17
Aerospace Engineers is a notable career in the 17 category. This page provides verified data from BLS OEWS 2024 + O*NET 29.0 (2024), helping you compare Aerospace Engineers against similar careers and make data-driven decisions.
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| soc | 17-2011 |
| title | Aerospace Engineers |
| onet code | 17-2011.00 |
| description | 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. |
| job zone | 4 |
| major group | 17 |
| tot emp | 68,440 |
| a mean | 141,180 |
| a median | 134,830 |
| a pct10 | 85,350 |
| a pct25 | 104,740 |
| a pct75 | 174,480 |
| a pct90 | 205,850 |
| h mean | 67 |
| h median | 64 |
The day-to-day work of a aerospace engineers typically centers on formulate mathematical models or other methods of computer analysis to develop, evaluate, or modify design, according to customer engineering requirements. Every task listed below is classified as Core in O*NET — they collectively define the role. Task descriptions below are quoted from the U.S. Department of Labor's O*NET 29.0 occupation profile.
Workers in this occupation rely most on Critical Thinking, Science, and Reading Comprehension. Across the top 10 skills, the average O*NET importance score is 3.92 out of 5 — highly rated for this role. Importance reflects how essential each skill is for adequate job performance.
Among working aerospace engineers, the most common entry qualification is a Bachelor's Degree (59.0%). Bachelor's-degree-or-higher credentials are reported by 92% of incumbents. This is a degree-heavy profession — most incumbents hold a four-year degree or beyond.
Median annual pay is highest in District of Columbia at $175,350 and lowest in Wisconsin at $75,790 — a 2.3× spread. The top five states (District of Columbia, Washington, Maryland, Massachusetts, Colorado) average $159,190. Figures reflect BLS OEWS May 2024 state-level wage estimates; percentiles shown are for full-time wage-earners in each state.
| State | Median | Mean | 10th % | 90th % | Employed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| District of Columbia | $175,350 | $160,830 | $96,610 | $205,840 | 330 |
| Washington | $158,600 | $159,790 | $107,660 | $218,290 | 5,700 |
| Maryland | $158,220 | $158,290 | $97,510 | $227,270 | 3,490 |
| Massachusetts | $152,210 | $148,270 | $87,340 | $204,760 | 990 |
| Colorado | $151,570 | $154,710 | $101,980 | $220,970 | 4,020 |
| Iowa | $150,010 | $137,430 | $77,470 | $156,120 | — |
| Minnesota | $147,940 | $141,910 | $82,930 | $198,210 | 140 |
| California | $143,860 | $157,060 | $102,380 | $224,660 | 9,330 |
| Georgia | $142,910 | $151,320 | $86,000 | $232,200 | 3,060 |
| Vermont | $140,520 | $138,860 | $90,950 | $194,420 | 90 |
| New Mexico | $139,770 | $141,350 | $108,370 | $178,300 | 1,940 |
| Arizona | $135,620 | $143,930 | $86,920 | $225,640 | 1,770 |
| Hawaii | $134,910 | $153,730 | $107,550 | $225,180 | 50 |
| Ohio | $134,230 | $134,650 | $79,730 | $200,040 | 3,770 |
| Maine | $133,660 | $137,110 | $82,880 | $201,090 | 130 |
| Alabama | $133,080 | $136,210 | $80,040 | $198,840 | 5,570 |
| Virginia | $132,160 | $143,050 | $90,730 | $202,260 | 2,820 |
| South Carolina | $131,820 | $137,870 | $102,270 | $164,210 | 450 |
| Utah | $130,670 | $128,730 | $81,830 | $172,290 | 1,000 |
| New Jersey | $128,400 | $142,110 | $107,580 | $169,830 | 1,550 |
| Florida | $127,680 | $128,500 | $84,650 | $177,620 | 3,100 |
| Kansas | $126,640 | $118,870 | $78,490 | $162,700 | 1,900 |
| Texas | $126,470 | $130,320 | $81,170 | $187,840 | 7,660 |
| New York | $125,270 | $131,040 | $86,240 | $209,020 | 730 |
| Illinois | $122,540 | $145,720 | $81,390 | $195,750 | 280 |
| Tennessee | $122,430 | $120,900 | $79,390 | $170,980 | 790 |
| Louisiana | $121,430 | $127,100 | $110,960 | $147,840 | 90 |
| Connecticut | $119,060 | $125,700 | $83,960 | $158,630 | 1,170 |
| Kentucky | $117,660 | $127,580 | $95,970 | $174,420 | 210 |
| North Carolina | $117,190 | $120,550 | $76,630 | $166,960 | 690 |
| Michigan | $115,540 | $122,710 | $73,530 | $175,330 | 390 |
| Oregon | $112,460 | $120,210 | $82,660 | $167,110 | 240 |
| Missouri | $112,220 | $116,350 | $79,510 | $180,280 | 840 |
| Oklahoma | $109,920 | $113,010 | $77,860 | $152,510 | 1,550 |
| Pennsylvania | $108,510 | $120,670 | $48,330 | $175,000 | 820 |
| Indiana | $104,160 | $112,860 | $76,680 | $175,990 | 470 |
| Arkansas | $103,900 | $101,650 | $68,330 | $153,570 | 130 |
| Nevada | $100,920 | $118,280 | $90,450 | $173,970 | 330 |
| Alaska | $100,610 | $114,120 | $79,990 | $174,430 | 80 |
| Mississippi | $96,810 | $108,240 | $82,400 | $157,350 | 100 |
| Idaho | $81,570 | $95,340 | $53,540 | $136,330 | — |
| Wisconsin | $75,790 | $98,540 | $63,770 | $147,450 | 130 |
Recruiters and job boards use several alternate titles for aerospace engineers. Knowing these variants widens your job search — listings for Aerodynamicist or Aerodynamics Engineer frequently describe the same role. The list below is a sample of the most common industry variants.
This data helps you understand how Aerospace Engineers compares to others in the 17 category. Use it to make informed decisions based on verified data from BLS OEWS 2024 + O*NET 29.0.
careers with the closest data values to Aerospace Engineers
The CertifyWize editorial team aggregates and verifies careers data from BLS OEWS 2024 + O*NET 29.0. Every statistic on this site is cross-referenced against the official source before publication, with quarterly re-verification cycles.
Read our full methodology or contact us with corrections.
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