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What is an Aerospace Engineer?

Aerospace Engineer Example Perform engineering duties in designing, constructing, and testing aircraft, missiles, and spacecraft. May conduct basic and applied research to evaluate adaptability of materials and equipment to aircraft design and manufacture. May recommend improvements in testing equipment and techniques.

What Do Aerospace Engineers Do On a Daily Basis?

  • Maintain records of performance reports for future reference.
  • Research new materials to determine quality or conformance to environmental standards.
  • Analyze project requests, proposals, or engineering data to determine feasibility, productibility, cost, or production time of aerospace or aeronautical products.
  • Evaluate and approve selection of vendors by studying past performance or new advertisements.
  • Direct or coordinate activities of engineering or technical personnel involved in designing, fabricating, modifying, or testing of aircraft or aerospace products.
  • Design or engineer filtration systems that reduce harmful emissions.

Aerospace Engineer Skills

These are the skills Aerospace Engineers say are the most useful in their careers:

Critical Thinking: Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.

Reading Comprehension: Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.

Science: Using scientific rules and methods to solve problems.

Writing: Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.

Speaking: Talking to others to convey information effectively.

Mathematics: Using mathematics to solve problems.

Types of Aerospace Engineer

  • Thermodynamics Engineer
  • Pipe Stress Engineer
  • Airplane Engineer
  • Aeronautical Engineer
  • Master Lay Out Specialist

What Kind of Aerospace Engineer Job Opportunities Are There?

In 2016, there was an estimated number of 69,600 jobs in the United States for Aerospace Engineer. New jobs are being produced at a rate of 6% which is above the national average. The Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts 4,200 new jobs for Aerospace Engineer by 2026. Due to new job openings and attrition, there will be an average of 4,600 job openings in this field each year.

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The states with the most job growth for Aerospace Engineer are Wisconsin, Utah, and Nevada. Watch out if you plan on working in Washington, West Virginia, or Kansas. These states have the worst job growth for this type of profession.

Salary for an Aerospace Engineer

Aerospace Engineers make between $71,640 and $164,210 a year.

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Aerospace Engineers who work in District of Columbia, Hawaii, or Virginia, make the highest salaries.

Below is a list of the median annual salaries for Aerospace Engineers in different U.S. states.

State Annual Mean 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

Tools & Technologies Used by Aerospace Engineers

Below is a list of the types of tools and technologies that Aerospace Engineers may use on a daily basis:

  • Microsoft Excel
  • Microsoft Word
  • Microsoft Office
  • Microsoft PowerPoint
  • Microsoft Outlook
  • Python
  • Microsoft Access
  • Microsoft Windows
  • Microsoft Project
  • Autodesk AutoCAD
  • Microsoft Visio
  • The MathWorks MATLAB
  • Linux
  • Microsoft Visual Basic
  • Extensible markup language XML
  • UNIX
  • National Instruments LabVIEW
  • C
  • Dassault Systemes CATIA
  • Practical extraction and reporting language Perl

How do I Become an Aerospace Engineer?

What kind of Aerospace Engineer requirements are there?

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What work experience do I need to become an Aerospace Engineer?

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Where Aerospace Engineers Are Employed

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The table below shows the approximate number of Aerospace Engineers employed by various industries.

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You May Also Be Interested In…

Those thinking about becoming an Aerospace Engineer might also be interested in the following careers:

References:

Image Credit: Michel Villeneuve via Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic

More about our data sources and methodologies.

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