Aerospace Engineer salary in the U.S.
Aerospace Engineers in the U.S. earn a median of $134,960 a year ($64.89 an hour), based on BLS data for 67,710 workers.
Pay ranges from $86,700 for the lowest-paid 10% to $205,890 for the top 10%. The average (mean) salary is $142,060, above the median because a few high earners pull it up.
Pay range for aerospace engineers in the U.S.
| Pay level | Yearly | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $86,700 | $41.68 |
| 25th percentile | $106,110 | $51.02 |
| Median | $134,960 | $64.89 |
| 75th percentile | $169,690 | $81.58 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $205,890 | $98.98 |
| Average (mean) | $142,060 | $68.30 |
Half of aerospace engineers earn more than the median and half earn less. Percentiles show the spread: 10% earn less than the 10th percentile, and 10% earn more than the 90th.
Median paycheck, before taxes
| Pay period | Amount |
|---|---|
| Monthly | $11,246.67 |
| Semi-monthly (24 a year) | $5,623.33 |
| Biweekly (26 a year) | $5,190.77 |
| Weekly | $2,595.38 |
| Hourly | $64.89 |
Based on a full-time year of 2,080 hours. Convert any amount with the hourly to salary converter.
Aerospace Engineer salary by state
| State | Median salary | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Minnesota | $159,060 | 140 |
| Washington | $158,370 | 5,760 |
| California | $157,620 | 9,170 |
| District of Columbia | $157,600 | 290 |
| Maryland | $156,750 | 3,180 |
| Colorado | $156,190 | 4,070 |
| Massachusetts | $149,470 | 990 |
| Vermont | $144,400 | 100 |
| Virginia | $143,210 | 2,540 |
| Georgia | $140,460 | 2,230 |
| Ohio | $138,440 | 3,710 |
| Hawaii | $137,240 | 40 |
| South Carolina | $137,030 | 650 |
| Louisiana | $136,970 | 90 |
| Utah | $135,840 | 1,010 |
| Nebraska | $135,670 | 130 |
| Pennsylvania | $133,940 | 990 |
| New Mexico | $132,850 | 570 |
| Missouri | $130,680 | 650 |
| Kansas | $130,330 | 1,730 |
| New York | $130,330 | 560 |
| Texas | $130,270 | 6,750 |
| Connecticut | $129,500 | 1,160 |
| Florida | $129,280 | 3,250 |
| Michigan | $128,960 | n/a |
| Tennessee | $128,510 | 610 |
| Alabama | $127,540 | 5,820 |
| New Jersey | $126,430 | 3,400 |
| Kentucky | $126,130 | 290 |
| Oklahoma | $125,470 | 1,090 |
| Oregon | $124,630 | 250 |
| Arizona | $123,170 | 3,110 |
| North Carolina | $122,930 | 650 |
| Mississippi | $109,200 | 90 |
| Illinois | $108,940 | 200 |
| Indiana | $107,400 | 440 |
| Arkansas | $102,040 | 180 |
| Alaska | $101,710 | 100 |
| Nevada | $96,730 | 270 |
| Idaho | $95,700 | 190 |
| Wisconsin | $88,400 | 120 |
Best-paying metro areas for aerospace engineers
| Metro area | Median salary | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $191,260 | 510 |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $181,630 | 930 |
| Omaha, NE-IA | $171,380 | n/a |
| Boulder, CO | $167,160 | 800 |
| Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD | $166,980 | 1,220 |
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | $166,420 | 2,420 |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | $163,580 | 5,480 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | $163,280 | 5,200 |
| Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI | $159,950 | 120 |
| Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO | $156,190 | 2,010 |
| Colorado Springs, CO | $151,980 | 990 |
| Provo-Orem-Lehi, UT | $150,700 | 40 |
| Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA | $150,220 | n/a |
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | $149,470 | 960 |
| New Orleans-Metairie, LA | $149,430 | 40 |
Metro areas with the most aerospace engineers
| Metro area | Workers | Median salary |
|---|---|---|
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | 5,480 | $163,580 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | 5,200 | $163,280 |
| Huntsville, AL | 4,880 | $131,090 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | 3,430 | $134,570 |
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | 2,420 | $166,420 |
| Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO | 2,010 | $156,190 |
| Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX | 1,890 | $133,970 |
| Tucson, AZ | 1,720 | $106,760 |
| Wichita, KS | 1,430 | $130,720 |
| Dayton-Kettering-Beavercreek, OH | 1,400 | $129,410 |
| Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville, FL | 1,360 | $131,570 |
| Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ | 1,360 | $130,470 |
| Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD | 1,220 | $166,980 |
| Colorado Springs, CO | 990 | $151,980 |
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | 960 | $149,470 |
Related jobs in the U.S.
| Job | Median salary | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| Civil Engineer | $100,840 | $48.48 |
| Industrial Engineer | $102,440 | $49.25 |
| Mechanical Engineer | $104,110 | $50.05 |
| Electrical Engineer | $120,630 | $58.00 |
| Engineers, All Other | $122,930 | $59.10 |
| Electronics Engineers, Except Computer | $130,220 | $62.60 |
| Computer Hardware Engineer | $161,740 | $77.76 |
| Environmental Engineer | $107,110 | $51.50 |
| Bioengineers and Biomedical Engineers | $109,370 | $52.58 |
| Materials Engineer | $112,860 | $54.26 |
| Health and Safety Engineers, Except Mining Safety Engineers and Inspectors | $115,160 | $55.36 |
| Chemical Engineer | $125,040 | $60.12 |
| Petroleum Engineer | $144,910 | $69.67 |
| Nuclear Engineer | $133,970 | $64.41 |
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 estimates, occupation code 17-2011. Wages include base pay, tips, commissions and shift pay, but not overtime, bonuses or benefits, and exclude the self-employed.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a aerospace engineer make in the U.S.?
The median salary for aerospace engineers in the U.S. is $134,960 a year, or $64.89 an hour. Pay ranges from $86,700 for the lowest-paid 10% to $205,890 for the top 10%.
How much do the highest-paid aerospace engineers make in the U.S.?
The top 10% of aerospace engineers in the U.S. earn at least $205,890 a year. The top 25% earn $169,690 or more.
What is the starting pay for aerospace engineers in the U.S.?
Entry-level pay (the 10th percentile) is about $86,700 a year, and a quarter of aerospace engineers earn $106,110 or less.
How many aerospace engineers work in the U.S.?
About 67,710 aerospace engineers are employed in the U.S., not counting the self-employed.