Aerospace Engineers
Science, Technology, Engineering and MathematicsO*NET 17-2011.00United States
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.
- Median annual earnings
- $135,327
- Projected change
- +9.4%
- Typical education
- Bachelor's degree
- Employment
- 73.66K jobs
50th percentile, United States
2025 to 2035
59% of the workforce
Growing to 80.56K by 2035
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The work
What aerospace engineers do
Tasks reported for this occupation, ordered by how often they come up in the role.
- Formulate mathematical models or other methods of computer analysis to develop, evaluate, or modify design, according to customer engineering requirements.
- Plan or conduct experimental, environmental, operational, or stress tests on models or prototypes of aircraft or aerospace systems or equipment.
- Plan or coordinate investigation and resolution of customers' reports of technical problems with aircraft or aerospace vehicles.
- Formulate conceptual design of aeronautical or aerospace products or systems to meet customer requirements or conform to environmental regulations.
- Write technical reports or other documentation, such as handbooks or bulletins, for use by engineering staff, management, or customers.
- Direct or coordinate activities of engineering or technical personnel involved in designing, fabricating, modifying, or testing of aircraft or aerospace products.
- Evaluate product data or design from inspections or reports for conformance to engineering principles, customer requirements, environmental regulations, or quality standards.
- Develop design criteria for aeronautical or aerospace products or systems, including testing methods, production costs, quality standards, environmental standards, or completion dates.
- Analyze project requests, proposals, or engineering data to determine feasibility, productibility, cost, or production time of aerospace or aeronautical products.
- Maintain records of performance reports for future reference.
Pay and outlook
What the job pays and where it is heading
Annual earnings range
Reported earnings by percentile, United States
- 10th percentile
- $85,814
- 25th percentile
- $105,417
- 50th percentile
- $135,327
- 75th percentile
- $171,388
- 90th percentile
- $208,044
The gold marker shows the median. Half earn more than $135,327 and half earn less.
Employment outlook
2025 to 2035 projection
+9.4%faster than average
202573,655 jobs
2035 projected80,561 jobs
6,906 more positions over the decade, before replacement hiring.
Preparation
Education levels
What people currently working in the career hold. These are not entry requirements.
- Bachelor's degree
- 59%
- Master's or Professional degree
- 33.3%
- Associate degree
- 7.6%
Skills
Skills employers ask for
Technical skills appearing most often in job postings for this occupation.
How the work gets done
Core competencies
Broad capabilities associated with strong performance in this occupation.
- Critical Thinking
- Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions, or approaches to problems.
- Science
- Using scientific rules and methods to solve problems.
- Reading Comprehension
- Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work-related documents.
- Operations Analysis
- Analyzing needs and product requirements to create a design.
- Mathematics
- Using mathematics to solve problems.
- Writing
- Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.
- Complex Problem Solving
- Identifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions.
- Speaking
- Talking to others to convey information effectively.
- Active Listening
- Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
- Judgment and Decision Making
- Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.
- Monitoring
- Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
- Active Learning
- Understanding the implications of new information for both current and future problem-solving and decision-making.
- Systems Evaluation
- Identifying measures or indicators of system performance and the actions needed to improve or correct performance, relative to the goals of the system.
- Systems Analysis
- Determining how a system should work and how changes in conditions, operations, and the environment will affect outcomes.
- Learning Strategies
- Selecting and using training/instructional methods and procedures appropriate for the situation when learning or teaching new things.
- Quality Control Analysis
- Conducting tests and inspections of products, services, or processes to evaluate quality or performance.
- Technology Design
- Generating or adapting equipment and technology to serve user needs.
- Coordination
- Adjusting actions in relation to others' actions.
- Time Management
- Managing one's own time and the time of others.
- Persuasion
- Persuading others to change their minds or behavior.
In the market
Job titles and employers
Recent job postings in United StatesCommon job titles
- 01Propulsion Engineers1,078 postings
- 02Aerospace Engineers865 postings
- 03Flight Test Engineers561 postings
- 04Aeronautical Engineers385 postings
- 05Aerospace Systems Engineers365 postings
- 06Propulsion Systems Engineers360 postings
- 07Aerospace Quality Engineers344 postings
- 08Aircraft Engineers276 postings
- 09Aircraft Systems Engineers252 postings
- 10Aerodynamics Engineers249 postings
- 11Civil Aviation Engineers213 postings
- 12Aircraft Maintenance Engineers190 postings
- 13Avionics Systems Engineers160 postings
- 14Manufacturing Engineers128 postings
- 15Airframe Design Engineers127 postings
- 16Aviation Project Engineers124 postings
- 17MRB Engineers102 postings
- 18Flight Test Instrumentation Engineers91 postings
- 19Aerospace Engineering Managers88 postings
- 20Aviation Engineers88 postings
Top employers
- 01Northrop Grumman645 postings
- 02Lockheed Martin410 postings
- 03Boeing349 postings
- 04Garmin International226 postings
- 05Blue Origin214 postings
- 06Anduril Industries151 postings
- 07General Motors146 postings
- 08GE Aerospace123 postings
- 09RTX122 postings
- 10L3Harris Technologies116 postings
- 11Honeywell International102 postings
- 12Oho Group89 postings
- 13SpaceX87 postings
- 14Actalent82 postings
- 15Stellantis77 postings
- 16Modern Technology Solutions66 postings
- 17Rocket Lab USA64 postings
- 18Belcan59 postings
- 19General Atomics58 postings
- 20Burns & McDonnell57 postings
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