Aerospace Engineer Salary in Los Angeles, CA
Aerospace Engineers in the Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA metro area earn a median $163,280 a year — 21% more than the national median. After 2026 taxes, that is $109,790 take-home, or $9,149 a month.
Take-home pay calculator
Pre-filled with the median aerospace engineer salary in Los Angeles, CA. Enter your own offer to see your paycheck.
- Federal income tax$27,921
- Social Security (6.2%)$10,123
- Medicare (1.45%)$2,368
- California income tax$10,955
- CA State Disability Insurance (SDI)$2,123
- Take-home pay$109,790
Marginal rate: 24% federal + 9.30% state
Aerospace Engineer pay by experience in Los Angeles, CA
| Percentile | Salary | Hourly | Take-home / yr | Per month |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $108,330 | $52.08 | $77,787 | $6,482 |
| 25th percentile | $130,530 | $62.75 | $90,877 | $7,573 |
| Median (50th) | $163,280 | $78.50 | $109,790 | $9,149 |
| 75th percentile | $183,190 | $88.07 | $121,288 | $10,107 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $227,440 | $109.35 | $148,492 | $12,374 |
Wages: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Take-home: single filer, California resident, 2026 tax rules.
What $163,280 buys in Los Angeles, CA
Prices in Los Angeles, CA are 13.6% higher than the U.S. average (housing costs are 1.70× the national average). Adjusted for local prices, a median aerospace engineer's $109,790 take-home pay has the buying power of $96,675 in a typical American city.
Rents: HUD Fair Market Rents, FY2026 (40th-percentile gross rent incl. utilities). Price levels: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024.
Los Angeles, CA has 1.9× the national concentration of aerospace engineer jobs — a strong local market for this occupation.
Best-paying cities for aerospace engineers, adjusted for cost of living
Los Angeles, CA ranks #21 of 28 metro areas once taxes and local prices are taken into account.
| # | Metro area | Median salary | Take-home | Real value* |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Boulder, CO | $167,160 | $118,873 | $112,995 |
| 2 | Cleveland, OH | $143,020 | $105,869 | $112,719 |
| 3 | Baltimore, MD | $166,980 | $117,563 | $112,515 |
| 4 | Seattle, WA | $163,580 | $123,073 | $110,744 |
| 5 | San Francisco, CA | $191,260 | $126,367 | $109,302 |
| 6 | San Jose, CA | $181,630 | $120,387 | $109,023 |
| 7 | Colorado Springs, CO | $151,980 | $109,166 | $108,399 |
| 8 | Wichita, KS | $130,720 | $94,119 | $105,815 |
| 21 | Los Angeles, CA | $163,280 | $109,790 | $96,675 |
*Take-home pay divided by the BEA price level, so every city is measured in U.S.-average dollars. See all 28 metros →
Aerospace Engineer salaries elsewhere in California
- San Francisco, CA — $191,260
- San Jose, CA — $181,630
- Bakersfield, CA — $128,720
- San Diego, CA — $135,010
Frequently asked questions
How much does a aerospace engineer make in Los Angeles, CA?
The median aerospace engineer salary in the Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA metro area is $163,280 a year, or about $78.50 an hour, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025). The middle half earn between $130,530 and $183,190.
What is a aerospace engineer’s take-home pay in Los Angeles, CA?
On the median $163,280 salary, a single filer living in California takes home about $109,790 a year ($9,149 a month) after federal tax, Social Security, Medicare and $13,078 in California taxes in 2026.
Is Los Angeles, CA a good place to work as a aerospace engineer?
Pay here is 21% above the national median of $134,960. Local prices are 13.6% above the U.S. average, so the take-home pay buys what $96,675 would in a typical U.S. city. Los Angeles, CA ranks #21 of 28 metro areas for cost-of-living-adjusted pay in this job.
Can a aerospace engineer afford rent in Los Angeles, CA?
HUD’s fair market rent for a one-bedroom in Los Angeles, CA is $2,245 a month ($2,755 for two bedrooms) — 25% of a median aerospace engineer’s monthly take-home pay. Financial planners usually suggest keeping rent under about 30%.
Related jobs in Los Angeles, CA
- Computer Hardware Engineer — $158,530
- Electronics Engineers, Except Computer — $140,530
- Electrical Engineer — $139,780
- Health and Safety Engineers, Except Mining Safety Engineers and Inspectors — $131,540
- Bioengineer and Biomedical Engineer — $128,240
- Environmental Engineer — $127,900
- Materials Engineer — $125,200
- Engineers, All Other — $125,060
- Mechanical Engineer — $123,900
- Industrial Engineer — $113,040
- Civil Engineer — $108,640
- Architects, Except Landscape and Naval — $104,170