Yes, aerospace engineering is a good career if you want high pay, technically demanding work and a field that is growing. The median aerospace engineer earned $134,960 in May 2025 according to BLS data, and employment is projected to grow 8 percent from 2025 to 2035, much faster than average. The catch is that many jobs are tied to defense programs, which can mean security clearances, US person requirements and a hiring market that follows government budgets.
Key takeaways
- Aerospace engineers earned a median of $134,960 in May 2025, and the top 10 percent earned more than $205,890.
- BLS projects 8 percent job growth from 2025 to 2035 with about 3,800 openings a year.
- Aerospace product and parts manufacturing employs 38 percent of aerospace engineers, followed by engineering services and the federal government.
- Defense work often requires a security clearance, and some clearance levels require US citizenship.
- California, Texas, Washington, Alabama and Colorado employed the most aerospace engineers in the latest detailed BLS state data (May 2023).
What does an aerospace engineer do day to day?
Aerospace engineers design, develop and test aircraft, spacecraft, satellites and missiles. The BLS says typical duties include directing design, manufacturing and testing, judging whether proposed projects are technically and financially feasible, checking that designs meet engineering principles and customer requirements, and inspecting damaged or malfunctioning products to find the cause.
There are two broad tracks. Aeronautical engineers work on aircraft that fly within the atmosphere, including airplanes, helicopters and drones. Astronautical engineers work on spacecraft, launch vehicles and satellites, from small cubesats to large traditional satellites.
Most of the day is spent at a computer and in team meetings rather than on a hangar floor. O*NET lists job titles such as stress engineer, flight controls engineer, avionics engineer, structural analysis engineer and flight test engineer, which gives a sense of how specialized the work gets.
| Specialty | What you work on | Typical day |
|---|---|---|
| Structures and stress | Airframes, brackets, composite parts | Finite element models, hand calculations, reviewing drawings and test results |
| Aerodynamics | Wings, control surfaces, vehicle shapes | CFD runs, wind tunnel data, performance analysis |
| Guidance, navigation and control | Autopilots, flight software, satellites | Simulink models, simulation, hardware in the loop testing |
| Propulsion | Jet engines, rocket engines | Thermal and combustion analysis, engine test support |
| Systems and test | Whole vehicle integration | Requirements, test plans, test events, data review, customer reviews |
How much do aerospace engineers make?
Aerospace engineering is one of the best paid engineering careers. The BLS reports a May 2025 median of $134,960. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $86,700 and the highest 10 percent earned more than $205,890. The median for all engineers was $108,620.
| Industry | Median annual wage, May 2025 |
|---|---|
| Research and development in the physical, engineering and life sciences | $149,260 |
| Federal government | $142,630 |
| Aerospace product and parts manufacturing | $137,030 |
| Engineering services | $132,440 |
| Navigational, measuring, electromedical and control instruments manufacturing | $126,740 |
Location matters too. In the most recent detailed OEWS profile (May 2023), Maryland, Washington and the District of Columbia had average aerospace engineering pay above $150,000. To see how aerospace compares with other disciplines, check our list of the highest paid engineering jobs.
Is aerospace engineering a good career for long term job growth?
The outlook is strong. BLS projects employment to grow from about 68,700 jobs in 2025 to 74,400 in 2035, an 8 percent increase. That matches the growth rate for engineers overall and is well above the 3 percent average for all occupations.
BLS points to several drivers: aircraft being redesigned for lower noise and better fuel efficiency, falling launch costs that make space more accessible, the commercial growth of small satellites and continued interest in drones. About 3,800 openings are expected each year, many from engineers retiring or changing careers.
The risk is cyclical. Much of aerospace depends on defense budgets, airline orders and a small number of very large programs. When a major program is canceled or delayed, layoffs can hit a whole region. Engineers with broad skills in structures, systems or software usually land on their feet fastest.
Do you need a security clearance or US citizenship?
Often, yes, for defense work. The BLS notes that aerospace engineers on national defense projects may need a security clearance and that some types and levels of clearance require US citizenship. The Defense Counterintelligence and Security Agency explains that a background investigation is required when working for or on behalf of the federal government.
Export controls are the other big factor. The State Department’s Directorate of Defense Trade Controls administers the ITAR rules, which govern the manufacture, export and temporary import of defense articles and defense services on the US Munitions List. The regulation defines a US person to include lawful permanent residents and other protected individuals under federal law. That is why many aerospace job postings say applicants must be US persons.
Recruiter tip: If you already hold an active clearance, put it near the top of your resume with the level and status. Cleared engineers are hard to find, and an active clearance can shorten a hiring process by months. If you do not have one, look for employers that sponsor clearances for new hires and be ready for a detailed background check.
What degree and license do aerospace engineers need?
Aerospace engineers typically need a bachelor’s degree in aerospace engineering or a related field such as mechanical engineering. The BLS notes that employers may prefer graduates of accredited programs and that cooperative education programs and internships give students valuable experience. Some schools offer five year programs that combine a bachelor’s and master’s degree.
A graduate degree is helpful for research, advanced analysis and some guidance and control roles, but it is not required for most jobs. Licensure is not required for entry level positions. Experienced engineers can earn a Professional Engineer (PE) license, which requires passing the Fundamentals of Engineering exam, gaining work experience and passing the PE exam, but in aerospace manufacturing the PE is far less common than in civil or structural work.
What skills and software do aerospace employers want?
O*NET lists software used in the field including MATLAB and Simulink, CATIA, SolidWorks, PTC Creo, AutoCAD, IBM Rational DOORS for requirements management and LabVIEW, along with programming languages like C, C++ and Java. Our guide to the CAD software companies use goes deeper on which design tools show up most.
- Analysis: finite element analysis, computational fluid dynamics and hand calculations to back them up.
- Design: 3D CAD, geometric dimensioning and tolerancing and drawing release.
- Systems engineering: requirements, verification and working across disciplines.
- Programming: MATLAB, Python or C++ for modeling, test data and flight software.
- Communication: the BLS stresses explaining designs clearly, including to nontechnical audiences.
Is aerospace engineering hard to get into?
The degree is demanding, with heavy loads of calculus, fluid dynamics, structures and controls. Landing the first job is also competitive because aerospace attracts many graduates who have wanted the work since childhood.
The hours can be long. O*NET survey data shows 73 percent of aerospace engineers report working more than 40 hours in a typical week, and the BLS notes extra hours around testing and troubleshooting. Program deadlines and test campaigns tend to bunch the pressure into busy stretches.
If the degree feels too narrow, related paths use similar skills. Read our breakdowns of whether mechanical engineering is a good career, whether robotics engineering is a good career and whether electrical engineering is a good career, since avionics and power systems are a big part of modern aircraft.
What are the pros and cons of aerospace engineering?
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| High pay: $134,960 median in May 2025 | Hiring follows defense budgets and big program decisions |
| 8 percent projected growth from 2025 to 2035 | Clearance and US person rules limit who can apply to many roles |
| Work on aircraft, rockets and satellites | Jobs cluster in a handful of regions |
| Strong demand for cleared and experienced engineers | Long hours during tests and program deadlines |
| Skills transfer to automotive, energy and robotics | Highly specialized roles can be slow to advance in large companies |
Who is aerospace engineering a good fit for?
It suits people who love flight or space, enjoy heavy math and analysis, and are comfortable with detailed documentation and strict quality standards. It also suits people willing to relocate to aerospace hubs and who are eligible for, or open to, a security clearance.
How do you break into aerospace engineering?
- Join a student design team such as a rocketry, drone or design build fly club. Hiring managers often ask about these projects first.
- Land an internship or cooperative education placement with a manufacturer, supplier or government lab.
- Apply to suppliers and engineering services firms, not just the best known primes. They hire many new graduates.
- Be flexible on location. The May 2023 OEWS data shows the Los Angeles, Seattle and Huntsville metro areas employing the most aerospace engineers.
- Learn the paperwork side: requirements, test procedures and configuration management matter as much as analysis.
Recruiter tip: Tailor your resume to the specialty in the posting. A stress engineering role wants to see FEA tools, hand calculations and the parts you analyzed. A systems role wants requirements, verification and test events. One generic aerospace resume sent everywhere tends to get filtered out.
Frequently asked questions
Is aerospace engineering worth it in 2026?
For most people who enjoy the work, yes. A May 2025 median of $134,960 and 8 percent projected growth make it one of the stronger engineering fields. Expect to follow the jobs geographically and to ride out program driven hiring cycles.
Can you become an aerospace engineer with a mechanical engineering degree?
Yes. The BLS says aerospace engineers typically need a degree in aerospace engineering or a related field, and many employers hire mechanical engineers into structures, thermal, test and manufacturing roles. Aerospace coursework or project experience helps you stand out.
Can non US citizens work in aerospace engineering?
Yes, but options are narrower. Commercial aviation and some space companies hire foreign nationals, but defense roles that need a clearance or ITAR access are often limited to US persons, and some clearance levels require citizenship.
Where are most aerospace engineering jobs?
In the most recent detailed OEWS profile (May 2023), California, Texas, Washington, Alabama and Colorado had the most aerospace engineers. Huntsville, Alabama and the California Lexington Park metro area in Maryland had some of the highest concentrations in the country. Metro Atlanta, home to Lockheed Martin’s Marietta plant, pays aerospace engineers a median of $150,220; see our Atlanta aerospace engineer talent map. Dallas-Fort Worth, home to Lockheed Martin’s F-35 plant and Bell, pays a median of $134,570; see our Dallas-Fort Worth aerospace engineer talent map.
Is aerospace engineering more stressful than other engineering jobs?
It can be during test campaigns and program deadlines, and the stakes are high because mistakes can affect safety. Many engineers find the work rewarding enough to offset the pressure, and day to day stress varies a lot by employer and program.
Ready for your next aerospace role, or hiring for one? Apollo Technical’s engineering staffing agency team recruits aerospace, mechanical and systems engineers for manufacturers and engineering firms. Job seekers can also browse our open engineering jobs.
