Aerospace Engineering and Operations Technologists and Technicians
Aerospace Engineering and Operations Technologists and Technicians (SOC 17-3021) earn a median $82,890 a year ($39.85 an hour) in the United States, with 11,280 employed as of May 2025; the highest-paying state is Washington.
What aerospace engineering and operations technologists and technicians do
Aerospace engineering and operations technologists and technicians work alongside aerospace engineers to build, test, and run the equipment used to launch, track, position, and evaluate aircraft, missiles, and spacecraft. They install, adjust, and maintain integrated computer and communications systems, control consoles, simulators, and the instruments that gather and measure test data. Typical tasks include setting up test equipment and data acquisition plans, testing aircraft systems under simulated operating conditions and checking that they are ready, diagnosing and operating test setups to find malfunctions, and conferring with engineers about the details and consequences of test procedures. They record and report results for the engineering team. The occupation differs from aerospace engineers, who design the vehicles and decide what needs testing, and from aircraft mechanics and avionics technicians, who inspect and repair aircraft in service. Operating and calibrating computer systems to meet test requirements, adjusting, repairing, or replacing faulty parts of test setups, and fabricating and installing parts in test equipment are also part of the job.
Typical entry: According to O*NET, the most commonly reported education level is a postsecondary certificate.
Also called: Aerospace Operations Technologist, Aerospace Mechanic, Aerospace Assembler, Aerographer, Aerospace Engineering Technologist.
National wage percentiles, May 2025
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||
| United States | Hourly | $28.39 | $32.54 | $39.85 | $53.50 | $60.18 | $43.90 | 11,280 |
| Annual | $59,050 | $67,680 | $82,890 | $111,280 | $125,160 | $91,310 | ||
Employment per 1,000 jobs and the location quotient are area measures; they appear in the state and metro tables below. To see what a wage in this range leaves after tax, use FastCalc's take-home pay calculator.
Where aerospace engineering and operations technologists and technicians earn and work most
Five highest-paying states
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Washington | Hourly | $52.02 | $58.34 | $60.18 | $60.18 | $60.18 | $58.18 | 1,590 | 0.45 | 6.18 |
| Annual | $108,200 | $121,340 | $125,160 | $125,160 | $125,160 | $121,010 | ||||
| Alaska | Hourly | $50.11 | $50.11 | $50.85 | $52.59 | $54.57 | $51.64 | 40 | 0.13 | 1.74 |
| Annual | $104,240 | $104,240 | $105,780 | $109,390 | $113,500 | $107,410 | ||||
| Nevada | Hourly | $30.15 | $30.43 | $49.51 | $58.69 | $60.10 | $44.79 | 50 | 0.03 | 0.46 |
| Annual | $62,700 | $63,300 | $102,980 | $122,080 | $125,010 | $93,160 | ||||
| California | Hourly | $34.61 | $39.21 | $47.59 | $57.68 | $77.72 | $51.31 | 1,560 | 0.09 | 1.18 |
| Annual | $71,990 | $81,560 | $99,000 | $119,980 | $161,650 | $106,720 | ||||
| Colorado | Hourly | $40.46 | $46.73 | $47.59 | $63.28 | $63.30 | $51.62 | 660 | 0.23 | 3.17 |
| Annual | $84,150 | $97,190 | $98,990 | $131,610 | $131,670 | $107,360 | ||||
Five states with the most jobs
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Washington | Hourly | $52.02 | $58.34 | $60.18 | $60.18 | $60.18 | $58.18 | 1,590 | 0.45 | 6.18 |
| Annual | $108,200 | $121,340 | $125,160 | $125,160 | $125,160 | $121,010 | ||||
| California | Hourly | $34.61 | $39.21 | $47.59 | $57.68 | $77.72 | $51.31 | 1,560 | 0.09 | 1.18 |
| Annual | $71,990 | $81,560 | $99,000 | $119,980 | $161,650 | $106,720 | ||||
| Texas | Hourly | $26.92 | $29.78 | $37.67 | $45.14 | $57.62 | $39.19 | 950 | 0.07 | 0.93 |
| Annual | $56,000 | $61,950 | $78,350 | $93,900 | $119,840 | $81,510 | ||||
| Ohio | Hourly | $28.85 | $31.85 | $38.13 | $41.53 | $50.50 | $38.67 | 900 | 0.16 | 2.24 |
| Annual | $60,010 | $66,240 | $79,310 | $86,380 | $105,030 | $80,440 | ||||
| Florida | Hourly | $27.50 | $31.39 | $37.77 | $49.22 | $59.07 | $39.99 | 770 | 0.08 | 1.06 |
| Annual | $57,200 | $65,290 | $78,560 | $102,380 | $122,870 | $83,180 | ||||
Five highest-paying metropolitan areas
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | Hourly | $52.02 | $58.34 | $60.18 | $60.18 | $60.18 | $58.36 | 1,570 | 0.75 | 10.39 |
| Annual | $108,200 | $121,340 | $125,160 | $125,160 | $125,160 | $121,390 | ||||
| Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO | Hourly | $40.98 | $46.73 | $59.30 | $63.30 | $63.30 | $54.45 | 390 | 0.24 | 3.31 |
| Annual | $85,250 | $97,190 | $123,350 | $131,670 | $131,670 | $113,260 | ||||
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA | Hourly | $36.43 | $56.48 | $57.68 | $57.68 | $57.68 | $53.14 | 130 | 0.08 | 1.07 |
| Annual | $75,780 | $117,470 | $119,980 | $119,980 | $119,980 | $110,540 | ||||
| Las Vegas-Henderson-North Las Vegas, NV | Hourly | $30.43 | $38.05 | $49.51 | $58.69 | $60.09 | $45.50 | 40 | 0.04 | 0.51 |
| Annual | $63,290 | $79,140 | $102,980 | $122,080 | $124,990 | $94,640 | ||||
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | Hourly | $36.03 | $39.21 | $47.57 | $50.30 | $64.58 | $49.41 | 690 | 0.11 | 1.53 |
| Annual | $74,940 | $81,560 | $98,940 | $104,630 | $134,320 | $102,770 | ||||
Five metropolitan areas with the most jobs
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | Hourly | $52.02 | $58.34 | $60.18 | $60.18 | $60.18 | $58.36 | 1,570 | 0.75 | 10.39 |
| Annual | $108,200 | $121,340 | $125,160 | $125,160 | $125,160 | $121,390 | ||||
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | Hourly | $36.03 | $39.21 | $47.57 | $50.30 | $64.58 | $49.41 | 690 | 0.11 | 1.53 |
| Annual | $74,940 | $81,560 | $98,940 | $104,630 | $134,320 | $102,770 | ||||
| Wichita, KS | Hourly | $26.71 | $30.33 | $37.67 | $37.78 | $48.16 | $36.55 | 510 | 1.65 | 22.77 |
| Annual | $55,560 | $63,090 | $78,350 | $78,580 | $100,170 | $76,020 | ||||
| Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville, FL | Hourly | $29.50 | $36.41 | $39.66 | $59.07 | $59.18 | $43.76 | 480 | 1.96 | 27.08 |
| Annual | $61,360 | $75,740 | $82,490 | $122,870 | $123,090 | $91,030 | ||||
| Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO | Hourly | $40.98 | $46.73 | $59.30 | $63.30 | $63.30 | $54.45 | 390 | 0.24 | 3.31 |
| Annual | $85,250 | $97,190 | $123,350 | $131,670 | $131,670 | $113,260 | ||||
Top industries employing aerospace engineering and operations technologists and technicians
Aerospace Product and Parts Manufacturing employ 45.1% of aerospace engineering and operations technologists and technicians nationally (5,090 jobs) at a median $94,910 a year ($45.63 an hour), followed by Architectural, Engineering, and Related Services (16.8%) and Scientific Research and Development Services (12.0%).
| Industry | Employment | Share of occupation | Median annual | Median hourly |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aerospace Product and Parts Manufacturing NAICS 336400 | 5,090 | 45.1% | $94,910 | $45.63 |
| Architectural, Engineering, and Related Services NAICS 541300 | 1,900 | 16.8% | $77,230 | $37.13 |
| Scientific Research and Development Services NAICS 541700 | 1,350 | 12.0% | $78,580 | $37.78 |
| Navigational, Measuring, Electromedical, and Control Instruments Manufacturing NAICS 334500 | 810 | 7.2% | $85,980 | $41.34 |
| Computer Systems Design and Related Services NAICS 541500 | 670 | 5.9% | $75,190 | $36.15 |
Share is the industry's employment over the occupation's national employment (11,280). Industries whose employment BLS withheld are not ranked.
Published medians, May 2021 to May 2025
BLS published a median annual wage of $73,580 for aerospace engineering and operations technologists and technicians in May 2021 and $82,890 in May 2025, with employment of 10,900 and 11,280.
| Release | Median annual | Median hourly | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 2021 | $73,580 | $35.37 | 10,900 |
| May 2022 | $74,410 | $35.78 | 9,750 |
| May 2023 | $77,830 | $37.42 | 10,640 |
| May 2024 | $79,830 | $38.38 | 9,060 |
| May 2025 | $82,890 | $39.85 | 11,280 |
BLS does not design OEWS as a time series: each release pools three years of samples, and occupational classifications, area definitions and estimation methods change between releases, so a difference between two releases is not a measure of change over time. The figures are shown as published, side by side, and nothing is computed from them. See how often OEWS is updated.
Every state, by median wage
27 states and DC publish a row for this occupation. A linked state has its own page with the within-state metro table and comparison; the others appear here only.
| Rank | State | Median hourly | Median annual | 10th pct (annual) | 90th pct (annual) | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Washington profile | $60.18 | $125,160 | $108,200 | $125,160 | 1,590 | 0.45 | 6.18 |
| 2 | Alaska profile | $50.85 | $105,780 | $104,240 | $113,500 | 40 | 0.13 | 1.74 |
| 3 | Nevada profile | $49.51 | $102,980 | $62,700 | $125,010 | 50 | 0.03 | 0.46 |
| 4 | California profile | $47.59 | $99,000 | $71,990 | $161,650 | 1,560 | 0.09 | 1.18 |
| 5 | Colorado profile | $47.59 | $98,990 | $84,150 | $131,670 | 660 | 0.23 | 3.17 |
| 6 | Maryland profile | $44.14 | $91,820 | $62,200 | $124,430 | 200 | 0.07 | 1.00 |
| 7 | Oregon profile | $38.99 | $81,100 | $54,400 | $81,310 | 120 | 0.06 | 0.81 |
| 8 | Virginia profile | $38.96 | $81,040 | $58,910 | $100,610 | 270 | 0.07 | 0.91 |
| 9 | Massachusetts profile | $38.18 | $79,420 | $72,890 | $99,740 | 30 | 0.01 | 0.13 |
| 10 | Connecticut profile | $38.18 | $79,410 | $68,840 | $132,640 | 70 | 0.04 | 0.53 |
| 11 | Ohio profile | $38.13 | $79,310 | $60,010 | $105,030 | 900 | 0.16 | 2.24 |
| 12 | Florida profile | $37.77 | $78,560 | $57,200 | $122,870 | 770 | 0.08 | 1.06 |
| 13 | Kansas profile | $37.67 | $78,350 | $51,200 | $100,170 | 580 | 0.41 | 5.59 |
| 14 | Texas profile | $37.67 | $78,350 | $56,000 | $119,840 | 950 | 0.07 | 0.93 |
| 15 | Utah profile | $36.87 | $76,680 | $64,170 | $112,740 | 400 | 0.23 | 3.18 |
| 16 | Arizona profile | $36.17 | $75,230 | $61,530 | $94,390 | 380 | 0.12 | 1.60 |
| 17 | Minnesota profile | $34.25 | $71,240 | $64,930 | $78,080 | ** | ** | ** |
| 18 | Michigan profile | $33.58 | $69,840 | $42,700 | $98,610 | 70 | 0.02 | 0.21 |
| 19 | New Mexico profile | $31.95 | $66,460 | $64,320 | $92,220 | ** | ** | ** |
| 20 | New York profile | $31.00 | $64,480 | $53,000 | $88,650 | 330 | 0.03 | 0.47 |
| 21 | Indiana profile | $30.06 | $62,520 | $48,710 | $77,550 | 480 | 0.15 | 2.06 |
| 22 | Alabama profile | $29.87 | $62,130 | $43,390 | $110,250 | 140 | 0.07 | 0.93 |
| 23 | Pennsylvania profile | $29.22 | $60,770 | $54,380 | $91,620 | 80 | 0.01 | 0.18 |
| 24 | Oklahoma profile | $21.92 | $45,590 | $37,120 | $104,420 | 30 | 0.02 | 0.26 |
| – | Georgia profile | * | * | * | * | 400 | 0.08 | 1.13 |
| – | North Carolina profile | * | * | * | * | 190 | 0.04 | 0.53 |
| – | South Carolina profile | * | * | * | * | 120 | 0.05 | 0.70 |
Related occupations
Occupations in the same SOC broad group (17-3020), with their national median annual wage.
Part of Architecture and Engineering Occupations. Compare any area in the wage explorer.
Source and notes
Data: BLS OEWS May 2025, released 2026-05-15. Cross-industry estimates, all ownerships. BLS page: OEWS 17-3021 Aerospace Engineering and Operations Technologists and Technicians.
*- Wage estimate not available.
**- Employment estimate not available.
- Annual wages assume 2,080 hours a year at the hourly rate; occupations BLS publishes on one basis only show an en dash (–) on the other.
- Employment is rounded to the nearest 10 by BLS. Where BLS withholds a cell, nothing is estimated in its place.
- Top industries: nat4d_M2025_dl.xlsx in oesm25in4.zip (BLS OEWS May 2025, national, 4-digit NAICS, cross-ownership). Employment is the industry's rounded total for this occupation; industries whose employment BLS withheld (**) are not ranked.
- Published medians: national_M2021_dl.xlsx to national_M2024_dl.xlsx in oesm21nat.zip to oesm24nat.zip (BLS OEWS May 2021 to May 2024, national, cross-industry, all ownerships) and the May 2025 spine. Each release is shown as published; nothing is computed between them.
Sources
- BLS Standard Occupational Classification 2018, definition of 17-3021, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- O*NET 30.1 Database, 17-3021.00, National Center for O*NET Development, USDOL/ETA (CC BY 4.0).
- OEWS May 2025 national industry-specific estimates, 4-digit NAICS (oesm25in4.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2021 national estimates (oesm21nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2022 national estimates (oesm22nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2023 national estimates (oesm23nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2024 national estimates (oesm24nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2025 national estimates (oesm25nat.zip), the site's data spine, US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
Includes information from O*NET 30.1 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration, used under the CC BY 4.0 license.
Description written 2026-10-17 in our own words from the sources above.