The average salary for an aerospace engineer in California is around $157,620 per year.
Avg Salary
Aerospace engineers earn an average yearly salary of $157,620.
Wages typically start from $104,370 and go up to $220,670.
96% above national average Updated in 2025
Aerospace engineer earnings by seniority
Top-level aerospace engineer earnings begin at:
$106.09 per hour
$220,670 per year
Senior-level aerospace engineer earnings begin at:
$92.82 per hour
$193,060 per year
Mid-level aerospace engineer earnings begin at:
$75.78 per hour
$157,620 per year
Junior-level aerospace engineer earnings begin at:
$62.03 per hour
$129,010 per year
Starting level aerospace engineer earnings begin at:
$50.18 per hour
$104,370 per year
Approximate values based on highest and lowest earning segments.
Aerospace engineer salary by state
| State Name | Average Salary |
|---|---|
| Delaware | $99,800 |
| Iowa | $99,800 |
| New Hampshire | $96,960 |
| Nevada | $96,730 |
| Idaho | $95,700 |
| West Virginia | $90,900 |
| Wisconsin | $88,400 |
| Montana | $71,810 |
| Puerto Rico | $59,960 |
| Minnesota | $159,060 |
| Washington | $158,370 |
| California | $157,620 |
| District of Columbia | $157,600 |
| Maryland | $156,750 |
| Colorado | $156,190 |
| Massachusetts | $149,470 |
| Vermont | $144,400 |
| Virginia | $143,210 |
| Georgia | $140,460 |
| Ohio | $138,440 |
| Hawaii | $137,240 |
| South Carolina | $137,030 |
| Louisiana | $136,970 |
| Utah | $135,840 |
| Nebraska | $135,670 |
| Pennsylvania | $133,940 |
| New Mexico | $132,850 |
| Missouri | $130,680 |
| Kansas | $130,330 |
| New York | $130,330 |
| Texas | $130,270 |
| Connecticut | $129,500 |
| Florida | $129,280 |
| Michigan | $128,960 |
| Tennessee | $128,510 |
| Alabama | $127,540 |
| New Jersey | $126,430 |
| Kentucky | $126,130 |
| Oklahoma | $125,470 |
| Oregon | $124,630 |
| Arizona | $123,170 |
| North Carolina | $122,930 |
| Mississippi | $109,200 |
| Illinois | $108,940 |
| Indiana | $107,400 |
| Arkansas | $102,040 |
| Alaska | $101,710 |
How do aerospace engineer salaries compare to similar careers?
Aerospace engineers earn about the same as related careers in California. On average, they make less than software engineers but more than mining and geological engineers.
| Career | Median Salary |
|---|---|
| Software engineer salary | $174K |
| Nuclear engineer salary | $172K |
| Aerospace engineer salary | $158K |
| Electrical engineer salary | $144K |
| Petroleum engineer salary | $144K |
| Sales engineer salary | $139K |
| Mining and geological engineer salary | $158K |
Source: CareerExplorer (Aggregated)