Aerospace Engineers
Also called: Aerodynamicist, Aerodynamics Engineer, Aeronautical Design Engineer, Aeronautical Engineer, Aeronautical Project Engineer, Aeronautical Research Engineer, Aeronautical Test Engineer, Aerospace Design Engineer
Perform engineering duties in designing, constructing, and testing aircraft, missiles, and spacecraft.
What aerospace engineers do
Typical tasks
- Formulate conceptual design of aeronautical or aerospace products or systems to meet customer requirements or conform to environmental regulations.
- Evaluate product data or design from inspections or reports for conformance to engineering principles, customer requirements, environmental regulations, or quality standards.
- Direct or coordinate activities of engineering or technical personnel involved in designing, fabricating, modifying, or testing of aircraft or aerospace products.
- Plan or conduct experimental, environmental, operational, or stress tests on models or prototypes of aircraft or aerospace systems or equipment.
- Diagnose performance problems by reviewing reports or documentation from customers or field engineers or by inspecting malfunctioning or damaged products.
- Formulate mathematical models or other methods of computer analysis to develop, evaluate, or modify design, according to customer engineering requirements.
- Write technical reports or other documentation, such as handbooks or bulletins, for use by engineering staff, management, or customers.
- Maintain records of performance reports for future reference.
- Analyze project requests, proposals, or engineering data to determine feasibility, productibility, cost, or production time of aerospace or aeronautical products.
- Plan or coordinate investigation and resolution of customers' reports of technical problems with aircraft or aerospace vehicles.
- Develop design criteria for aeronautical or aerospace products or systems, including testing methods, production costs, quality standards, environmental standards, or completion dates.
- Direct aerospace research and development programs.
Typical path into the job (BLS)
Aerospace Engineers salary
The median annual wage for aerospace engineers is $134,960 (BLS OEWS May 2025; BLS Employment Projections 2025–35, national). The lowest 10 percent earn less than $86,700 and the highest 10 percent earn more than $205,890. The mean annual wage is $142,060.
The mean hourly wage of $68.00 is 9.4× the federal minimum wage of $7.25. State minimums are higher in most large states. Minimum wage by state →
How does your pay compare with people your age?
Your numbers are not sent or stored. The comparison uses this occupation's BLS wage percentiles, adjusted for age with BLS median weekly earnings by age group (Q3 2026).
Pay by percentile
Annual wage percentiles from the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS). Percentiles are a good proxy for pay by experience.
Projected pay for Aerospace Engineers (3, 5 and 10 years)est.
Today $134,960 → in 3 years $146,300 → in 5 years $154,500 → in 10 years $176,800 (10-year range $152,000–$205,200). The model assumes pay growth of +2.7% per year.
What drives the annual growth rate
Projected pay = current pay × (1 + annual growth)^years. The annual growth rate starts from a base wage-growth rate and adds or subtracts labor demand (BLS projected employment growth), wage momentum and AI replacement risk for each occupation. Projections are not guarantees. How it is calculated →
Outlook score for Aerospace Engineers
Each component is a percentile rank among all occupations in the same country (0–100). Weights: labor demand 25, wage momentum / openings 15, pay level 15, AI resistance 25, aging workforce 10 (Japan only), entry barrier 10.
Will AI replace Aerospace Engineers? AI replacement risk
How AI is changing this job
A written analysis for this occupation is being prepared.
AI replacement risk compares the parts of a job that are easy to hand to AI or software (processing information, documentation, repetitive computer work) with the parts that are hard to automate (physical work, working closely with people, judgment in unpredictable settings), using O*NET work activities, work context, skills and knowledge. The result is a relative position among all occupations in the country, scaled to 0–100%. Methodology →
Labor demand for Aerospace Engineers
Employment projections are from the BLS Employment Projections program (2025–35). Annual openings include both new jobs and replacement of workers who leave the occupation.
The same job in Japan
| Aerospace Engineers United States | 宇宙開発技術者 Japan | 航空機開発エンジニア（ジェットエンジン） Japan | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median / average pay | $134,960 | ¥6.12M ≈ $38,915 | ¥6.59M ≈ $41,910 |
| Pay in 10 years (est.) | $176,800 | ¥6.90M | ¥8.44M |
| Outlook score | 58 | 61 | 58 |
| AI replacement risk | 66% High | 55% Moderate | 52% Moderate |
| Workers | 68K | — | — |
Matched by occupation (SOC code). Yen converted at 157.25 JPY/USD for reference; Japanese figures are averages, U.S. figures are medians, and the surveys define occupations differently.
Skills, education and requirements for Aerospace Engineers
Key skills
O*NET skill level ratings (0–7).
Key knowledge areas
What the work involves
Important abilities
Training before entry
Related work experience
Job Zone 4 — considerable preparation needed (O*NET)
Difficulty of entry: ★★★☆☆ Moderate (from education, training, experience and Job Zone)
How to become aerospace engineers
A step-by-step guide for this occupation is being prepared. The education, training and experience data above show the typical path.
Career path and how to earn more as aerospace engineers
Career-path guidance is being prepared. Pay by percentile is shown in the Pay section.