What Do Aerospace Engineer Do?
Job Description: 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.
Daily Life Of an Aerospace Engineer
- Direct aerospace research and development programs.
- Review aerospace engineering designs to determine how to reduce negative environmental impacts.
- Formulate conceptual design of aeronautical or aerospace products or systems to meet customer requirements or conform to environmental regulations.
- Formulate mathematical models or other methods of computer analysis to develop, evaluate, or modify design, according to customer engineering requirements.
- Evaluate biofuel performance specifications to determine feasibility for aerospace applications.
- Maintain records of performance reports for future reference.
Qualities of an Aerospace Engineer
Aerospace Engineers state the following job skills are important in their day-to-day work.
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 Jobs
- Aircraft Stress Analyst
- Physical Aerodynamicist
- Structural Analysis Engineer
- Propulsion Engineer
- Thermodynamicist
What Kind of Aerospace Engineer Job Opportunities Are There?
In the United States, there were 69,600 jobs for Aerospace Engineer in 2016. 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.
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.
What is the Average Salary of an Aerospace Engineer
Aerospace Engineers make between $71,640 and $164,210 a year.
Aerospace Engineers who work in District of Columbia, Hawaii, or Virginia, make the highest salaries.
How much do Aerospace Engineers make in each U.S. state?
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 |
What Tools do Aerospace Engineers Use?
Although they’re not necessarily needed for all jobs, the following technologies are used by many Aerospace Engineers:
- 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?
Learn what Aerospace Engineer education requirements there are.
How many years of work experience do I need?
Where Aerospace Engineers Work
Below are examples of industries where Aerospace Engineers work:
Similar Careers
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References:
Image Credit: Michel Villeneuve via Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic
More about our data sources and methodologies.