The aerospace engineering field is soaring with opportunity, as evidenced by a growing US workforce of nearly 69,000 professionals and a global network exceeding 200,000 engineers shaping the future of flight and space exploration.
Key Takeaways
- In May 2023, the US employed 68,970 aerospace engineers, representing a 1.2% increase from 2022 estimates.
- California hosted 12,450 aerospace engineering jobs in 2023, accounting for 18% of the national total.
- Texas ranked second with 7,890 aerospace engineers employed as of May 2023.
- The median annual wage for aerospace engineers in the US was $130,720 as of May 2023.
- Aerospace engineers in California earned a mean hourly wage of $66.43 in 2023.
- Washington state offered $64.85 mean hourly for aerospace engineers in 2023.
- 95% of aerospace engineers hold at least a bachelor's degree as of 2023.
- 28% possess a master's degree in aerospace or related fields in 2023.
- 12% have PhDs, concentrated in research roles per 2023 data.
- Employment projected to grow 6% from 2023-2033, adding 4,000 jobs.
- Annual openings average 4,200 due to replacements 2023-33.
- Space sector growth at 12% projected through 2030 per FAA.
- Females projected to reach 25% of workforce by 2030.
- Median age of US aerospace engineers was 43.2 years in 2023.
- 81% male, 19% female composition in 2023 BLS data.
Aerospace engineering jobs are growing, offering high salaries in defense and space sectors.
Demographics and Workforce
- Females projected to reach 25% of workforce by 2030.
- Median age of US aerospace engineers was 43.2 years in 2023.
- 81% male, 19% female composition in 2023 BLS data.
- White engineers: 72%, Asian: 15%, Hispanic: 8% in 2023.
- Veterans comprised 12% of aerospace engineering workforce 2023.
- Under 25: 5%, 25-34: 28%, 35-44: 30% age bands 2023.
- Union membership: 4.2% among aerospace engineers in 2023.
- Full-time workers: 96%, part-time: 4% in 2023.
- Self-employed: 2.1% of total aerospace engineers 2023.
- Immigrants: 22% of workforce, mostly from India/China 2023.
- Disability rate: 3.5% among engineers vs 6% national 2023.
- Rural vs urban: 85% urban/suburban concentration 2023.
- LGBTQ+ representation estimated at 7% in 2023 surveys.
- Gen Z entering: 12% of workforce by end-2023.
- Baby Boomers: 15% still active in 2023.
- Work experience: 55% have 10+ years in field 2023.
- Dual-income households: 68% of married engineers 2023.
- Parental leave usage: 45% for fathers in aerospace firms 2023.
- Geographic mobility: 28% relocated for jobs in past 5 years 2023.
- Satisfaction highest among 35-44 age group at 78% 2023.
- Black/African American: 4.2% representation in 2023.
- Native American: 0.8%, Pacific Islander: 0.4% in 2023.
- Multi-racial: 3.5% of aerospace engineers 2023.
Demographics and Workforce Interpretation
The aerospace engineering field is charting a slow but steady course toward diversity, with its workforce still predominantly middle-aged and male, yet showing promising trajectories in gender balance and international talent that must accelerate to reach escape velocity from its historical homogeneity.
Education and Training
- 95% of aerospace engineers hold at least a bachelor's degree as of 2023.
- 28% possess a master's degree in aerospace or related fields in 2023.
- 12% have PhDs, concentrated in research roles per 2023 data.
- Top programs: MIT awarded 250 aerospace bachelor's in 2023.
- Georgia Tech graduated 180 BS aerospace engineers in 2023.
- Purdue University produced 220 aerospace engineering degrees in 2023.
- Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University conferred 450 aerospace degrees in 2023.
- 65% of hires had ABET-accredited degrees in 2023 industry surveys.
- Average GPA for new hires was 3.6/4.0 in 2023 recruiting data.
- Internships completed by 72% of entry-level engineers in 2023.
- Co-op programs boosted employability by 40% per 2023 studies.
- PE licensure held by 18% of practicing aerospace engineers in 2023.
- Continuing education: 85% completed 20+ PDH annually in 2023.
- Online MS programs enrolled 15,000 aerospace students in 2023.
- Women comprised 19% of aerospace engineering undergrads in 2023.
- International students: 25% of grad programs in US 2023.
- Cost of bachelor's: $150,000 average total in 2023.
- Scholarships awarded: $50M to aerospace students in 2023 AIAA.
- Certification: 5,200 held FAA DER credentials in 2023.
- Six Sigma Green Belt held by 22% of mid-level engineers 2023.
- CAD proficiency (CATIA/SolidWorks) in 92% of new grads 2023.
- Programming skills (MATLAB/Python) required for 88% jobs 2023.
- Systems engineering certs grew 30% enrollment in 2023.
Education and Training Interpretation
The aerospace industry clearly operates on a strict "learn, then earn, and then learn some more" principle, where your degree is merely the launchpad, internships are your booster rockets, and a relentless pursuit of new certifications and skills is the constant thrust needed to avoid a career stall.
Employment Numbers
- In May 2023, the US employed 68,970 aerospace engineers, representing a 1.2% increase from 2022 estimates.
- California hosted 12,450 aerospace engineering jobs in 2023, accounting for 18% of the national total.
- Texas ranked second with 7,890 aerospace engineers employed as of May 2023.
- Washington state had 6,230 aerospace engineering positions in 2023, driven by Boeing's presence.
- Florida employed 4,120 aerospace engineers in May 2023, boosted by space industry growth.
- Globally, over 200,000 aerospace engineers were active in 2022 per AIAA estimates.
- The US aerospace sector employed 2.1 million workers total in 2023, with engineers at 3.3% of that.
- NASA's workforce included 2,500 aerospace engineers in FY2023 across its centers.
- Boeing employed approximately 15,000 aerospace engineers worldwide in 2023.
- Lockheed Martin had 12,400 engineers in aerospace divisions as of 2023 annual report.
- In the EU, 45,000 aerospace engineers were employed in 2022 per ASD reports.
- India's aerospace engineering workforce reached 18,000 in 2023, up 15% YoY.
- China's aviation industry employed 120,000 engineers in 2023 per CAAC data.
- UK aerospace sector had 112,000 total jobs, with 25,000 engineers in 2023.
- Canada reported 8,500 aerospace engineers in 2023 NAICS data.
- Alabama's aerospace jobs for engineers hit 3,200 in 2023 due to Huntsville hub.
- Ohio employed 2,900 aerospace engineers in May 2023.
- Colorado had 2,450 aerospace engineering roles in 2023.
- Maryland's count stood at 2,100 aerospace engineers in 2023.
- Virginia employed 1,980 in the field per 2023 BLS.
- Aerospace engineers comprised 0.4% of all US engineering jobs totaling 1.7 million in 2023.
- Defense sector accounted for 42% of US aerospace engineer jobs in 2023.
- Commercial aircraft manufacturing employed 25% of aerospace engineers in US 2023.
- Spacecraft/satellite firms hired 18% of the workforce in 2023.
- R&D services sector had 12% share of aerospace engineers in 2023.
- Entry-level aerospace jobs numbered 4,500 openings in US 2023.
- Mid-career positions totaled 28,000 active listings in 2023.
- Senior roles accounted for 9,000 jobs posted in 2023.
- Remote aerospace engineering jobs reached 1,200 in 2023 postings.
- Contract/temporary aerospace roles surged to 15% of total postings in 2023.
Employment Numbers Interpretation
It seems that while aerospace engineers make up just a small slice of the global workforce pie, they are the ones holding the very sharp knife that carves humanity’s path into the sky and beyond.
Job Outlook and Projections
- Employment projected to grow 6% from 2023-2033, adding 4,000 jobs.
- Annual openings average 4,200 due to replacements 2023-33.
- Space sector growth at 12% projected through 2030 per FAA.
- UAV/drone engineering jobs to surge 25% by 2028.
- Sustainable aviation demand to create 10,000 new roles by 2030.
- Hypersonics field projected 15% CAGR job growth 2023-28.
- Electric propulsion engineers needed: 2,500 openings by 2027.
- Commercial spaceflight to double workforce by 2030 per BryceTech.
- Retirement wave: 20% of current engineers retire by 2030.
- AI/ML integration to add 3,000 specialized roles by 2028.
- Supply chain recovery to boost 8% hiring in 2024-25.
- Defense budget hikes project 5,000 DoD contractor jobs 2024-28.
- Urban air mobility (eVTOL) to generate 4,000 jobs by 2030.
- Global demand: 42,000 new pilots but 15,000 engineers linked 2023-42.
- Cybersecurity aerospace roles up 18% projected 2023-27.
- Additive manufacturing specialists: 1,800 openings annually projected.
- Entry-level hiring to rise 10% post-2024 recession recovery.
- Mid-level promotions to fill 12,000 gaps by 2028.
- International mobility: 5,000 US jobs filled by H1B visas yearly projected.
- Turnover rate expected at 9% annually through 2030.
Job Outlook and Projections Interpretation
So while your future in aerospace may involve hypersonic speeds, expect your career trajectory to move at a steady, promising climb, fueled by a perfect storm of new frontiers, retiring veterans, and a hungry global market that needs you to build, secure, and power everything from drones to spaceships.
Salary and Benefits
- The median annual wage for aerospace engineers in the US was $130,720 as of May 2023.
- Aerospace engineers in California earned a mean hourly wage of $66.43 in 2023.
- Washington state offered $64.85 mean hourly for aerospace engineers in 2023.
- Texas aerospace engineers averaged $58.72 per hour in May 2023.
- Florida's mean annual salary for aerospace engineers was $121,060 in 2023.
- Top 10% of US aerospace engineers earned over $176,470 annually in 2023.
- Bottom 10% earned less than $79,020 per year in 2023 BLS data.
- Entry-level aerospace engineers (0-1 year exp) averaged $85,000 base salary in 2023.
- Mid-career (5-9 years) salaries hit $120,500 mean in 2023 surveys.
- Senior aerospace engineers (10+ years) commanded $155,000 average in 2023.
- Bonuses for aerospace engineers averaged 8.2% of base pay in 2023.
- Total compensation including benefits reached $162,000 median for 2023.
- Stock options added $25,000 average value for Big Tech aerospace roles in 2023.
- Health benefits coverage was 92% for full-time aerospace engineers in 2023.
- 401(k) matching averaged 4.5% of salary in aerospace firms 2023.
- Paid time off averaged 22 days per year for aerospace engineers in 2023.
- Overtime pay was 1.5 times rate, with 12% receiving in 2023.
- Seattle metro area paid $137,500 median for aerospace engineers 2023.
- LA-Long Beach area averaged $135,200 annual salary in 2023.
- Huntsville, AL offered $128,900 median due to NASA/DoD in 2023.
- DC metro salaries reached $142,300 mean for aerospace engineers 2023.
- Women aerospace engineers earned 92% of male counterparts' median in 2023.
- PhD holders earned 25% premium over bachelor's in 2023 salaries.
- Defense contractors paid 15% above commercial sector average in 2023.
- SpaceX engineers averaged $145,000 base plus equity in 2023 postings.
- Boeing salaries for aerospace engineers averaged $118,000 in 2023.
- 87% of aerospace engineers reported job satisfaction tied to compensation in 2023 survey.
Salary and Benefits Interpretation
While the sky is quite literally the limit in this field, your paycheck is more firmly grounded, starting modestly but soaring to impressive heights if you navigate the right sectors, locations, and experience levels.
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