Talent Maps / San Antonio / Aerospace Engineers
San Antonio Aerospace Engineer Talent Map (2026)
What aerospace engineers earn in San Antonio, from the engine and aircraft maintenance shops at Port San Antonio to Southwest Research Institute and the Air Force’s new T-7A trainer, where they work and what is driving demand.
Hiring aerospace engineers in San Antonio?A talent map shows where a group of professionals works, what they are paid and who else is trying to hire them. This one covers aerospace engineers in the San Antonio-New Braunfels metro area, a market built on aircraft maintenance, engine work, research and the Air Force. Pay figures come from the latest Bureau of Labor Statistics wage survey (May 2025), and the demand picture uses employer, Air Force and news reports from 2024 to 2026. Our engineering recruiters update it as new data comes out. See also our Austin aerospace talent map and our San Antonio mechanical, electrical and industrial engineer talent maps.
Aerospace engineer salaries in San Antonio
The median aerospace engineer in metro San Antonio earns $128,400 a year, below the Texas median of $130,270 and the national median of $134,960. Entry pay is stronger: San Antonio’s 10th percentile of $87,980 is above both the Texas and US figures. The top 10% earn $178,400 or more, well below the state and national levels. Compare Houston’s spaceflight market in our Houston aerospace talent map.
| Annual pay percentile | San Antonio metro | Texas | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $87,980 | $82,990 | $86,700 |
| 25th percentile | $101,950 | $103,810 | $106,110 |
| Median | $128,400 | $130,270 | $134,960 |
| 75th percentile | $159,150 | $166,980 | $169,690 |
| 90th percentile | $178,400 | $195,190 | $205,890 |
Aerospace Engineers (SOC 17-2011). Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS, May 2025, via O*NET OnLine.
We have left out San Antonio pay for aerospace technicians and aircraft mechanics because the BLS samples for those jobs are too thin to give a reliable range.
Where San Antonio’s aerospace engineers work
Engine maintenance
StandardAero’s 810,000 square foot facility at Port San Antonio is its second-largest site, with about 850 employees in 2024. It delivered its 1,000th J85-5 engine, which powers the T-38 trainer, in November 2025 and also supports the CFM LEAP engine.
It has set aside 100,000 square feet to assemble and test Boom Supersonic’s Symphony engine.
Aircraft maintenance and modification
Boeing held a hiring event for electrical aircraft mechanics in January 2026, for roles that may require a security clearance. In 2023, 70 to 80 Boeing employees were working on B-52 radar upgrades in San Antonio.
Other Port tenants include Northrop Grumman, Raytheon, Knight Aerospace, Chromalloy and Xyrec.
Research
Southwest Research Institute has more than 3,200 employees and reported record revenue of $966 million in fiscal 2025. It opened a 33,505 square foot center for aerospace engine materials in September 2025, runs a 74,000 square foot spacecraft processing facility and leads NASA’s PUNCH and Lucy missions.
The Air Force
JBSA-Randolph has received its first three T-7A Red Hawk trainers, and the first instructor class has finished the simulator course. The program calls for 351 aircraft and 46 simulators.
Where the talent sits: San Antonio submarkets
Port San Antonio
MROEngines
The former Kelly Air Force Base, now a 1,900-acre campus with StandardAero, Boeing and more than 80 other tenants.
Southwest Research Institute
ResearchSpace
SwRI’s labs, including its spacecraft processing facility and a 90,000 square foot Machinery Innovation Center under construction.
JBSA-Randolph
Air ForceTraining
Pilot training and the first T-7A trainers.
UTSA
University
Mechanical engineering degrees, a master’s in aerospace engineering and a PhD program run with SwRI.
St. Philip’s College
Technicians
FAA-certified airframe and powerplant training for aircraft technicians.
What’s driving demand for aerospace engineers in San Antonio
- The T-7A. Boeing has delivered three T-7A trainers to JBSA-Randolph, out of a 351-aircraft program.
- Engine work. StandardAero supports the T-38’s J85-5 engine and the commercial CFM LEAP, and is preparing to assemble Boom’s Symphony engine.
- SwRI’s growth. SwRI spent more than $143 million on capital projects in fiscal 2025 and is building new aerospace and machinery facilities.
- The Port’s economy. A 2024 study counted nearly 18,000 employees at the Port, with average campus pay approaching $111,000. The Texas Comptroller says the Port adds $20 billion to the state economy.
- Little space funding. None of the Texas Space Commission’s $150 million in grants has gone to a San Antonio organization.
The talent pipeline
- UTSA. UTSA has no bachelor’s degree in aerospace engineering. It offers an ABET-accredited mechanical engineering degree, a master’s in aerospace engineering, aerospace certificates and a mechanical engineering PhD run jointly with SwRI.
- St. Philip’s College. Its aircraft technician program is FAA Part 147 certified for airframe and powerplant training. In 2024 it and Hallmark University ran the city’s only aviation technology programs.
- Employer training. StandardAero’s mechanic training program trains more than 200 people a year.
- Adjacent engineers. Without a local aerospace bachelor’s degree, mechanical engineers are a key source of talent. See our San Antonio mechanical engineer talent map.
What this means if you’re hiring
- San Antonio is a sustainment market. Engine overhaul, aircraft modification and test experience is concentrated here. Write job posts for that audience.
- Senior pay lags. The top 10% earn $178,400 or more, against $205,890 nationally. Experienced engineers from Houston or Dallas-Fort Worth may need a raise to move.
- Hire mechanical engineers. With no local aerospace bachelor’s degree, UTSA’s mechanical engineers are the main entry-level pool.
- Plan for clearances. Military aircraft work often requires a security clearance, which narrows the pool and adds time.
Need aerospace engineers in San Antonio?
Apollo Technical has recruited engineers since 2010. Our recruiting teams place aerospace, mechanical, electrical and systems engineers on a contract, contract-to-hire and direct hire basis.
Call 512.686.1181 or see our San Antonio engineering recruiters page.
Hire aerospace engineersFrequently asked questions
How much do aerospace engineers make in San Antonio?
The median aerospace engineer salary in metro San Antonio is $128,400 a year, according to May 2025 BLS data. The middle half earn between $101,950 and $159,150, and the top 10% earn $178,400 or more.
Who hires aerospace engineers in San Antonio?
StandardAero, Boeing and other tenants at Port San Antonio, Southwest Research Institute, and companies supporting the Air Force at JBSA-Randolph.
Does San Antonio pay aerospace engineers more than Austin?
At the median, yes: $128,400 in metro San Antonio against $123,210 in metro Austin. Austin pays more at the top, where its 90th percentile is $195,450 against San Antonio’s $178,400. Read more on whether aerospace engineering is a good career.
Sources (15)
- O*NET OnLine: Local wages for aerospace engineers (BLS OEWS, May 2025)
- Port San Antonio
- TPR: Port San Antonio economic impact
- KSAT: Comptroller on Port San Antonio
- San Antonio Report: StandardAero training
- Port San Antonio: 1,000th J85-5 engine
- San Antonio Report: StandardAero and Boom Supersonic
- TPR: Boeing hiring in San Antonio
- San Antonio Report: Boeing B-52 work
- SwRI: 2025 annual report
- Boeing: T-7A first instructor class
- Texas Space Commission: Grant awards
- St. Philip’s College: Aircraft technician program
- UTSA: Mechanical engineering
- UTSA: MS in aerospace engineering