Aerospace Engineer Salary
Aerospace Engineers earn a median $134,960 a year nationally. Architecture and Engineering Occupations
U.S. median
$134,960
$64.88 per hour
Range
$86,700 – $205,890
10th to 90th percentile
Employed
67,710
across the U.S.
Aerospace Engineer take-home pay calculator
Starts at the national median. Pick your state to see your real paycheck.
Your take-home pay
$103,511
per year · effective tax rate 23.3%
$8,626Monthly
$4,313Twice a month
$3,981Every 2 weeks
$49.76Hourly
- Federal income tax$21,124
- Social Security (6.2%)$8,368
- Medicare (1.45%)$1,957
- Texas income tax$0
- Take-home pay$103,511
Marginal rate: 24% federal + 0.00% state
Pay by experience
| Percentile | Salary | Hourly | Take-home (no state tax) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $86,700 | $41.68 | $69,823 |
| 25th percentile | $106,110 | $51.01 | $83,478 |
| Median (50th) | $134,960 | $64.88 | $103,511 |
| 75th percentile | $169,690 | $81.58 | $127,249 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $205,890 | $98.99 | $153,265 |
Best cities for aerospace engineers (after tax & cost of living)
| # | Metro area | Median | Take-home | Real value* | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Boulder, CO | $167,160 | $118,873 | $112,995 | 800 |
| 2 | Cleveland, OH | $143,020 | $105,869 | $112,719 | 460 |
| 3 | Baltimore, MD | $166,980 | $117,563 | $112,515 | 1,220 |
| 4 | Seattle, WA | $163,580 | $123,073 | $110,744 | 5,480 |
| 5 | San Francisco, CA | $191,260 | $126,367 | $109,302 | 510 |
| 6 | San Jose, CA | $181,630 | $120,387 | $109,023 | 930 |
| 7 | Colorado Springs, CO | $151,980 | $109,166 | $108,399 | 990 |
| 8 | Wichita, KS | $130,720 | $94,119 | $105,815 | 1,430 |
| 9 | Denver, CO | $156,190 | $111,858 | $105,744 | 2,010 |
| 10 | Oklahoma City, OK | $130,230 | $94,963 | $105,039 | 740 |
| 11 | Dayton, OH | $129,410 | $96,941 | $104,582 | 1,400 |
| 12 | Washington, DC | $166,420 | $113,837 | $104,549 | 2,420 |
| 13 | Houston, TX | $133,970 | $102,834 | $104,264 | 1,890 |
| 14 | Huntsville, AL | $131,090 | $94,577 | $101,617 | 4,880 |
| 15 | Palm Bay, FL | $131,570 | $101,194 | $101,189 | 1,360 |
| 16 | Virginia Beach, VA | $139,010 | $99,100 | $101,184 | 800 |
| 17 | Dallas, TX | $134,570 | $103,245 | $100,150 | 3,430 |
| 18 | Lexington Park, MD | $138,380 | $99,543 | $98,792 | 960 |
| 19 | Boston, MA | $149,470 | $106,175 | $98,069 | 960 |
| 20 | Ogden, UT | $134,240 | $97,944 | $97,604 | 550 |
| 21 | Los Angeles, CA | $163,280 | $109,790 | $96,675 | 5,200 |
| 22 | Phoenix, AZ | $130,470 | $97,389 | $94,263 | 1,360 |
| 23 | Bakersfield, CA | $128,720 | $89,831 | $89,042 | 700 |
| 24 | Miami, FL | $131,210 | $100,948 | $88,431 | 460 |
| 25 | Tucson, AZ | $106,760 | $81,475 | $84,085 | 1,720 |
*Take-home pay in U.S.-average dollars (BEA Regional Price Parities).
Highest-paying cities
- San Francisco, CA — $191,260
- San Jose, CA — $181,630
- Boulder, CO — $167,160
- Baltimore, MD — $166,980
- Washington, DC — $166,420
- Seattle, WA — $163,580
- Los Angeles, CA — $163,280
- Denver, CO — $156,190
- Colorado Springs, CO — $151,980
- Boston, MA — $149,470
- Cleveland, OH — $143,020
- Virginia Beach, VA — $139,010
- Lexington Park, MD — $138,380
- San Diego, CA — $135,010
- Dallas, TX — $134,570
Aerospace Engineer salary by state
| State | Median | Take-home | Range | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Minnesota | $159,060 | $110,330 | $85,330 – $194,950 | 140 |
| Washington | $158,370 | $119,512 | $112,580 – $207,710 | 5,760 |
| California | $157,620 | $106,521 | $104,370 – $220,670 | 9,170 |
| District of Columbia | $157,600 | $108,558 | $98,200 – $196,310 | 290 |
| Maryland | $156,750 | $111,134 | $97,460 – $232,930 | 3,180 |
| Colorado | $156,190 | $111,858 | $101,970 – $210,410 | 4,070 |
| Massachusetts | $149,470 | $106,175 | $89,750 – $217,840 | 990 |
| Vermont | $144,400 | $102,776 | $93,460 – $172,160 | 100 |
| Virginia | $143,210 | $101,730 | $95,420 – $226,950 | 2,540 |
| Georgia | $140,460 | $100,603 | $84,520 – $205,540 | 2,230 |
| Ohio | $138,440 | $102,865 | $82,830 – $201,670 | 3,710 |
| Hawaii | $137,240 | $96,149 | $117,700 – $239,200+ | 40 |
| South Carolina | $137,030 | $97,861 | $81,460 – $170,150 | 650 |
| Louisiana | $136,970 | $101,162 | $110,300 – $197,930 | 90 |
| Utah | $135,840 | $98,966 | $85,230 – $183,810 | 1,010 |
| Nebraska | $135,670 | $98,703 | $86,760 – $217,240 | 130 |
| Pennsylvania | $133,940 | $98,702 | $89,230 – $179,820 | 990 |
| New Mexico | $132,850 | $96,890 | $97,350 – $195,110 | 570 |
| Missouri | $130,680 | $95,381 | $80,390 – $179,260 | 650 |
| Kansas | $130,330 | $93,874 | $80,860 – $167,400 | 1,730 |
| New York | $130,330 | $93,697 | $89,130 – $202,690 | 560 |
| Texas | $130,270 | $100,306 | $82,990 – $195,190 | 6,750 |
| Connecticut | $129,500 | $94,159 | $86,420 – $163,930 | 1,160 |
| Florida | $129,280 | $99,629 | $84,210 – $177,070 | 3,250 |
| Michigan | $128,960 | $94,180 | $76,130 – $180,160 | — |
| Tennessee | $128,510 | $99,103 | $79,690 – $171,560 | 610 |
| Alabama | $127,540 | $92,328 | $78,660 – $195,190 | 5,820 |
| New Jersey | $126,430 | $91,817 | $103,230 – $163,770 | 3,400 |
| Kentucky | $126,130 | $93,179 | $100,440 – $172,340 | 290 |
| Oklahoma | $125,470 | $91,924 | $80,040 – $161,780 | 1,090 |
| Oregon | $124,630 | $86,375 | $85,070 – $179,470 | 250 |
| Arizona | $123,170 | $92,582 | $88,920 – $193,990 | 3,110 |
| North Carolina | $122,930 | $90,892 | $79,310 – $176,720 | 650 |
| Mississippi | $109,200 | $82,016 | $78,640 – $171,220 | 90 |
| Illinois | $108,940 | $80,222 | $78,170 – $184,520 | 200 |
| Indiana | $107,400 | $81,247 | $82,530 – $176,860 | 440 |
| Arkansas | $102,040 | $76,848 | $72,590 – $155,680 | 180 |
| Alaska | $101,710 | $80,383 | $81,650 – $170,340 | 100 |
| Nevada | $96,730 | $76,880 | $77,920 – $179,050 | 270 |
| Idaho | $95,700 | $72,191 | $64,870 – $139,190 | 190 |
| Wisconsin | $88,400 | $67,715 | $65,720 – $147,560 | 120 |
Frequently asked questions
How much does a aerospace engineer make?
The national median salary for aerospace engineers is $134,960 a year ($64.88 an hour). The lowest-paid 10% earn under $86,700 and the top 10% earn over $205,890. Source: BLS, May 2025.
Which state pays aerospace engineers the most?
Minnesota has the highest median pay at $159,060. After taxes and local prices, Boulder, CO offers the best real take-home pay of any metro area.
How many aerospace engineers are there in the U.S.?
About 67,710 people work as aerospace engineers nationwide.
All 28 cities
- Bakersfield, CA
- Baltimore, MD
- Boston, MA
- Boulder, CO
- Cleveland, OH
- Colorado Springs, CO
- Dallas, TX
- Dayton, OH
- Denver, CO
- Hartford, CT
- Houston, TX
- Huntsville, AL
- Lexington Park, MD
- Los Angeles, CA
- Miami, FL
- New York, NY
- Ogden, UT
- Oklahoma City, OK
- Palm Bay, FL
- Phoenix, AZ
- San Diego, CA
- San Francisco, CA
- San Jose, CA
- Seattle, WA
- Tucson, AZ
- Virginia Beach, VA
- Washington, DC
- Wichita, KS