Salary comparison
Aerospace Engineer vs Electrical Engineer salary
Aerospace Engineers out-earn electrical engineers by about $22,920 at the median. Here is the full side-by-side breakdown — pay range, top states, and experience.
Aerospace Engineers earn more — a median of $134,830 versus $111,910 for electrical engineers, a gap of about $22,920 (20%). Both figures are published national wage benchmarks.
Aerospace Engineer
Verified$134,830
Median annual wage
- Entry (10th pct)
- $85,350
- Top 10%
- $205,850
- Discipline
- Architecture & Engineering
Electrical Engineer
Verified$111,910
Median annual wage
- Entry (10th pct)
- $74,670
- Top 10%
- $175,460
- Discipline
- Architecture & Engineering
Aerospace Engineer vs Electrical Engineer — pay distribution
Percentile-by-percentile comparison of national annual wages.
| Percentile | Annual wage |
|---|---|
| 10th percentileAerospace Engineer | $85,350 |
| MedianAerospace Engineer | $134,830 |
| 90th percentileAerospace Engineer | $205,850 |
| 10th percentileElectrical Engineer | $74,670 |
| MedianElectrical Engineer | $111,910 |
| 90th percentileElectrical Engineer | $175,460 |
Pay by experience
Modeled progression from entry to principal level for each role (estimated from the national percentile curve).
Aerospace Engineer
Electrical Engineer
Where each role pays most
Highest-paying states by published median wage.
Aerospace Engineer
- District of Columbia$175,350
- Washington$158,600
- Maryland$158,220
- Massachusetts$152,210
- Colorado$151,570
Electrical Engineer
- New Mexico$143,850
- California$140,360
- District of Columbia$138,860
- New Hampshire$131,790
- Washington$130,730
Which should you choose?
On pay alone, aerospace engineers earn about 20% more at the median — but location and specialization routinely move pay by more than that gap.
Pick aerospace engineer if…
Aerospace engineers design aircraft, spacecraft, satellites, and missiles, and test prototypes to ensure they function safely.
- ▹Defense/space clearance requirements
- ▹Industry (commercial aviation, defense, new space)
- ▹Years of experience
Pick electrical engineer if…
Electrical engineers design, develop, and test electrical equipment and systems, from power generation to electronics.
- ▹Industry (semiconductors and power vs. general manufacturing)
- ▹Years of experience and seniority
- ▹Specialization (power, RF, embedded, controls)
Aerospace Engineer vs Electrical Engineer — frequently asked
Who earns more, aerospace engineers or electrical engineers?
What is the salary range for aerospace engineers vs electrical engineers?
Should I become a aerospace engineer or a electrical engineer?
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 →