Average hourly wages for highest levels of aerospace engineers at $66.36 in 2021

The images revealed this summer from the James Webb Space Telescope animated imaginations around the world about space, time, and galaxies. Aerospace engineers are some of the people who develop the spacecraft that carry telescopes, satellites, and people into space. The average hourly wage in 2021 was $41.88 for level 9 aerospace engineers and $66.36 for level 12 aerospace engineers.

Work levels provide insight into the range of duties and responsibilities for occupations. We determine the levels based on four factors: knowledge, job controls and complexity, contacts (nature and purpose), and the physical environment. Level 11 architecture and engineering occupations had an average hourly wage of $51.63; the average for level 11 aerospace engineers was $55.44.

Average hourly wages were $64.74 for union aerospace engineers and $58.23 for their nonunion counterparts in 2021.

These data are from the Modeled Wage Estimates derived from the National Compensation Survey and the Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey. Modeled Wage Estimates are available for detailed occupations, geographic areas, and job characteristics, including full- and part-time status, work levels, and bargaining status.