Aerospace Engineer Salary In Texas

Aerospace engineers in Texas earn an average salary of $99,480 per year. The state’s capital, Austin, is home to the most aerospace engineers, who tend to be the highest paid in the state.

Aerospace engineers in Texas benefit from a cost of living that is among the lowest in the nation. The state also has an unemployment rate of just over 6%, which is lower than the national average of 7.3%.

Aerospace engineers work with aircraft and spacecraft to design and develop new technologies and systems. They also oversee projects and make sure they are carried out according to plans.

To become an aerospace engineer in Texas, you need at least a bachelor’s degree in aerospace engineering or another field related to aeronautics and astronautics. You may also need experience working on aircraft, spacecraft or missiles; some employers may require you to have a graduate degree as well as experience working on projects where you were responsible for managing budgets and hiring personnel.

Aerospace Engineer Salary In Texas

Several factors can affect how much you make as an aerospace engineer, including your education level, experience, and skillset. 

For instance, data from Payscale highlights that aerospace engineers with five to ten years experience made $90,000 on average compared to those with less than five years of experience who averaged $70,000 per year. 

The type of aerospace engineer role you have may also impact your salary. For example, data from Indeed.com indicated that the average pay for aerospace engineers is $73,298 per year for the role as a mechanical designer to $115, 239 annually for the role of a senior system engineer.

Your salary may also vary based on the company that hires you. Some of the top-paying organizations that hire aerospace engineers include SpaceX, The Boeing Company, Northrop Grumman Corporation, Lockheed Martin Corp and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). 

For example, salaries reported on Payscale for aerospace engineering jobs range from $72,000 to $122,000 for The Boeing Company while NASA pays its aerospace engineers between $70,000 and $120,000. However, some aerospace engineers make as much as $216,000 at Google, according to Paysa

RELATED: THE INCREDIBLE ENGINEERING OF AEROSPACE LEGEND BURT RUTAN

Thus, working in one company may work for you when starting out while transitioning to another role or company is often more lucrative than remaining in the same position at the same company.

What Are the Top-Paying States for Aerospace Engineering Jobs?

If you’re looking to start a career as an aerospace engineer, it’s crucial to know how much to expect based on where you will work. 

The latest data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics highlights the differences in salaries across the United States for aerospace engineers. The District of Columbia (D.C.) offered the highest paid salaries for aerospace engineers with earnings reaching an annual mean wage of $133,760, as of May 2017.

Also, metropolitan areas that offered the highest annual salaries for aerospace engineering jobs annually included the Washington-Arlington-Alexandra, DC-Virginia, Maryland and West Virginia metro area ($137,750); the Denver-Aurora-Lakewood, Colorado metro area ($133,950) and the metro area of Los Angeles-Long Beach-Glendale, California ($132,600). 

Some states outshine others and may offer a better option to obtain a high salary. Here are the top four states that offer the most for an aerospace engineer salary based on data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics:

  1. Colorado ($131,360)
  2. Virginia ($128,300)
  3. California ($123,290)
  4. Maryland ($122,290)

Average Aerospace Engineering Salaries State-By-State

The geographical location of aerospace engineering jobs matter since they impact how much you make as an aerospace engineer. 

Luckily, the Bureau of Labor Statistics collects data on salaries across the country to help you benchmark what salary range you should look for when considering becoming an aerospace engineer. 

The data below is based on the May 2018 period and does not include data for the states where data was unavailable.

See if the state you plan to start a career in aerospace engineering is offering the salary you want:

StateAvg. Salary
Alabama$115,820
Alaska $112,890
Arizona $107,230
California$125,540
Colorado$124,070
Connecticut $106,790
District of Columbia$138,480
Florida$105,460
Georgia$114,160
Hawaii $121,100
Illinois $108,520
Indiana$95,390
Iowa $110,770
Kansas$105,540
Kentucky$98,650
Louisiana $117,170
Maryland $127,330
Massachusetts$119,700
Minnesota$113,350
Mississippi$110,760
Missouri $114,570
Montana$91,940
Nebraska$115,120
Nevada $91,850
New Jersey$115,850
New Mexico$114,340
New York $115,420
North Carolina $100,080
Ohio $112,480
Oklahoma $92,460
Oregon $109,250
Pennsylvania$108,300
Tennessee $88,180
Texas $122,570
Utah $105,320
Virginia$127,390
West Virginia$90,710
Wisconsin$85,880

Final Thoughts

Whether you’ve just graduated with a degree in aerospace engineering or you’re considering becoming an aerospace engineer in the future, it is important to study this industry to become familiar with multiple career opportunities and path that may lay beneath you. 

Consider continuing your education by taking courses such as The Science of Flight, by James W. Gregory, a Professor of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering at The Ohio State University. 

Remember that it’s imperative to have insight into the earnings you can expect while working on the job in the state of your choice. Consider the various factors that impact income and review this break down of salaries for aerospace engineering jobs by state. 

Leave a Reply