbia and the national benchmark.
Aerospace Engineers in Washington, D.C. earn a median of $157,980 per year, per BLS OEWS May 2024. The middle 50% earn $128,250–$191,880; the top 10% earn $221,890. That is 17% above the national median and 10% below the District of Columbia median. BLS reports 2,750 employed locally.
Median wage
Verified$157,980
+17% vs national
Top 10% earn
$221,890
90th percentile
Employed in metro
2,750
Reliability Moderate (11.3% RSE)
Aerospace Engineer pay — Washington, D.C. vs District of Columbia vs national
All three distributions are published BLS percentiles on a single shared scale.
| Percentile | Annual wage | vs national |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentileentry / low | $100,370 | +18% |
| 25th percentile | $128,250 | +22% |
| Median50th percentile | $157,980 | +17% |
| 75th percentile | $191,880 | +10% |
| 90th percentiletop earners | $221,890 | +8% |
| Meanaverage | $160,510 | +14% |
How concentrated aerospace engineers are in Washington, D.C.
Location quotient compares local concentration to the national rate. Above 1.00 means this metro employs the occupation more densely than the country overall.
Location quotient
1.99
Jobs per 1,000
0.88
Metro rank (pay)
#8 of 83
All engineering roles
$144,482
At a location quotient of 1.99, Washington, D.C. is a genuine hub for this discipline — the occupation is roughly 2.0× as concentrated here as nationally, which usually means deeper employer competition and more lateral options.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a aerospace engineer make in Washington, D.C.?
Does Washington, D.C. pay more than the rest of District of Columbia?
Where does Washington, D.C. rank nationally for aerospace engineers?
Source details
Published wage from BLS OEWS May 2024 for SOC 17-2011 (Aerospace Engineers), Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV (metro area).
Benchmarks come from published government wage data via BLS OEWS. Local and emerging-role figures are labeled estimates. Full methodology →