As an aerospace engineer searching for a job, you’ll need to understand current Aerospace Engineering Job Statistics.
Aerospace Engineering is an industry that is cyclical in work – depending on how many government contracts there are, federal funding, geopolitical issues, etc. Given the Russia and Ukraine crisis, (and tensions between China and Taiwan), it’s safe to say there’s good outlook.
Aerospace and Defense are going to be industries where countries individually need to focus on for the sake of national security.
From a technological innovation standpoint, we see Aerospace Engineering integrate:
- Machine Learning
- Artificial Intelligence
- Digital Transformations
- Model-Based Systems Engineering
What do we need for the above?
Engineers in Aerospace!
What is Aerospace Engineering?
Aerospace Engineering is an engineering discipline that is focused on the design, building, and testing of space and aircraft.
How do you become an Aerospace Engineer?
You’ll need to go to a 4-year university and get a STEM degree.
Aerospace Engineering positions are relatively competitive, so you’ll need the minimum:
- 3.0+ GPA
- Strong portfolio of projects in courses
- Bachelor’s Degree in STEM or related field
Top tier Aerospace companies such as Northrop Grumman or Boeing do take into account GPA – you need a relatively high GPA to be considered for these positions.
How many Aerospace Engineers are there?
There are 58,800 jobs in Aerospace Engineering, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
What are the Best Aerospace Engineering companies to work for?
The best aerospace engineering companies consist of:
- Boeing
- Raytheon
- Northrop Grumman
- Lockheed Martin
- Blue Origin
- Space X
Aerospace Engineer Demographic Breakdown
See Aerospace Engineering Job Statistics below from Career Explorer
Employment – 2022
- Full-time – 91%
- Part-time – 9%
- Number in workforce – 4.44M (LINK)
Gender – 2022
- Male – 82%
- Female – 18%
Ethnic Mix – 2019
- White – 45%
- South Asian – 20%
- Hispanic, Latino, Spanish – 12%
- East Asian – 8%
- Black – 7%
- Other – 6%
- Arab – 2%
Age
The average employee age of Aerospace, Aeronautical, or Astronautical Engineers is 43.1 years. (LINK)
We see this number decline as the senior engineers start getting closer and closer to retirement.
Many Aerospace Engineers are approaching retirement in 2022 and onwards – expect this number to go down.
What skills do Aerospace Engineers require?
Aerospace Engineers have STEM degrees and are skilled in the following:
- Engineering, Physics, and Math Understanding
- Understanding of mechanical, manufacturing, and assembly processes
- Understanding of mechanical, electrical, and instrumentation equipment
- Able to do hand-calculations on the spot
- Capable of creative thinking
- Come up with analytical solutions for problems they face
- On the spot decision making skills
How many Aerospace Engineering students are enrolled in universities?
See below for the breakdown of Aerospace Engineering students by 5 different universities and departments:
Texas A&M University
- Undergraduate – 731 Students
- Graduate – 130 Students
University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign
- Undergraduate students enrolled in 2022 – 609
University of California at Davis
- Number of Bachelor’s Degrees – 86
- Average Bachelor’s Degree Salary – $60,999
(LINK)
University of California at Irvine
- Undergraduates – 1191 Students (Mechanical + Aerospace Engineering)
- Graduates – 160 Students (Mechanical + Aerospace Engineering)
(LINK)
Purdue University
- Undergraduates – 927 (Fall 2019)
- Graduates – 504 (2017)
(LINK)
Degrees Awarded
There were 4,148 Bachelor’s Degrees awarded in Aerospace Engineering – (LINK)
How much do Aerospace Engineers get paid?
The average salary for Aerospace Engineers is $122K
What is the projected job outlook for Aerospace Engineers?
The projected job outlook is 6% growth from 2021 to 2031.
Keep in mind that geopolitical concerns may have an effect on this number in the coming years.
Disregarding mathematics – should the US spend more or less on Aerospace and Defense?
The answer to that is what will tell you the projected job outlook for Aerospace Engineering.
What do Aerospace Engineers like about their jobs?
Aerospace Engineering companies contain many employees that have been at a company for 20+ years. This is because times were different – these engineers are incentivized to stay with their employers given pension plans that used to be available.
Aerospace Engineering provides stable work – just ask anyone in the Aerospace industry.
What people think of Aerospace Engineers overall?
Aerospace Engineering is overall a respectable career.
They work on cutting edge technology, aid in providing national security, and are paid relatively well.
What are people’s views on the outlook on the Aerospace & Defense industry?
Asking around in the industry and neighborhood, it’s safe to say that outlook on Aerospace and Defense is positive.
We need to focus on Defense in the United States.
This is an investment we can’t afford not to make.
What happens if other countries outpace the rate of growth and innovation in defense compared to the US?
The US will militarily lose being a superpower, and as a result, they cannot afford to let their dominance slip.
What concerns do people have with Aerospace Engineers?
Compensation
The competitiveness of salaries in the Tech industries make it challenging for Aerospace Engineering companies to retain talent.
Although many Aerospace Engineers tend to stay within the industry when they jump around – it’s clear that Aerospace companies do not pay as well as tech companies.
The data pulled from Glassdoor shows how much those in Tech make relative to other engineering disciplines.
There will be a supply and demand issue regarding engineering labor if tech salaries continue to outpace other industries.
Knowledge Gap
Right now, in the Aerospace and Defense industry, there is a huge knowledge gap.
How much funding is the US allocating towards defense?
As of date, the Biden-Harris administration has requested $752.9 billion – $715 billion going towards the DOD (Department of Defense) regarding the Defense Budget of 2022.
The US Defense budget has gone up throughout the years, but as a lower percentage of GDP:
Aerospace Engineering Job Statistics Final Thoughts
Overall, if you’re interested in working on Aircraft and Spacecraft, being an Aerospace Engineer is perfect for you.
Along with working with cutting edge technology, you are also part of something alot bigger than yourself.
Supporting products in Aerospace and Defense industries mean that you are working to help provide national security for the country.
Many Aerospace Engineers are proud of what they do and are very good at their jobs.
You’ll run into a ton of smart people and be in front of challenging work everyday.
About the author
Kazuyoshi Fujimoto, PE
Founder | Engineering Career Coach | Principal Mechanical Engineer
Kazu oversees all of ultmeche’s engineering services. He provides consulting such as resume reviews, rewrites, mock interviews, and all services career related. Additionally, Kazu performs consulting work regarding Oil & Gas, Automotive, and Aerospace & Defense. Kazu is licensed as a professional engineer in the state of California and has 9+ years of experience in Oil & Gas, Automotive, and Aerospace & Defense.
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