What is the average aerospace engineer salary?

Aerospace engineers earn a national median of approximately $134,960—one of the highest median salaries for bachelor's-level engineering. Entry-level aerospace engineers start at $75,000-$95,000. Mid-level engineers earn $100,000-$135,000. Senior aerospace engineers earn $130,000-$175,000+. At defense primes and commercial space companies, total compensation for experienced engineers can reach $150,000-$250,000 including bonuses and equity.

Where do aerospace engineers earn the most?

Commercial space companies (SpaceX, Blue Origin, Rocket Lab) are often cited among the best-paying employers for aerospace engineers, though pay varies widely by role and seniority. Defense contractors (Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman, Raytheon, Boeing Defense) pay well and add a significant security clearance premium. NASA civil servants earn slightly below the private sector but have outstanding job security and benefits. California, Washington, Texas, and the DC/Virginia corridor have the highest aerospace engineer concentrations and average pay.

Is a security clearance required for aerospace engineering?

Many aerospace engineering roles—especially at defense contractors and certain government programs—require a security clearance (Secret or Top Secret). Clearance eligibility is not guaranteed and must be sponsored by an employer. A clearance significantly increases compensation: Secret clearance adds approximately $10,000-$20,000; Top Secret/SCI adds $20,000-$50,000+ over comparable uncleaned positions. Commercial space (SpaceX, Blue Origin) generally does not require clearances, though some classified programs do.

How does aerospace engineer salary compare to mechanical engineer salary?

Aerospace engineers' median pay ($134,960) is about 30% above mechanical engineers' ($104,110), according to BLS data for May 2025. The BLS cites aerospace median at $126,000 vs. mechanical engineer median at $97,000. The premium reflects the specialized nature of the work, the defense and national security budget driving demand, and the limited number of employers and entry points in the field. At senior levels both can reach similar ceilings, but the median gap is consistent across experience levels.

Aerospace Engineer Salary (2026): Defense, NASA & Commercial Space Pay

Aerospace engineering is among the highest-paid engineering disciplines at the bachelor’s level, blending mechanical, electrical, and materials engineering with the demanding standards of flight-critical systems.

Pay at a Glance (BLS Data)

Bureau of Labor Statistics wage estimates for aerospace engineers, across all industries:

Percentile	Annual Wage	Hourly Equivalent
10th (entry level)	$86,700	$41.68
25th	$106,110	$51.01
50th (median)	$134,960	$64.88
75th	$169,690	$81.58
90th	$205,890	$98.99
Average (mean)	$142,060	$68.30

Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, for Aerospace Engineers (all industries). Hourly figures are annual wages divided by 2,080 hours. “Not published” means BLS withheld the estimate, usually because wages are above its top reporting limit.

Aerospace Engineer Salary by Experience Level

Experience	Level	Salary Range
0-3 years	Entry-level (BS degree)	$73,000-$95,000
3-7 years	Engineer II / III	$95,000-$130,000
7-12 years	Senior Aerospace Engineer	$128,000-$165,000
12+ years	Principal / Staff Engineer	$160,000-$205,000
Management	Engineering Manager / Program Manager	$155,000-$220,000+

Salary by Sector and Employer

Sector	Notes
Commercial space (SpaceX, Blue Origin, Rocket Lab)	Highest pay; aggressive; demanding
Defense prime contractors	Clearance required; strong benefits
Government (NASA civil servant)	GS scale; excellent benefits, stability
Boeing (commercial and defense)	Large employer; wide range by program
Lockheed Martin	Defense focus; clearance premium
Northrop Grumman	Space systems, defense electronics
Raytheon / RTX	Missiles, avionics, defense
Smaller aerospace suppliers	Wide variation

Security Clearance Premium

Clearance Level	Salary Premium
None (commercial focus)	Baseline
Secret	+$10,000-$20,000
Top Secret	+$20,000-$35,000
TS/SCI	+$30,000-$55,000
TS/SCI + Poly	+$40,000-$75,000+

Clearances are most valuable in the DC-Maryland-Virginia corridor, Huntsville AL (NASA/defense), and Southern California defense hub.

Aerospace Engineer Salary by State

Rank	State	Avg Salary	Starting Salary	Median Salary
1	California	$159,960	$104,370	$157,620
2	Maryland	$159,590	$97,460	$156,750
3	Hawaii	$158,520	$117,700	$137,240
4	Colorado	$157,060	$101,970	$156,190
5	Washington	$156,000	$112,580	$158,370
6	Virginia	$155,770	$95,420	$143,210
7	District of Columbia	$154,410	$98,200	$157,600
8	Massachusetts	$145,810	$89,750	$149,470
9	Minnesota	$145,470	$85,330	$159,060
10	Nebraska	$145,420	$86,760	$135,670
11	Louisiana	$143,670	$110,300	$136,970
12	New Mexico	$141,430	$97,350	$132,850
13	Georgia	$140,290	$84,520	$140,460
14	Missouri	$139,820	$80,390	$130,680
15	Utah	$139,280	$85,230	$135,840
16	Vermont	$138,620	$93,460	$144,400
17	Ohio	$137,590	$82,830	$138,440
18	Texas	$137,010	$82,990	$130,270
19	New York	$135,720	$89,130	$130,330
20	Pennsylvania	$135,340	$89,230	$133,940
21	Kentucky	$133,200	$100,440	$126,130
22	Alabama	$131,910	$78,660	$127,540
23	New Jersey	$131,410	$103,230	$126,430
24	South Carolina	$131,390	$81,460	$137,030
25	Florida	$131,070	$84,210	$129,280
26	Arizona	$130,150	$88,920	$123,170
27	Oregon	$130,080	$85,070	$124,630
28	Connecticut	$128,380	$86,420	$129,500
29	North Carolina	$127,500	$79,310	$122,930
30	Michigan	$125,820	$76,130	$128,960
31	Illinois	$125,610	$78,170	$108,940
32	Kansas	$125,550	$80,860	$130,330
33	Tennessee	$122,320	$79,690	$128,510
34	Oklahoma	$120,160	$80,040	$125,470
35	Mississippi	$118,560	$78,640	$109,200
36	Nevada	$118,420	$77,920	$96,730
37	Indiana	$118,360	$82,530	$107,400
38	Alaska	$113,920	$81,650	$101,710
39	Wisconsin	$103,580	$65,720	$88,400
40	Arkansas	$102,100	$72,590	$102,040
41	Idaho	$98,710	$64,870	$95,700
—	National	$142,060	$86,700	$134,960

Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS, 2025 estimates, fetched 2026-09-29. Figures cover Aerospace Engineers (cross-industry). Some states are omitted where BLS did not publish a reliable estimate.

Aerospace Specializations and Pay

Specialization	Salary Range	Notes
Propulsion engineer	$115,000-$175,000	High demand; SpaceX premium
Structures / stress engineer	$105,000-$160,000	Flight-critical; core aerospace
GNC (guidance, navigation, control)	$115,000-$175,000	Software-heavy; space vehicles
Avionics / flight systems	$110,000-$165,000	Electronics + flight software
Systems engineer (SE)	$115,000-$170,000	Integration; requirements management
Mission design	$110,000-$165,000	Orbital mechanics, trajectory design
Aerodynamicist	$105,000-$158,000	CFD-heavy; wind tunnel, simulation
Satellite systems	$110,000-$165,000	Growing commercial satellite industry

Reaching $200,000+ as an Aerospace Engineer

Path	Requirements
Senior / Staff engineer at SpaceX	Deep propulsion, GNC, or systems expertise; competitive culture
Program Manager at defense prime	MBA optional; technical depth + leadership
Senior classified program (TS/SCI + poly)	Top Secret Poly in NRO or similar programs
Principal engineer / technical fellow	15-20 years deep technical depth
Government SES (Senior Executive Service)	Senior federal leadership track

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Aerospace engineering salaries are tracked in the profession salary guides hub. Compare earnings with a closely related field in the mechanical engineer salary guide, and benchmark against national pay ranges at the good salary hub.

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