Occupational Employment and Wages, May 2020
17-3021 Aerospace Engineering and Operations Technologists and Technicians
Operate, install, adjust, and maintain integrated computer/communications systems, consoles, simulators, and other data acquisition, test, and measurement instruments and equipment, which are used to launch, track, position, and evaluate air and space vehicles. May record and interpret test data.
National estimates for Aerospace Engineering and Operations Technologists and Technicians
Industry profile for Aerospace Engineering and Operations Technologists and Technicians
Geographic profile for Aerospace Engineering and Operations Technologists and Technicians
National estimates for Aerospace Engineering and Operations Technologists and Technicians:
Employment estimate and mean wage estimates for Aerospace Engineering and Operations Technologists and Technicians:
| Employment (1) |
Employment
RSE (3) |
Mean hourly
wage |
Mean annual
wage (2) |
Wage RSE (3) |
| 11,900 |
7.2 % |
$ 33.98 |
$ 70,680 |
1.3 % |
Percentile wage estimates for Aerospace Engineering and Operations Technologists and Technicians:
| Percentile |
10% |
25% |
50%
(Median) |
75% |
90% |
| Hourly Wage |
$ 20.87 |
$ 25.86 |
$ 32.97 |
$ 40.66 |
$ 49.74 |
| Annual Wage (2) |
$ 43,400 |
$ 53,790 |
$ 68,570 |
$ 84,580 |
$ 103,450 |
Industry profile for Aerospace Engineering and Operations Technologists and Technicians:
Industries with the highest published employment and wages for Aerospace Engineering and Operations Technologists and Technicians are provided.
For a list of all industries with employment in Aerospace Engineering and Operations Technologists and Technicians, see the Create Customized Tables function.
Industries with the highest levels of employment in Aerospace Engineering and Operations Technologists and Technicians:
| Industry |
Employment (1) |
Percent of industry employment |
Hourly mean wage |
Annual mean wage (2) |
| Aerospace Product and Parts Manufacturing |
4,220 |
0.81 |
$ 34.05 |
$ 70,820 |
| Architectural, Engineering, and Related Services |
2,580 |
0.17 |
$ 32.69 |
$ 67,990 |
| Scientific Research and Development Services |
1,400 |
0.19 |
$ 32.87 |
$ 68,360 |
| Computer Systems Design and Related Services |
1,110 |
0.05 |
$ 34.02 |
$ 70,760 |
| Navigational, Measuring, Electromedical, and Control Instruments Manufacturing |
690 |
0.16 |
$ 35.60 |
$ 74,040 |
Industries with the highest concentration of employment in Aerospace Engineering and Operations Technologists and Technicians:
| Industry |
Employment (1) |
Percent of industry employment |
Hourly mean wage |
Annual mean wage (2) |
| Aerospace Product and Parts Manufacturing |
4,220 |
0.81 |
$ 34.05 |
$ 70,820 |
| Scientific Research and Development Services |
1,400 |
0.19 |
$ 32.87 |
$ 68,360 |
| Communications Equipment Manufacturing |
150 |
0.18 |
$ 33.26 |
$ 69,180 |
| Architectural, Engineering, and Related Services |
2,580 |
0.17 |
$ 32.69 |
$ 67,990 |
| Navigational, Measuring, Electromedical, and Control Instruments Manufacturing |
690 |
0.16 |
$ 35.60 |
$ 74,040 |
Top paying industries for Aerospace Engineering and Operations Technologists and Technicians:
| Industry |
Employment (1) |
Percent of industry employment |
Hourly mean wage |
Annual mean wage (2) |
| Management of Companies and Enterprises |
430 |
0.02 |
$ 41.81 |
$ 86,970 |
| Semiconductor and Other Electronic Component Manufacturing |
40 |
0.01 |
$ 36.42 |
$ 75,750 |
| Navigational, Measuring, Electromedical, and Control Instruments Manufacturing |
690 |
0.16 |
$ 35.60 |
$ 74,040 |
| Aerospace Product and Parts Manufacturing |
4,220 |
0.81 |
$ 34.05 |
$ 70,820 |
| Computer Systems Design and Related Services |
1,110 |
0.05 |
$ 34.02 |
$ 70,760 |
Geographic profile for Aerospace Engineering and Operations Technologists and Technicians:
States and areas with the highest published employment, location quotients, and wages for Aerospace Engineering and Operations Technologists and Technicians are provided.
For a list of all areas with employment in Aerospace Engineering and Operations Technologists and Technicians, see the Create Customized Tables function.
States with the highest employment level in Aerospace Engineering and Operations Technologists and Technicians:
| State |
Employment (1) |
Employment per thousand jobs |
Location quotient (9) |
Hourly mean wage |
Annual mean wage (2) |
| California |
2,280 |
0.14 |
1.62 |
$ 35.87 |
$ 74,610 |
| Florida |
1,700 |
0.20 |
2.35 |
$ 33.01 |
$ 68,660 |
| Texas |
1,640 |
0.14 |
1.59 |
$ 33.38 |
$ 69,440 |
| Arizona |
860 |
0.30 |
3.53 |
$ 30.79 |
$ 64,030 |
| Ohio |
780 |
0.15 |
1.77 |
$ 31.27 |
$ 65,040 |
States with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in Aerospace Engineering and Operations Technologists and Technicians:
Top paying states for Aerospace Engineering and Operations Technologists and Technicians:
| State |
Employment (1) |
Employment per thousand jobs |
Location quotient (9) |
Hourly mean wage |
Annual mean wage (2) |
| Colorado |
300 |
0.12 |
1.35 |
$ 45.06 |
$ 93,730 |
| Washington |
370 |
0.12 |
1.35 |
$ 40.58 |
$ 84,400 |
| Maryland |
200 |
0.08 |
0.91 |
$ 38.79 |
$ 80,680 |
| Connecticut |
290 |
0.19 |
2.17 |
$ 36.12 |
$ 75,140 |
| California |
2,280 |
0.14 |
1.62 |
$ 35.87 |
$ 74,610 |
Metropolitan areas with the highest employment level in Aerospace Engineering and Operations Technologists and Technicians:
| Metropolitan area |
Employment (1) |
Employment per thousand jobs |
Location quotient (9) |
Hourly mean wage |
Annual mean wage (2) |
| Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville, FL |
860 |
3.97 |
46.42 |
$ 32.20 |
$ 66,980 |
| Phoenix-Mesa-Scottsdale, AZ |
840 |
0.40 |
4.67 |
$ 30.70 |
$ 63,860 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX |
750 |
0.21 |
2.46 |
$ 35.63 |
$ 74,110 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA |
740 |
0.13 |
1.49 |
$ 37.06 |
$ 77,090 |
| Huntsville, AL |
400 |
1.73 |
20.25 |
$ 30.89 |
$ 64,260 |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA |
340 |
0.17 |
2.04 |
$ 40.41 |
$ 84,050 |
| Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL |
330 |
0.13 |
1.55 |
$ 31.93 |
$ 66,410 |
| San Diego-Carlsbad, CA |
300 |
0.21 |
2.47 |
$ 33.62 |
$ 69,920 |
| Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT |
270 |
0.49 |
5.73 |
$ 35.71 |
$ 74,270 |
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV |
260 |
0.09 |
1.02 |
$ 40.08 |
$ 83,360 |
Metropolitan areas with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in Aerospace Engineering and Operations Technologists and Technicians:
| Metropolitan area |
Employment (1) |
Employment per thousand jobs |
Location quotient (9) |
Hourly mean wage |
Annual mean wage (2) |
| Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville, FL |
860 |
3.97 |
46.42 |
$ 32.20 |
$ 66,980 |
| Huntsville, AL |
400 |
1.73 |
20.25 |
$ 30.89 |
$ 64,260 |
| California-Lexington Park, MD |
50 |
1.11 |
12.99 |
$ 43.28 |
$ 90,030 |
| Waco, TX |
120 |
1.08 |
12.66 |
$ 35.79 |
$ 74,450 |
| Dayton, OH |
210 |
0.60 |
6.97 |
$ 28.15 |
$ 58,540 |
| Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT |
270 |
0.49 |
5.73 |
$ 35.71 |
$ 74,270 |
| Boulder, CO |
70 |
0.41 |
4.75 |
$ 38.50 |
$ 80,090 |
| Phoenix-Mesa-Scottsdale, AZ |
840 |
0.40 |
4.67 |
$ 30.70 |
$ 63,860 |
| Crestview-Fort Walton Beach-Destin, FL |
40 |
0.32 |
3.76 |
$ 47.18 |
$ 98,130 |
| Tulsa, OK |
130 |
0.31 |
3.61 |
(8) |
(8) |
Top paying metropolitan areas for Aerospace Engineering and Operations Technologists and Technicians:
| Metropolitan area |
Employment (1) |
Employment per thousand jobs |
Location quotient (9) |
Hourly mean wage |
Annual mean wage (2) |
| Crestview-Fort Walton Beach-Destin, FL |
40 |
0.32 |
3.76 |
$ 47.18 |
$ 98,130 |
| Oklahoma City, OK |
40 |
0.07 |
0.82 |
$ 46.33 |
$ 96,370 |
| California-Lexington Park, MD |
50 |
1.11 |
12.99 |
$ 43.28 |
$ 90,030 |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA |
340 |
0.17 |
2.04 |
$ 40.41 |
$ 84,050 |
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV |
260 |
0.09 |
1.02 |
$ 40.08 |
$ 83,360 |
| Boulder, CO |
70 |
0.41 |
4.75 |
$ 38.50 |
$ 80,090 |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA |
(8) |
(8) |
(8) |
$ 37.72 |
$ 78,450 |
| Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD |
60 |
0.05 |
0.54 |
$ 37.65 |
$ 78,300 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA |
740 |
0.13 |
1.49 |
$ 37.06 |
$ 77,090 |
| Waco, TX |
120 |
1.08 |
12.66 |
$ 35.79 |
$ 74,450 |
About May 2020 National, State, Metropolitan, and Nonmetropolitan Area Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates
These estimates are calculated with data collected from employers in all industry sectors, all metropolitan and nonmetropolitan areas, and all states and the District of Columbia.
The top employment and wage figures are provided above. The complete list is available in the downloadable XLS files.
The percentile wage estimate is the value of a wage below which a certain percent of workers fall.
The median wage is the 50th percentile wage estimate—50 percent of workers earn less than the median and 50 percent of workers earn more than the median.
More about percentile wages.
(1) Estimates for detailed occupations do not sum to the totals because the totals include occupations not shown separately. Estimates do not include self-employed workers.
(2) Annual wages have been calculated by multiplying the hourly mean wage by a "year-round, full-time" hours figure of 2,080 hours;
for those occupations where there is not an hourly wage published, the annual wage has been directly calculated from the reported survey data.
(3) The relative standard error (RSE) is a measure of the reliability of a survey statistic. The smaller the relative standard error, the more precise the estimate.
(8) Estimate not released.
(9) The location quotient is the ratio of the area concentration of occupational employment to the national average concentration.
A location quotient greater than one indicates the occupation has a higher share of employment than average, and a location quotient less than one indicates the occupation is less prevalent in the area than average.
Other OEWS estimates and related information:
May 2020 National Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates
May 2020 State Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates
May 2020 Metropolitan and Nonmetropolitan Area Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates
May 2020 National Industry-Specific Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates
May 2020 Occupation Profiles
Technical Notes
Last Modified Date: March 31, 2021
United States Department of Labor
