Salary Range & Percentiles
Pay distribution across experience levels
- 10th Percentile — Entry Level$86,700
- 25th Percentile — Junior$106,110
- 50th Percentile — Median$134,960
- 75th Percentile — Senior$169,690
- 90th Percentile — Top Earners$205,890
The top 10% of Aerospace Engineers earn $205,890 or more per year. Entry-level professionals can expect to start around $86,700, with significant growth over the first 5 years.
Salary by State
Geographic salary comparison
| State | Avg Salary | vs National |
|---|---|---|
| Rhode Island (est.) | $163,369 | +15.0% |
| New Hampshire (est.) | $161,948 | +14.0% |
| California | $159,960 | +12.6% |
| Maryland | $159,590 | +12.3% |
| Hawaii | $158,520 | +11.6% |
| Colorado | $157,060 | +10.6% |
| Washington | $156,000 | +9.8% |
| Virginia | $155,770 | +9.7% |
| District of Columbia | $154,410 | +8.7% |
| Delaware (est.) | $149,163 | +5.0% |
| Massachusetts | $145,810 | +2.6% |
| Minnesota | $145,470 | +2.4% |
| Nebraska | $145,420 | +2.4% |
| Maine (est.) | $144,901 | +2.0% |
| Louisiana | $143,670 | +1.1% |
| New Mexico | $141,430 | -0.4% |
| Georgia | $140,290 | -1.2% |
| Missouri | $139,820 | -1.6% |
| Utah | $139,280 | -2.0% |
| Vermont | $138,620 | -2.4% |
| Ohio | $137,590 | -3.1% |
| Texas | $137,010 | -3.6% |
| New York | $135,720 | -4.5% |
| Pennsylvania | $135,340 | -4.7% |
| Montana (est.) | $134,957 | -5.0% |
| Kentucky | $133,200 | -6.2% |
| Wyoming (est.) | $132,116 | -7.0% |
| Alabama | $131,910 | -7.1% |
| New Jersey | $131,410 | -7.5% |
| South Carolina | $131,390 | -7.5% |
| Florida | $131,070 | -7.7% |
| North Dakota (est.) | $130,695 | -8.0% |
| Arizona | $130,150 | -8.4% |
| Oregon | $130,080 | -8.4% |
| Connecticut | $128,380 | -9.6% |
| North Carolina | $127,500 | -10.2% |
| Michigan | $125,820 | -11.4% |
| Illinois | $125,610 | -11.6% |
| Kansas | $125,550 | -11.6% |
| South Dakota (est.) | $123,592 | -13.0% |
| Tennessee | $122,320 | -13.9% |
| Iowa (est.) | $122,172 | -14.0% |
| Oklahoma | $120,160 | -15.4% |
| Mississippi | $118,560 | -16.5% |
| Nevada | $118,420 | -16.6% |
| Indiana | $118,360 | -16.7% |
| Alaska | $113,920 | -19.8% |
| West Virginia (est.) | $110,807 | -22.0% |
| Wisconsin | $103,580 | -27.1% |
| Arkansas | $102,100 | -28.1% |
| Idaho | $98,710 | -30.5% |
What Factors Affect Aerospace Engineers Salary?
Key factors affecting compensation
Pay for Aerospace Engineers is influenced by geographic location, years of experience, employer type, and educational background. Location alone is a large factor: California pays an average of $159,960, while Idaho pays $98,710 — a gap of $61,250 per year.
The middle half of Aerospace Engineers earn between $106,110 and $169,690 per year. The lowest-paid 10% earn under $86,700, while the top 10% earn more than $205,890.
These figures are the wages employers report to BLS: base pay plus commissions, production bonuses and tips. They exclude overtime pay, shift differentials, year-end bonuses, benefits and self-employed workers, so total compensation can be higher than the numbers shown.
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OES) · May 2025
Compare with Similar Jobs
Related career salary benchmarks
- Mechanical Engineers $113,610/yr United States 20.0% vs this role
- Civil Engineers $108,670/yr United States 23.5% vs this role
- Electrical Engineers $125,100/yr United States 11.9% vs this role
- Industrial Engineers $109,900/yr United States 22.6% vs this role
- Chemical Engineers $129,980/yr United States 8.5% vs this role
- Environmental Engineers $112,910/yr United States 20.5% vs this role
- Registered Nurses $101,420/yr United States 28.6% vs this role
- Nurse Practitioners $137,300/yr United States 3.4% vs this role
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about this salary
What is the average salary for Aerospace Engineers?
The average salary for Aerospace Engineers in the United States is $142,060 per year, with a median of $134,960.
What is the starting salary for Aerospace Engineers?
Entry-level Aerospace Engineers typically earn between $86,700 and $106,110 per year depending on location and employer.
What state pays Aerospace Engineers the most?
California pays Aerospace Engineers the most at $159,960 per year on average, followed by Maryland ($159,590) and Hawaii ($158,520).
How much do Aerospace Engineers make per hour?
Based on the average annual salary of $142,060, Aerospace Engineers earn approximately $68.3 per hour (based on 2,080 working hours/year).
Is Aerospace Engineers a good career in 2026?
BLS counts 67,710 Aerospace Engineers jobs in the United States, with a mean annual wage of $142,060 and a median of $134,960 (OEWS May 2025). This site does not publish job-growth projections; the BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook covers the outlook for each occupation.
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