Talent Maps / Charlotte / Aerospace Engineers

Charlotte Aerospace Engineer Talent Map (2026)

What aerospace engineers earn in Charlotte, from Collins Aerospace’s headquarters to the aerospace materials plants of Monroe, where they work and what is driving demand.

Hiring aerospace engineers in Charlotte?

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 Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia metro area, a market built on corporate headquarters, defense suppliers and aerospace materials. Pay figures come from the latest Bureau of Labor Statistics wage survey (May 2025), and the demand picture uses company, city and news reports from 2025 and 2026. Our engineering recruiters update it as new data comes out. See also our Raleigh aerospace talent map and our Charlotte mechanical, electrical and industrial engineer talent maps.

$132,830Median aerospace engineer pay in metro CharlotteBLS, May 2025

$212,620Pay at the 90th percentile in Charlotte, above the national $205,890BLS, May 2025

$300MExpansion ATI is weighing in Monroe, with about 130 jobsCity of Monroe and CBJ, 2026

$200MPlanned by an unnamed aerospace materials maker in MonroeWBTV, April 2026

$3.5BCurtiss-Wright’s 2025 sales, reported from its Davidson headquartersCurtiss-Wright, February 2026

58.8MPassengers at Charlotte Douglas in 2024, the world’s sixth-busiest airportUNC Charlotte, October 2025

Aerospace engineer salaries in Charlotte

The median aerospace engineer in metro Charlotte earns $132,830 a year, well above the North Carolina median of $122,930 and close to the national median of $134,960. Pay is strongest at the top: Charlotte’s 90th percentile of $212,620 is above both the state and national figures. Entry pay is weaker, with a 10th percentile of $80,240 against $86,700 nationally. Compare another Southeast market in our Atlanta aerospace talent map.

Annual pay percentile	Charlotte metro	North Carolina	United States
10th percentile	$80,240	$79,310	$86,700
25th percentile	$104,850	$94,210	$106,110
Median	$132,830	$122,930	$134,960
75th percentile	$169,760	$149,990	$169,690
90th percentile	$212,620	$176,720	$205,890

Aerospace Engineers (SOC 17-2011). Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS, May 2025, via O*NET OnLine.

Aerospace engineering is a small occupation in North Carolina. BLS publishes aerospace engineer pay for only three areas in the state: metro Charlotte, the eastern nonmetropolitan area and the Virginia Beach-Norfolk metro, which crosses the state line. There is no figure for Raleigh-Cary. Mechanical engineers are the larger local pool, with a Charlotte median of $101,950.

Where Charlotte’s aerospace engineers work

Headquarters

Collins Aerospace, part of RTX, has its headquarters at Four Coliseum Centre on West Tyvola Road, which is also home to its Aftermarket Services and Mechanical Systems units.

Curtiss-Wright is based in Davidson. It reported $3.5 billion in 2025 sales, about 70% of it in aerospace and defense markets.

Aerospace materials

ATI Specialty Materials has an established presence in Monroe. In April 2026 the city annexed more ATI property tied to about $300 million of new production buildings and equipment.

An unnamed company plans $200 million for the next phases of an advanced aerospace materials plant in Monroe, including a 172,210 square foot production building.

Aviation

Charlotte Douglas handled 58.8 million passengers in 2024. In October 2025 it signed an agreement with UNC Charlotte to develop the Charlotte Aviation Innovation and Research Institute, a training and research hub near the airport.

A changing Honeywell

Honeywell Aerospace became a separate public company on June 29, 2026, with its headquarters in Phoenix. Honeywell Technologies, the automation company, remains in Charlotte.

Where the talent sits: Charlotte submarkets

West Tyvola Road

Headquarters

Collins Aerospace’s headquarters in southwest Charlotte.

Monroe and Union County

MaterialsExpanding

ATI’s Monroe operations and a planned $200 million aerospace materials plant on Goldmine Road, next to ATI.

Davidson and Lake Norman

HeadquartersDefense

Curtiss-Wright’s corporate headquarters.

Charlotte Douglas

AviationResearch

The airport and the planned Charlotte Aviation Innovation and Research Institute.

UNC Charlotte

University

Mechanical engineering with a new aerospace concentration, plus the airport research partnership.

What’s driving demand for aerospace engineers in Charlotte

Monroe’s materials expansion. ATI is weighing about $300 million and roughly 130 jobs, and Monroe approved a $3.74 million grant for a separate $200 million aerospace materials project in April 2026.
Defense orders. Curtiss-Wright booked a record $4.1 billion in new orders in 2025, up 10%, and expects 2026 sales to grow 6% to 8%.
Aviation research. UNC Charlotte is now Charlotte Douglas’s general research advisor and will support internships and graduate recruitment through the new institute.
Honeywell’s split. With Honeywell Aerospace now based in Phoenix, Collins Aerospace and Curtiss-Wright are the region’s aerospace headquarters.

The talent pipeline

UNC Charlotte. UNC Charlotte has no standalone aerospace bachelor’s degree. In fall 2025 it added an aerospace engineering concentration to its mechanical engineering degree, with 19 of 120 credit hours in aerodynamics, propulsion, structures and vehicle design.
Engineering technology. UNC Charlotte’s School of Energy offers ABET-accredited mechanical and electromechanical engineering technology degrees.
Central Piedmont Community College. Its engineering division offers computer-integrated machining, mechanical and mechatronics engineering technology programs.
Adjacent engineers. With a small local aerospace pool, mechanical engineers are a key source of talent. See our Charlotte mechanical engineer talent map.

What this means if you’re hiring

Senior pay is high. The top 10% earn $212,620 or more, above the national $205,890. Budget for that when hiring experienced engineers.
Hire mechanical engineers. With no aerospace bachelor’s degree in the metro and a concentration that only began in 2025, UNC Charlotte’s mechanical engineers are the main entry-level pool.
Recruit from outside the state. BLS does not publish aerospace engineer pay for Raleigh-Cary, a sign of how small the in-state pool is. Plan on relocation for hard-to-fill roles.
Plan for clearances. Defense work often requires a security clearance, which narrows the pool and adds time.

Need aerospace engineers in Charlotte?

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 919.710.8098 or see our Charlotte engineering recruiters page.

Hire aerospace engineers

Frequently asked questions

How much do aerospace engineers make in Charlotte?

The median aerospace engineer salary in metro Charlotte is $132,830 a year, according to May 2025 BLS data. The middle half earn between $104,850 and $169,760, and the top 10% earn $212,620 or more.

Who hires aerospace engineers in Charlotte?

Collins Aerospace at its Charlotte headquarters, Curtiss-Wright in Davidson, and ATI and other aerospace materials makers in Monroe.

Does Charlotte pay aerospace engineers more than Raleigh?

There is no direct comparison, because BLS does not publish an aerospace engineer figure for metro Raleigh. Charlotte’s median of $132,830 is $9,900 above the North Carolina median of $122,930. See our Raleigh aerospace talent map and read more on whether aerospace engineering is a good career.

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