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Aerospace engineer salary in California

Updated October 31, 2026. Based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data. Published by Humblebee.

$157,620median pay per year in California, or $75.78 an hour, May 2025[1]
  1. $104,370lowest 10% earn less
  2. $129,01025th percentile
  3. $157,620median
  4. $193,06075th percentile
  5. $220,670top 10% earn more
Middle half of workers in the inner band[2]US median for this job, $134,960[3]

The median pay for aerospace engineers in California was $157,620 a year in May 2025[1]. That was $22,660 above the US median[6].

Jobs in CA
9,170[4]
Rank by median pay
3 of 41[5]
Compared with US median
+16.8%[6]

How much do aerospace engineers make in California?

The median wage for aerospace engineers in California was $157,620 a year, or $75.78 an hour[1]. Half of these workers earned more than that and half earned less. The average was a bit higher at $159,960 a year[7]. Across the US, the median for aerospace engineers was $134,960[3], so California came in 16.8% higher[6]. California had the 3rd highest median annual wage for this job among the 40 states and DC with a published median[5]. For all jobs in California, the median was $58,240[8]. Aerospace engineers earned $99,380 more than that[9].

The lowest-paid 10% of aerospace engineers in California earned less than $104,370 a year[2]. The top-paid 10% earned more than $220,670[2]. The middle half of workers fell between $129,010 and $193,060[2].

Pay differs inside the state. Among the metro areas with a published median, San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont had the highest at $191,260[10]. San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara had a median of $181,630[11]. Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim had the largest group of these workers, 5,200 jobs, with a median of $163,280[11].

OEWS counts people who draw a wage or salary at a business. Self-employed workers and business owners are left out. Bonuses that are not tied to production and the cost of benefits such as health insurance are not part of the wage figures either[12].

California vs US pay

Pay for aerospace engineers in California next to the national figures[1][3].

CAUS
Median per year$157,620[1]$134,960[3]
Median per hour$75.78[1]$64.89[3]
Lowest 10% earn less than$104,370[2]$86,700[13]
Top 10% earn more than$220,670[2]$205,890[13]
Jobs9,170[4]67,710[3]

Pay by metro area in California

Metro areas in California with the most jobs for aerospace engineers, and the median pay in each[11].

Metro areaMedian per yearJobs
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA[11]$163,2805,200
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA$181,630930
San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA$135,010800
Bakersfield-Delano, CA$128,720700
San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA$191,260510
Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA$132,230200
Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA$129,530120
Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA$128,670110

Pay in nearby states

Median pay for aerospace engineers in the states that border California, highest first[14].

StateMedian per yearJobs
Oregon[14]$124,630250
Arizona$123,1703,110
Nevada$96,730270

Median pay for aerospace engineers in every state

Job outlook and training

Across the US, jobs for aerospace engineers are projected to grow 8.3% from 2025 to 2035[15]. BLS does not publish this projection by state. The typical education for entry is: bachelor's degree[16].

How to become one: steps, training and duties

Frequently asked questions

How much does an aerospace engineer make in California?
The median was $157,620 a year in May 2025[1]. The lowest-paid 10% earned less than $104,370 and the top-paid 10% earned more than $220,670[2].
How much does an aerospace engineer make an hour in California?
The median hourly wage was $75.78[1]. The 10th percentile wage was $50.18 an hour and the 90th percentile wage was $106.09[17].
Which city in California pays aerospace engineers the most?
San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont had the highest median annual wage among California metro areas with a published median, at $191,260[10]. San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara was next among the metros listed, at $181,630[11].
Is California a good state for aerospace engineers?
California had the 3rd highest median annual wage for this job among the 40 states and DC with a published median[5]. Its median of $157,620 was 16.8% above the US median[6].
What do you need to become an aerospace engineer in California?
These are US figures, not California ones. Across the US, the typical entry education is a bachelor's degree, with no related work experience and no on-the-job training listed[16].

Facts and sources

  1. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median wage for Aerospace Engineers in California was $157,620 per year and $75.78 per hour. Half of these workers earned more and half earned less. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  2. BLS OEWS, May 2025, annual wage percentiles for Aerospace Engineers in California: 10th percentile $104,370, 25th percentile $129,010, 75th percentile $193,060, 90th percentile $220,670. The 10th percentile means 10% of workers earned less, the 90th means 10% earned more. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  3. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median wage for Aerospace Engineers in the US as a whole was $134,960 per year and $64.89 per hour, with about 67,710 jobs nationwide. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  4. BLS OEWS, May 2025: about 9,170 people worked as Aerospace Engineers in California (wage and salary jobs, not counting self-employed workers). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  5. BLS OEWS, May 2025: California had the 3rd highest median annual wage for Aerospace Engineers out of the 40 states and DC with a published median. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  6. CareerFacts calculation from BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median annual wage for Aerospace Engineers in California ($157,620) was $22,660 (16.8%) higher than the US median ($134,960). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  7. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the mean (average) wage for Aerospace Engineers in California was $159,960 per year and $76.91 per hour. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  8. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median annual wage for all occupations in California was $58,240. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  9. CareerFacts calculation from BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median annual wage for Aerospace Engineers in California was $99,380 higher than the median for all occupations in the state ($58,240). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  10. BLS OEWS, May 2025: of the 10 metro areas in or partly in California with a published median for Aerospace Engineers, San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA had the highest median annual wage, $191,260. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  11. Metro areas with the most jobs in this occupation, with median annual wage, May 2025 (table on this page). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  12. BLS OEWS FAQ: OEWS covers part-time and full-time workers paid a wage or salary. It does not cover the self-employed, owners and partners in unincorporated firms, household workers or unpaid family workers. OEWS wages do not include nonproduction bonuses or employer costs of benefits such as health insurance or retirement contributions. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  13. BLS OEWS, May 2025, annual wage percentiles for Aerospace Engineers in the US: 10th percentile $86,700, 25th percentile $106,110, 75th percentile $169,690, 90th percentile $205,890. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  14. BLS OEWS, May 2025, median annual wage for Aerospace Engineers in states that border California (highest first): Oregon $124,630; Arizona $123,170; Nevada $96,730. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  15. BLS Employment Projections (US, not by state): employment of Aerospace Engineers is projected to grow 8.3% nationwide from 2025 to 2035, with about 3,800 openings a year on average. All occupations are projected to grow 3.5%. BLS Employment Projections
  16. BLS Employment Projections (US, not by state), typical path into Aerospace Engineers: education needed for entry: Bachelor's degree; work experience in a related occupation: None; typical on-the-job training: None. BLS Employment Projections
  17. BLS OEWS, May 2025, hourly wage percentiles for Aerospace Engineers in California: 10th percentile $50.18, 25th percentile $62.03, 75th percentile $92.82, 90th percentile $106.09. BLS OEWS, May 2025

State figures cover only California. Job outlook and entry requirements are national (US) figures: BLS does not publish them by state in our sources. Figures labelled “CareerFacts calculation” are simple differences between the BLS numbers shown.