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Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics

Occupational Employment and Wages, May 2020

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)
60,630 3.1 % $ 58.23 $ 121,110 0.8 %

Percentile wage estimates for Aerospace Engineers:

Percentile 10% 25% 50%
(Median)
75% 90%
Hourly Wage $ 34.99 $ 43.98 $ 57.02 $ 71.43 $ 82.32
Annual Wage (2) $ 72,770 $ 91,480 $ 118,610 $ 148,570 $ 171,220


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 21,000 4.00 $ 57.14 $ 118,860
Architectural, Engineering, and Related Services 11,430 0.76 $ 57.89 $ 120,410
Federal Executive Branch (OEWS Designation) 9,460 0.45 $ 59.67 $ 124,110
Navigational, Measuring, Electromedical, and Control Instruments Manufacturing 5,360 1.28 $ 62.25 $ 129,480
Scientific Research and Development Services 4,740 0.63 $ 61.10 $ 127,090

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 21,000 4.00 $ 57.14 $ 118,860
Navigational, Measuring, Electromedical, and Control Instruments Manufacturing 5,360 1.28 $ 62.25 $ 129,480
Support Activities for Air Transportation 1,740 0.84 $ 52.43 $ 109,050
Architectural, Engineering, and Related Services 11,430 0.76 $ 57.89 $ 120,410
Scientific Research and Development Services 4,740 0.63 $ 61.10 $ 127,090

Top paying industries for Aerospace Engineers:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Technical and Trade Schools 190 0.15 $ 64.82 $ 134,830
Navigational, Measuring, Electromedical, and Control Instruments Manufacturing 5,360 1.28 $ 62.25 $ 129,480
Management, Scientific, and Technical Consulting Services 1,150 0.08 $ 61.33 $ 127,570
Scientific Research and Development Services 4,740 0.63 $ 61.10 $ 127,090
Fabricated Metal Product Manufacturing (3321, 3322, 3325, 3326, and 3329 only) 120 0.03 $ 60.15 $ 125,110


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 10,200 0.62 1.42 $ 60.89 $ 126,650
Texas 6,290 0.52 1.19 $ 61.70 $ 128,330
Washington 5,920 1.85 4.25 $ 63.03 $ 131,110
Ohio 3,630 0.71 1.62 $ 56.82 $ 118,180
Alabama 3,610 1.89 4.35 $ 59.23 $ 123,200




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 3,610 1.89 4.35 $ 59.23 $ 123,200
Washington 5,920 1.85 4.25 $ 63.03 $ 131,110
Kansas 1,710 1.29 2.95 $ 51.12 $ 106,330
Maryland 3,050 1.21 2.77 $ 65.82 $ 136,900
Connecticut 1,820 1.18 2.71 $ 52.08 $ 108,330




Top paying states for Aerospace Engineers:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
District of Columbia 330 0.48 1.11 $ 69.86 $ 145,300
Maryland 3,050 1.21 2.77 $ 65.82 $ 136,900
Virginia 1,910 0.52 1.18 $ 63.04 $ 131,110
Washington 5,920 1.85 4.25 $ 63.03 $ 131,110
Texas 6,290 0.52 1.19 $ 61.70 $ 128,330





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 5,660 2.90 6.64 (8) (8)
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA 4,290 0.74 1.69 $ 63.23 $ 131,510
Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX 3,190 0.89 2.04 $ 61.76 $ 128,460
Huntsville, AL 3,010 13.03 29.90 $ 58.32 $ 121,300
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV 2,310 0.76 1.75 $ 72.79 $ 151,410
Phoenix-Mesa-Scottsdale, AZ 1,730 0.82 1.89 $ 62.08 $ 129,120
Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX 1,660 0.56 1.28 $ 65.14 $ 135,490
San Diego-Carlsbad, CA 1,590 1.14 2.60 $ 53.58 $ 111,450
Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT 1,490 2.70 6.20 $ 51.60 $ 107,330
Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN 1,430 1.39 3.19 $ 57.30 $ 119,190




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 950 20.99 48.16 $ 58.96 $ 122,640
Huntsville, AL 3,010 13.03 29.90 $ 58.32 $ 121,300
Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville, FL 1,350 6.24 14.31 $ 58.46 $ 121,590
New Bern, NC 210 4.99 11.45 $ 45.46 $ 94,550
Boulder, CO 810 4.47 10.26 $ 63.66 $ 132,420
Dayton, OH 1,200 3.35 7.68 $ 55.23 $ 114,880
Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA 5,660 2.90 6.64 (8) (8)
Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT 1,490 2.70 6.20 $ 51.60 $ 107,330
Crestview-Fort Walton Beach-Destin, FL 290 2.67 6.14 $ 49.03 $ 101,980
Bakersfield, CA 680 2.22 5.10 $ 55.31 $ 115,040




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)
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV 2,310 0.76 1.75 $ 72.79 $ 151,410
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA 870 0.79 1.81 $ 68.40 $ 142,260
Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX 1,660 0.56 1.28 $ 65.14 $ 135,490
Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA (8) (8) (8) $ 63.72 $ 132,540
Boulder, CO 810 4.47 10.26 $ 63.66 $ 132,420
Omaha-Council Bluffs, NE-IA 70 0.14 0.32 $ 63.57 $ 132,220
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA 4,290 0.74 1.69 $ 63.23 $ 131,510
Phoenix-Mesa-Scottsdale, AZ 1,730 0.82 1.89 $ 62.08 $ 129,120
Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX 3,190 0.89 2.04 $ 61.76 $ 128,460
San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA (8) (8) (8) $ 61.47 $ 127,850

Nonmetropolitan areas with the highest employment in Aerospace Engineers:

Nonmetropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
South Central Tennessee nonmetropolitan area 280 2.75 6.31 $ 46.98 $ 97,710
Northeast Virginia nonmetropolitan area 200 4.11 9.43 $ 55.92 $ 116,320
Eastern New Mexico nonmetropolitan area 100 0.67 1.53 $ 46.96 $ 97,670
Eastern Washington nonmetropolitan area 80 0.90 2.06 $ 49.24 $ 102,420
Southeast Alabama nonmetropolitan area 60 0.71 1.63 $ 40.60 $ 84,440

Nonmetropolitan areas with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in Aerospace Engineers:

Nonmetropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Northeast Virginia nonmetropolitan area 200 4.11 9.43 $ 55.92 $ 116,320
South Central Tennessee nonmetropolitan area 280 2.75 6.31 $ 46.98 $ 97,710
Eastern Washington nonmetropolitan area 80 0.90 2.06 $ 49.24 $ 102,420
Southeast Alabama nonmetropolitan area 60 0.71 1.63 $ 40.60 $ 84,440
Eastern New Mexico nonmetropolitan area 100 0.67 1.53 $ 46.96 $ 97,670

Top paying nonmetropolitan areas for Aerospace Engineers:

Nonmetropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Northeast Virginia nonmetropolitan area 200 4.11 9.43 $ 55.92 $ 116,320
Eastern Washington nonmetropolitan area 80 0.90 2.06 $ 49.24 $ 102,420
South Central Tennessee nonmetropolitan area 280 2.75 6.31 $ 46.98 $ 97,710
Eastern New Mexico nonmetropolitan area 100 0.67 1.53 $ 46.96 $ 97,670
Southeast Alabama nonmetropolitan area 60 0.71 1.63 $ 40.60 $ 84,440


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