Aerospace Engineers Career, Salary and Skills
Aerospace Engineers have a BLS-reported national median annual wage of $134,960 based on the 2025 OEWS dataset, with reported national employment of 67,710. Wage data is published for 130 locations.
Occupation description
Perform engineering duties in designing, constructing, and testing aircraft, missiles, and spacecraft. May conduct basic and applied research to evaluate adaptability of materials and equipment to aircraft design and manufacture. May recommend improvements in testing equipment and techniques.
O*NET code
17-2011.00
Job zone
4
Typical education
Not recorded
Experience
Over 1 year, up to and including 2 years
National salary and employment
Median annual
$134,960
Hourly median
$64.89
Employment
67,710
Data year
2025
National salary distribution
Top skills
| Skill | Importance | Level |
|---|---|---|
| Critical Thinking | 4.12 | 4.88 |
| Reading Comprehension | 4.12 | 5.00 |
| Writing | 4.00 | 4.75 |
| Mathematics | 4.00 | 5.25 |
| Science | 4.00 | 5.12 |
| Judgment and Decision Making | 4.00 | 4.12 |
| Complex Problem Solving | 4.00 | 4.12 |
| Active Listening | 3.88 | 4.00 |
| Active Learning | 3.88 | 4.12 |
| Speaking | 3.88 | 4.12 |
Typical tasks
- Maintain records of performance reports for future reference.
- Formulate conceptual design of aeronautical or aerospace products or systems to meet customer requirements or conform to environmental regulations.
- Evaluate product data or design from inspections or reports for conformance to engineering principles, customer requirements, environmental regulations, or quality standards.
- Direct or coordinate activities of engineering or technical personnel involved in designing, fabricating, modifying, or testing of aircraft or aerospace products.
- Plan or conduct experimental, environmental, operational, or stress tests on models or prototypes of aircraft or aerospace systems or equipment.
- Diagnose performance problems by reviewing reports or documentation from customers or field engineers or by inspecting malfunctioning or damaged products.
- Formulate mathematical models or other methods of computer analysis to develop, evaluate, or modify design, according to customer engineering requirements.
- Write technical reports or other documentation, such as handbooks or bulletins, for use by engineering staff, management, or customers.
Technology
- 1CadCam Unigraphics
- Ada
- Alstom ESARAD
- Alstom ESATAN
- Altera Quartus II
- Analytical Graphics STK Expert Edition
- ANSYS simulation software
- Autodesk AutoCAD
- C
- C#
- C++
- Collier Research HyperSizer
- Computational fluid dynamics CFD software
- Computer aided design and drafting CADD software
Aerospace Engineers salary by location
Areas with the highest reported employment for this occupation.
- Aerospace Engineers Salary in CAMedian $157,620 · Employment 9,170
- Aerospace Engineers Salary in TXMedian $130,270 · Employment 6,750
- Aerospace Engineers Salary in ALMedian $127,540 · Employment 5,820
- Aerospace Engineers Salary in WAMedian $158,370 · Employment 5,760
- Aerospace Engineers Salary in Seattle, WAMedian $163,580 · Employment 5,480
- Aerospace Engineers Salary in Los Angeles, CAMedian $163,280 · Employment 5,200
- Aerospace Engineers Salary in Huntsville, ALMedian $131,090 · Employment 4,880
- Aerospace Engineers Salary in COMedian $156,190 · Employment 4,070
- Aerospace Engineers Salary in OHMedian $138,440 · Employment 3,710
- Aerospace Engineers Salary in Dallas, TXMedian $134,570 · Employment 3,430
- Aerospace Engineers Salary in NJMedian $126,430 · Employment 3,400
- Aerospace Engineers Salary in FLMedian $129,280 · Employment 3,250
Related careers
- Manufacturing EngineersNational median $102,440
- Robotics EngineersNational median $122,930
- Industrial Engineering Technologists and TechniciansNational median $66,120
- Robotics TechniciansNational median $73,900
- Electrical EngineersNational median $120,630
- Calibration Technologists and TechniciansNational median $67,820
- Aircraft Structure, Surfaces, Rigging, and Systems AssemblersNational median $65,380
- Automotive Engineering TechniciansNational median $74,510
Career and skills data: O*NET 31.0 (onetcenter.org). Salary and employment data: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS, 2025 (bls.gov/oes). Figures are published survey estimates, not real-time market data.