Talent Maps / Columbia, SC / Aerospace Engineers

Columbia, SC Aerospace Engineer Talent Map (2026)

What aerospace engineers earn in South Carolina, which research, defense and military aviation employers hire them around Columbia, where in the metro they work, and the Upstate and Lowcountry programs competing for them.

Hiring aerospace engineers in Columbia?

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 Columbia, SC metro area, which spans Richland, Lexington, Kershaw, Fairfield, Calhoun and Saluda counties. Pay figures come from the latest Bureau of Labor Statistics wage survey (May 2025), and the demand picture uses project and company data published from 2023 to 2026. Our engineering recruiters update it as new data comes out. See also our Columbia mechanical, electrical and controls engineer talent maps.

$137,030Median aerospace engineer pay in South Carolina. BLS publishes no Columbia estimateBLS, May 2025

$102,280Median mechanical engineer pay in metro Columbia, the closest local benchmarkBLS, May 2025

324Students in USC’s aerospace engineering program in fall 2025, the state’s only undergraduate programUniversity of South Carolina

$30MResearch grants a year at USC’s McNAIR Center for Aerospace Innovation and ResearchMcNAIR Center

312South Carolina jobs at Columbia-based defense technology firm Integer Technologies in 2024University of South Carolina, 2025

$3.5BDefense Department contract spending in South Carolina in 2024, up from $2.7 billion in 2017Columbia Business Monthly, 2026

Aerospace engineer salaries in Columbia

BLS does not publish an aerospace engineer estimate for metro Columbia. The nearest valid figure is the statewide one. The median aerospace engineer in South Carolina earns $137,030 a year, $2,070 above the national median of $134,960. The hourly median is $65.88. The state trails at the top: its 90th percentile is $170,150, against $205,890 nationally, a gap of $35,740.

Annual pay percentile	Columbia metro	South Carolina	United States
10th percentile	n/a	$81,460	$86,700
25th percentile	n/a	$102,280	$106,110
Median	n/a	$137,030	$134,960
75th percentile	n/a	$160,620	$169,690
90th percentile	n/a	$170,150	$205,890

Aerospace Engineers (SOC 17-2011). BLS publishes no estimate for the Columbia metro (n/a). Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS, May 2025, via O*NET OnLine. Wage surveys run about a year behind current offers.

Mechanical engineers fill many aerospace design, test and manufacturing roles, and BLS does publish their Columbia pay. They earn a median of $102,280 in Columbia, which is $34,750 below the state aerospace median. BLS publishes no South Carolina or Columbia estimate for aerospace engineering technologists and technicians (SOC 17-3021). The national median for that group is $82,890. See our Columbia mechanical engineer talent map.

Charleston’s aerospace median matches the state figure at $137,030. Greenville’s median is $102,280, with a 90th percentile of $162,730. Charlotte’s median is $132,830, which is $4,200 below the state figure, but its 90th percentile reaches $212,620. See our Greenville-Spartanburg aerospace engineer talent map.

Where Columbia’s aerospace engineers work

University research

USC’s McNAIR Center was created in 2013 for the state’s aerospace cluster. It has more than 20 faculty investigators, 42,000 square feet of research space and about $30 million in research grants a year.

Its research covers composites, automated fiber placement, 3D printing, drones and unmanned vehicles, predictive maintenance and combustion.

Defense technology

Integer Technologies, founded in 2021 and headquartered in Columbia, works on unmanned systems, sensors, power and energy systems and advanced manufacturing for national security and industry customers. It is co-located at the McNAIR Center.

Integer reported 312 South Carolina jobs and $63 million of economic impact in 2024, and grew its workforce 25%.

Military aviation

The South Carolina Air National Guard’s 169th Fighter Wing flies F-16C and D jets from McEntire Joint National Guard Base in Eastover, and was running routine F-16 flight operations there in June 2025.

Shaw Air Force Base in Sumter, outside the metro, is home to the 20th Fighter Wing, the Air Force’s largest combat F-16 wing, with 79 F-16CM aircraft.

Defense manufacturing and airport

AMBAC International in Elgin makes diesel fuel injection systems for heavy-duty commercial and military uses. FN America, a Defense Department contractor, is listed among Richland County’s 2023 announcements with an $18 million, 102-job project.

Columbia Metropolitan Airport has two runways of 8,601 and 8,001 feet and plans a multi-million-dollar renovation of a building for air cargo ahead of Scout Motors’ supplier parks.

Where the talent sits: Columbia submarkets

Downtown Columbia and USC

ResearchDefense tech

The McNAIR Center is at 1000 Catawba Street. Almost half of Integer’s Columbia office are USC graduates, many with master’s or doctoral degrees.

Eastover and Lower Richland

Military aviation

McEntire Joint National Guard Base is at 1325 South Carolina Road in Eastover, home of the 169th Fighter Wing.

West Columbia and Cayce

AirportAir cargo

Columbia Metropolitan Airport offers more than 30,000 square feet of warehouse space and on-site customs, and started its own ground handling department in 2024.

Elgin

Defense manufacturing

AMBAC International’s Elgin plant has 73 verified employees.

Sumter, outside the metro

F-16 wing

Shaw AFB had 7,532 active duty military and about 19,560 daytime population in fiscal 2023, and an estimated $2.05 billion regional economic impact.

What’s driving demand for aerospace engineers in Columbia

Defense spending. South Carolina’s Defense Department contract spending grew 30%, from $2.7 billion in 2017 to $3.5 billion in 2024. SC Competes launched a statewide SC Defense initiative at its 2026 Spring Summit.
Demand outpacing supply. Suppliers at that summit said defense demand is growing fastest in aerospace, avionics, advanced materials and unmanned systems, often faster than supply.
Defense technology growth. Integer nearly doubled its office space and grew its workforce 25%, and ranked No. 95 on the 2025 Inc. 5000 list.
University research. McNAIR takes part in industry events such as AIAA SciTech 2026 and the Farnborough International Airshow 2026, and works with companies on composites and automation.
Statewide competition. Woodward plans a nearly $200 million, 275-job flight control actuation plant in Greer, due online in 2027. Eaton is spending $46 million on aerospace pumps and motors in North Charleston, due online in 2028. Lockheed Martin builds F-16s in Greenville.

Aerospace specialties tied to these employers

Composites and materials engineers for research and supplier work on aerostructures.
Unmanned systems and autonomy engineers for defense technology firms.
Sustainment and reliability engineers for F-16 fleets and predictive maintenance work.
Manufacturing and quality engineers for defense suppliers and precision parts makers.
Power and propulsion engineers for fuel systems, combustion and energy work.

The talent pipeline

University of South Carolina. USC runs the state’s only undergraduate aerospace engineering program, accredited by ABET. It enrolled 324 students in fall 2025 and awarded 31 degrees in the 2024 academic year. Its mechanical engineering program had 753 students. See our guide to hiring a mechanical engineer.
Veterans. TheLINK, Sumter’s economic development alliance, reports 40 to 80 separations a month from Shaw AFB and 40,340 veterans within a 60-minute drive.
Licensing. When a role calls for a PE license, it is issued by the South Carolina Board of Registration for Professional Engineers and Surveyors.

What this means if you’re hiring

Price against the state. There is no Columbia aerospace figure, so use the state median of $137,030 and $160,620 at the 75th percentile.
Expect Charleston and Charlotte to compete. Charleston’s median matches the state figure, and Charlotte’s 90th percentile is $212,620.
Use mechanical crossovers. Columbia mechanical engineers earn a $102,280 median, a lower-cost pool to train into aerospace roles.
Recruit from USC and the bases. USC adds aerospace graduates each year, and Shaw AFB sees 40 to 80 separations a month.

Need aerospace engineers in Columbia?

Apollo Technical has recruited engineers since 2010. Our recruiting teams place aerospace, defense, systems and manufacturing engineers on a contract, contract-to-hire and direct hire basis.

Call 803.832.4646 or see our Columbia engineering recruiters page.

Hire aerospace engineers

Frequently asked questions

How much do aerospace engineers make in Columbia, SC?

BLS does not publish a Columbia figure. Statewide, the median aerospace engineer salary is $137,030 a year, according to May 2025 BLS data. The middle half earn between $102,280 and $160,620, and the top 10% earn $170,150 or more.

Do aerospace engineers earn more in Columbia or Greenville?

BLS has no Columbia estimate to compare. Greenville’s median is $102,280, which is $34,750 below the South Carolina median of $137,030. See our Greenville-Spartanburg aerospace engineer talent map.

Who hires aerospace engineers in Columbia, SC?

Research groups such as USC’s McNAIR Center, defense technology firms such as Integer Technologies, defense manufacturers such as AMBAC International and FN America, and military aviation units at McEntire Joint National Guard Base and nearby Shaw AFB.

Sources (19)