Occupations · Architecture and Engineering
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.
O*NET 30.3 Database (USDOL/ETA) · occupation code 17-2011.00
What it pays
A single “average salary” hides the spread. This is the whole distribution — the gap between the bottom and top bar is usually the number that matters.
BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2024 · national, cross-industry · annual wage
Pay over time
Median up 81% between 2003 and 2024, before inflation. The band shows the 10th to 90th percentile.
BLS OEWS, one release per year. Before May 2011 only national estimates were published, so geography detail starts there.
Where the jobs are
| Metro area | Median wage | Employed |
|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | $143,860 | 6,090 |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | $174,130 | 5,350 |
| Huntsville, AL | $139,110 | 4,580 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | $131,920 | 3,110 |
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | $157,980 | 2,750 |
| Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX | $126,690 | 2,600 |
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | $128,400 | 1,930 |
| Denver-Aurora-Lakewood, CO | $151,800 | 1,910 |
| Wichita, KS | $127,050 | 1,510 |
| Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN | $137,420 | 1,340 |
| Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville, FL | $130,720 | 1,270 |
| Dayton-Kettering-Beavercreek, OH | $132,970 | 1,250 |
BLS OEWS May 2024, metropolitan estimates · the 12 areas with the most people in this occupation
Typical education to enter: Bachelor's degree · BLS Employment Projections 2024–34
What people in this job actually do
Ordered by how important the work is rated.
- 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.
- Formulate conceptual design of aeronautical or aerospace products or systems to meet customer requirements or conform to environmental regulations.
- Plan or coordinate investigation and resolution of customers' reports of technical problems with aircraft or aerospace vehicles.
- 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.
- Diagnose performance problems by reviewing reports or documentation from customers or field engineers or by inspecting malfunctioning or damaged products.
- Evaluate product data or design from inspections or reports for conformance to engineering principles, customer requirements, environmental regulations, or quality standards.
- Direct aerospace research and development programs.
- 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.
O*NET 30.3 task ratings, importance scale
Skills that matter most
Importance, rated 1 to 5.
O*NET 30.3 skills, importance scale
Software and tools
A dot marks what O*NET flags as in demand.
O*NET 30.3 software skills · hot-technology flag
What this work is actually like
Conditions rated against the average across all occupations — only what makes this job different is listed.
O*NET 30.3 Job Zones
Working conditions that stand out
O*NET 30.3 work context, frequency scale · observed 2015-07
How people actually get in
Share of workers by the education they hold.
O*NET 30.2 education, training and experience · observed 2015-07
What kind of person the work suits
Occupational interest profile, rated 1 to 7.
O*NET 30.2 occupational interests (RIASEC)
Tasks O*NET flags as emerging
- Develop and test autonomous systems for uncrewed aerospace vehicles.
- Develop software for aerospace systems.
O*NET 30.3 emerging tasks
What you take with you
Skills rated for how well they transfer into other occupations.
O*NET 30.3 transferable skills, importance scale
Knowledge the work draws on
Abilities it leans on
O*NET 30.3 abilities and knowledge, importance scale
How this job is advertised
The same work is posted under many titles — this is what to search for.
O*NET 30.3 job titles reported for this occupation
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What changed since 2015
Comparing O*NET release 20.1 (2015-10-01) with 30.3 (2026-05-01). Signs, not colour alone, carry the meaning. 4 entries that were only relabelled between releases are left out.
Now listed 19
No longer listed 6
Diff across the O*NET releases held here in full since October 2015, following occupations through merges and retirements. O*NET re-surveys occupations on a rolling cycle, so “no change” can also mean “not re-surveyed”.
Related jobs
O*NET 30.3 related occupations
Also called
O*NET 30.3 alternative titles
The same work in Europe
| ESCO occupation | ISCO | Match |
|---|---|---|
| aerospace engineer | 2144.1.1 | exact |
| aerospace engineering technician | 3115.1.1 | close |
| aircraft engine specialist | 7232.2 | close |
| aircraft maintenance engineer | 3153.1 | close |
| mechanical engineering technician | 3115.1 | close |
| aerodynamics engineer | 2144.1.1.1 | close |
| aircraft engine tester | 3115.1.3 | close |
| flight test engineer | 2152.1.2 | broader |
| material stress analyst | 3115.1.9 | broader |
| aerospace engineering drafter | 3118.3.1 | broader |
Official ESCO ↔ O*NET crosswalk (ESCO Secretariat with USDOL/ETA)
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