Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics
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Occupational Employment and Wages, May 2021
17-2011 Aerospace Engineers
Perform engineering duties in designing, constructing, and testing aircraft, missiles, and spacecraft. May conduct basic and applied research to evaluate adaptability of materials and equipment to aircraft design and manufacture. May recommend improvements in testing equipment and techniques.
National estimates for Aerospace Engineers
Industry profile for Aerospace Engineers
Geographic profile for Aerospace Engineers
National estimates for Aerospace Engineers:
Employment estimate and mean wage estimates for Aerospace Engineers:
| Employment (1) |
Employment
RSE (3) |
Mean hourly
wage |
Mean annual
wage (2) |
Wage RSE (3) |
| 56,640 |
2.6 % |
$ 59.12 |
$ 122,970 |
0.7 % |
Percentile wage estimates for Aerospace Engineers:
| Percentile |
10% |
25% |
50%
(Median) |
75% |
90% |
| Hourly Wage |
$ 37.23 |
$ 46.22 |
$ 58.78 |
$ 73.53 |
$ 80.95 |
| Annual Wage (2) |
$ 77,440 |
$ 96,130 |
$ 122,270 |
$ 152,950 |
$ 168,370 |
Industry profile for Aerospace Engineers:
Industries with the highest published employment and wages for Aerospace Engineers are provided.
For a list of all industries with employment in Aerospace Engineers, see the Create Customized Tables function.
Industries with the highest levels of employment in Aerospace Engineers:
| Industry |
Employment (1) |
Percent of industry employment |
Hourly mean wage |
Annual mean wage (2) |
| Aerospace Product and Parts Manufacturing |
18,620 |
3.97 |
$ 59.29 |
$ 123,330 |
| Federal Executive Branch (OEWS Designation) |
9,750 |
0.46 |
$ 59.83 |
$ 124,440 |
| Architectural, Engineering, and Related Services |
9,150 |
0.61 |
$ 57.59 |
$ 119,790 |
| Navigational, Measuring, Electromedical, and Control Instruments Manufacturing |
5,640 |
1.41 |
$ 63.39 |
$ 131,860 |
| Scientific Research and Development Services |
4,830 |
0.61 |
$ 64.29 |
$ 133,720 |
Industries with the highest concentration of employment in Aerospace Engineers:
| Industry |
Employment (1) |
Percent of industry employment |
Hourly mean wage |
Annual mean wage (2) |
| Aerospace Product and Parts Manufacturing |
18,620 |
3.97 |
$ 59.29 |
$ 123,330 |
| Navigational, Measuring, Electromedical, and Control Instruments Manufacturing |
5,640 |
1.41 |
$ 63.39 |
$ 131,860 |
| Support Activities for Air Transportation |
1,300 |
0.67 |
$ 47.81 |
$ 99,440 |
| Scientific Research and Development Services |
4,830 |
0.61 |
$ 64.29 |
$ 133,720 |
| Architectural, Engineering, and Related Services |
9,150 |
0.61 |
$ 57.59 |
$ 119,790 |
Top paying industries for Aerospace Engineers:
| Industry |
Employment (1) |
Percent of industry employment |
Hourly mean wage |
Annual mean wage (2) |
| Other Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services |
(8) |
(8) |
$ 69.42 |
$ 144,390 |
| Scientific Research and Development Services |
4,830 |
0.61 |
$ 64.29 |
$ 133,720 |
| Navigational, Measuring, Electromedical, and Control Instruments Manufacturing |
5,640 |
1.41 |
$ 63.39 |
$ 131,860 |
| Employment Services |
760 |
0.02 |
$ 62.59 |
$ 130,180 |
| Management of Companies and Enterprises |
1,520 |
0.06 |
$ 60.92 |
$ 126,720 |
Geographic profile for Aerospace Engineers:
States and areas with the highest published employment, location quotients, and wages for Aerospace Engineers are provided.
For a list of all areas with employment in Aerospace Engineers, see the Create Customized Tables function.
States with the highest employment level in Aerospace Engineers:
| State |
Employment (1) |
Employment per thousand jobs |
Location quotient (9) |
Hourly mean wage |
Annual mean wage (2) |
| California |
7,860 |
0.48 |
1.18 |
$ 64.48 |
$ 134,120 |
| Texas |
5,510 |
0.45 |
1.12 |
$ 57.70 |
$ 120,010 |
| Florida |
4,640 |
0.54 |
1.34 |
$ 51.48 |
$ 107,070 |
| Washington |
4,110 |
1.28 |
3.19 |
$ 64.41 |
$ 133,970 |
| Alabama |
3,860 |
2.00 |
4.98 |
$ 58.35 |
$ 121,370 |
States with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in Aerospace Engineers:
| State |
Employment (1) |
Employment per thousand jobs |
Location quotient (9) |
Hourly mean wage |
Annual mean wage (2) |
| Alabama |
3,860 |
2.00 |
4.98 |
$ 58.35 |
$ 121,370 |
| Maryland |
3,490 |
1.37 |
3.41 |
$ 64.11 |
$ 133,350 |
| Kansas |
1,790 |
1.34 |
3.32 |
$ 51.59 |
$ 107,310 |
| Washington |
4,110 |
1.28 |
3.19 |
$ 64.41 |
$ 133,970 |
| Colorado |
3,070 |
1.17 |
2.91 |
$ 67.64 |
$ 140,690 |
Top paying states for Aerospace Engineers:
| State |
Employment (1) |
Employment per thousand jobs |
Location quotient (9) |
Hourly mean wage |
Annual mean wage (2) |
| Nebraska |
140 |
0.15 |
0.38 |
$ 72.05 |
$ 149,860 |
| Colorado |
3,070 |
1.17 |
2.91 |
$ 67.64 |
$ 140,690 |
| Arizona |
1,230 |
0.43 |
1.07 |
$ 67.51 |
$ 140,430 |
| District of Columbia |
390 |
0.59 |
1.47 |
$ 66.06 |
$ 137,390 |
| California |
7,860 |
0.48 |
1.18 |
$ 64.48 |
$ 134,120 |
Metropolitan areas with the highest employment level in Aerospace Engineers:
| Metropolitan area |
Employment (1) |
Employment per thousand jobs |
Location quotient (9) |
Hourly mean wage |
Annual mean wage (2) |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA |
3,890 |
2.03 |
5.05 |
$ 64.92 |
$ 135,040 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA |
3,860 |
0.68 |
1.68 |
$ 65.24 |
$ 135,690 |
| Huntsville, AL |
3,340 |
14.53 |
36.13 |
$ 59.08 |
$ 122,880 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX |
3,010 |
0.84 |
2.09 |
$ 55.72 |
$ 115,890 |
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV |
2,770 |
0.94 |
2.35 |
$ 69.78 |
$ 145,140 |
| Wichita, KS |
1,510 |
5.31 |
13.20 |
$ 52.39 |
$ 108,960 |
| Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX |
1,500 |
0.52 |
1.29 |
$ 64.07 |
$ 133,260 |
| Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville, FL |
1,240 |
5.62 |
13.98 |
$ 54.19 |
$ 112,710 |
| Denver-Aurora-Lakewood, CO |
1,180 |
0.80 |
2.00 |
$ 67.62 |
$ 140,660 |
| Boulder, CO |
1,170 |
6.45 |
16.03 |
$ 71.63 |
$ 148,990 |
Metropolitan areas with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in Aerospace Engineers:
| Metropolitan area |
Employment (1) |
Employment per thousand jobs |
Location quotient (9) |
Hourly mean wage |
Annual mean wage (2) |
| California-Lexington Park, MD |
1,120 |
24.24 |
60.30 |
$ 57.77 |
$ 120,160 |
| Huntsville, AL |
3,340 |
14.53 |
36.13 |
$ 59.08 |
$ 122,880 |
| Boulder, CO |
1,170 |
6.45 |
16.03 |
$ 71.63 |
$ 148,990 |
| Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville, FL |
1,240 |
5.62 |
13.98 |
$ 54.19 |
$ 112,710 |
| Wichita, KS |
1,510 |
5.31 |
13.20 |
$ 52.39 |
$ 108,960 |
| Crestview-Fort Walton Beach-Destin, FL |
390 |
3.40 |
8.45 |
$ 50.19 |
$ 104,400 |
| Dayton, OH |
1,040 |
2.93 |
7.29 |
$ 54.39 |
$ 113,120 |
| Las Cruces, NM |
170 |
2.50 |
6.22 |
$ 45.17 |
$ 93,940 |
| Bakersfield, CA |
650 |
2.10 |
5.23 |
$ 55.84 |
$ 116,150 |
| Colorado Springs, CO |
600 |
2.08 |
5.18 |
$ 62.71 |
$ 130,440 |
Top paying metropolitan areas for Aerospace Engineers:
| Metropolitan area |
Employment (1) |
Employment per thousand jobs |
Location quotient (9) |
Hourly mean wage |
Annual mean wage (2) |
| Omaha-Council Bluffs, NE-IA |
60 |
0.13 |
0.32 |
$ 79.84 |
$ 166,060 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA |
680 |
0.30 |
0.75 |
$ 71.87 |
$ 149,490 |
| Boulder, CO |
1,170 |
6.45 |
16.03 |
$ 71.63 |
$ 148,990 |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA |
820 |
0.76 |
1.90 |
$ 70.79 |
$ 147,240 |
| Phoenix-Mesa-Scottsdale, AZ |
1,000 |
0.47 |
1.17 |
$ 70.73 |
$ 147,110 |
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV |
2,770 |
0.94 |
2.35 |
$ 69.78 |
$ 145,140 |
| Denver-Aurora-Lakewood, CO |
1,180 |
0.80 |
2.00 |
$ 67.62 |
$ 140,660 |
| Birmingham-Hoover, AL |
110 |
0.22 |
0.56 |
$ 66.31 |
$ 137,930 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA |
3,860 |
0.68 |
1.68 |
$ 65.24 |
$ 135,690 |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA |
3,890 |
2.03 |
5.05 |
$ 64.92 |
$ 135,040 |
Nonmetropolitan areas with the highest employment in Aerospace Engineers:
Nonmetropolitan areas with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in Aerospace Engineers:
Top paying nonmetropolitan areas for Aerospace Engineers:
About May 2021 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 2021 National Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates
May 2021 State Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates
May 2021 Metropolitan and Nonmetropolitan Area Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates
May 2021 National Industry-Specific Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates
May 2021 Occupation Profiles
Technical Notes
Last Modified Date: March 31, 2022
United States Department of Labor
