Quick answer:Aerospace Engineers in California earn a median $157,620 per year, above the national median of $134,960 (BLS OEWS, May 2025). The state employs about 9,170 of them. Licensing runs through your state engineering licensing board.
Aerospace Engineering Pay and Employment in California at a Glance
Metric
California
National
Source
Median annual wage
$157,620
$134,960
BLS OEWS, May 2025
10th percentile
$104,370
$86,700
BLS OEWS, May 2025
25th percentile
$129,010
$106,110
BLS OEWS, May 2025
75th percentile
$193,060
$169,690
BLS OEWS, May 2025
90th percentile
$220,670
$205,890
BLS OEWS, May 2025
Employment
9,170
67,710
BLS OEWS, May 2025
Location quotient
1.16
1.00
BLS OEWS, May 2025
Projected change (2024-34)
not published by state
6.1%
BLS Employment Projections, 2024-34
How California Pay Compares to the Rest of the Country
The California median of $157,620 sits above the national median of $134,960 (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Percentiles matter more than the midpoint when you are deciding whether a degree pays for itself: the 10th percentile is roughly where people start, and the 90th is what the top of the local market looks like after years of experience.
A location quotient of 1.16 puts California well above the national average, so the work is noticeably more common here than in the typical state. That usually means a deeper job market and more room to change employers without relocating (BLS OEWS, May 2025). The measure compares how concentrated the occupation is here against the national average of 1.00.
Figures: BLS OEWS, May 2025. Aerospace employment is unusually concentrated, clustering around aircraft and spacecraft manufacturing, federal facilities and defense contractors rather than spreading with population.
Aerospace Engineers Wages by Metro Area in California
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics ( OES data), aerospace engineers wages in California vary by metro area.
Metro Area
Employment
Median Annual Wage
Avg. Annual Wage
Entry Level (10th pctile)
Experienced (90th pctile)
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim
5,200
$163,280
$161,520
$108,330
$227,440
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara
930
$181,630
$181,690
$127,490
$254,880
San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad
800
$135,010
$144,280
$96,650
$209,080
Bakersfield-Delano
700
$128,720
$134,930
$93,230
$188,720
San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont
510
$191,260
$183,920
$117,060
$273,230
Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom
200
$132,230
$144,960
$79,860
$203,040
Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario
120
$129,530
$141,070
$89,540
$212,630
Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura
110
$128,670
$133,000
$77,880
$195,190
Santa Maria-Santa Barbara
100
$130,870
$137,690
$85,540
$194,360
San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles
40
$135,490
$143,350
$103,170
$205,000
Wages reflect survey data and vary based on experience, credentials, employer, and local market conditions. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May .
Aerospace engineering sits on the standard Professional Engineer path the state boards administer: an ABET-accredited degree, the NCEES Fundamentals of Engineering exam, qualifying experience and the PE exam. In practice the license is required less often here than in civil work, because most aerospace engineers are employed by manufacturers and defense contractors under what is commonly called the industrial exemption. Clearance eligibility affects hiring more than licensure does.
Requirements are set at state level and are amended periodically. Before you enroll in any program, confirm with your state engineering licensing board that the specific program you are considering satisfies the education requirement, and ask what it accepts from any training you have already completed. Get the answer in writing.
Earning the Degree While You Work
Most people reading this already have a job in the field, and the practical question is whether the credential can be earned without leaving it. Programs designed for working adults deliver the academic portion online or in the evening, while any labs, clinical hours or supervised field experience happen in person and locally. Prior college credit, military training, apprenticeship coursework and industry certifications can all shorten the path, so request a written transfer credit evaluation before you commit to any school.
Schools in our database near this area, ranked by BOC Score. The list favors schools with a related program on record, but program availability and delivery format change, so confirm directly with any school that it currently offers the program you want.
How We Rank Schools
We first gather the schools closest to the city or state page you are viewing, then rank that
local group by BOC Score, with the highest at the top. The BOC Score is computed from federal
IPEDS and College Scorecard data; schools without enough data to score appear last.
LOCAL RANK
Location / proximity to this page
Defines the local group
Graduation rate
30%
Median earnings, 10 years after entry
25%
Average net price (lower is better)
20%
Retention rate
15%
Fully online availability
10%
Schools without enough federal outcome data appear after ranked schools, without a score.
Advertising never affects these rankings. Read the full methodology.
#1
California State University-Los Angeles
📍
Los Angeles, CA
•105.7 miles away•BOC Score
73.0
Tuition$7,160 - $19,760
Contact
5151 State University Dr Los Angeles, CA 90032-8506
How much do aerospace engineers make in California?
The median annual wage for aerospace engineers in California is $157,620, above the national median of $134,960 (BLS OEWS, May 2025). The middle of the range runs from $129,010 at the 25th percentile to $193,060 at the 75th.
How many aerospace engineers work in California?
California holds about 9,170 aerospace engineer jobs (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Nationally the occupation employs 67,710, and BLS projects about 4,500 openings per year through 2034 (BLS Employment Projections, 2024-34).
Do I need a license to work as a aerospace engineer in California?
Aerospace engineering sits on the standard Professional Engineer path the state boards administer: an ABET-accredited degree, the NCEES Fundamentals of Engineering exam, qualifying experience and the PE exam. In practice the license is required less often here than in civil work, because most aerospace engineers are employed by manufacturers and defense contractors under what is commonly called the industrial exemption. Clearance eligibility affects hiring more than licensure does. Requirements are set at the state level and change periodically, so confirm the current rules with your state engineering licensing board before you enroll in any program.
Can I earn a ABET-accredited bachelor's in aerospace engineering online while working in California?
Often yes. Programs built for working adults deliver coursework online or in the evenings, though any required labs, clinical hours or supervised field experience are completed in person. Confirm that the program's accreditation satisfies your state engineering licensing board.
What is the highest-paying area of California for aerospace engineers?
Among California metro areas with published data, San Francisco reports the highest median at $191,260 (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
Is California a good state for aerospace engineers?
On pay, the state median of $157,620 sits above the national $134,960 (BLS OEWS, May 2025). A location quotient of 1.16 means the occupation is more concentrated here than in the average state. Weigh that against cost of living and how concentrated the work is near where you actually want to live.
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 - Aerospace Engineers (SOC 17-2011), national, state and metropolitan estimates
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections, 2024-34
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Outlook Handbook - education and licensing requirements
Wage and employment figures describe the occupation as measured by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, not the graduates of any particular program, and individual outcomes may vary. Licensing rules change; confirm current requirements with the responsible state board before enrolling.
About this guide: Researched and written by the TradeCareerPath Editorial Team. Our editorial team researches and sources every trade school and career guide using federal labor and education data, including BLS OEWS and Employment Projections, DOL apprenticeship records, IPEDS, College Scorecard, and state licensing boards. We follow the editorial standards documented at /editorial-policy/.
