Quick answer:Aerospace Engineers in the San Francisco area earn a median $191,260 per year, above the national median of $134,960, and the metro employs about 510 of them (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
Aerospace Engineering Pay in San Francisco, CA
Metric
San Francisco metro
California
National
Median annual wage
$191,260
$157,620
$134,960
10th percentile
$117,060
$104,370
$86,700
25th percentile
$147,970
$129,010
$106,110
75th percentile
$206,930
$193,060
$169,690
90th percentile
$273,230
$220,670
$205,890
Employment
510
9,170
67,710
Location quotient
0.49
-
1.00
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025. Metro figures cover the San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA metropolitan statistical area.
What the Numbers Say About This Market
The San Francisco median of $191,260 is above the national median of $134,960, and above the California statewide median of $157,620 (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
The metro’s location quotient of 0.49 means aerospace engineers are less concentrated here than in the average U.S. labor market (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Higher concentration generally means more employers competing for the same people, and an easier job change later.
Aerospace employment is unusually concentrated, clustering around aircraft and spacecraft manufacturing, federal facilities and defense contractors rather than spreading with population.
Licensing is a state matter, not a city one. 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.
See the California licensing and pay overview for the statewide picture, and confirm current requirements with your state engineering licensing board.
Schools Near You
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.
How much do aerospace engineers make in San Francisco?
The median annual wage for aerospace engineers in the San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA metro area is $191,260, above the national median of $134,960 (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
How many aerospace engineers work in the San Francisco area?
The San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA metro area employs about 510 aerospace engineers (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
Do aerospace engineers in San Francisco need a license?
Licensing is handled at state level rather than by city. 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. Confirm current requirements with your state engineering licensing board.
Can I study aerospace engineering online from San Francisco?
The academic portion of these programs is widely available online for working adults, while labs, clinical hours or supervised field work are completed in person. Check that the program's accreditation satisfies your state engineering licensing board.
Is San Francisco a better market than the rest of California?
The San Francisco metro median is $191,260 against a statewide median of $157,620 (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Compare that gap with the difference in living costs before treating it as a raise.
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/.
