Aerospace Engineering and Operations Technologists and Technicians: Pay by State and the Programs That Lead There

Q: Which state pays aerospace engineering and operations technologists and technicians the most?

Washington, at a median of $125,160. After adjusting for prices, Washington is highest, at $116,958 in US-average prices.

Q: What education do aerospace engineering and operations technologists and technicians need?

The Bureau of Labor Statistics lists associate's degree as the typical education to start. The federal crosswalk from fields of study to jobs links one program here to aerospace engineering and operations technologists and technicians: Aerospace Engineering (Bachelor's).

11,280 jobs in the US
Typical education to start: associate's degree
Occupation code 17-3021

BLS wages May 2025 · BLS projections 2025 to 2035 · BEA price parities 2024

The short answer

Aerospace engineering and operations technologists and technicians earn a median of $82,890 a year in the US, across all experience levels. Pay is highest in Washington ($125,160) and lowest in Oklahoma ($45,590). After adjusting for prices, Washington is highest ($116,958) and Oklahoma lowest ($51,899). Jobs are projected to grow 12% from 2025 to 2035, with about 1,100 openings a year across the US.

Median pay$82,890US, all experience levels

Bottom 10% earn under$59,050US

Top 10% earn over$125,160US

Projected job growth12%2025 to 2035, about 1,100 openings a year

Pay for aerospace engineering and operations technologists and technicians by state

Median pay across all experience levels. "After prices" divides it by the state's price level (US average = 100), so states can be compared by what the pay buys.

#	State	Median pay	After prices	Jobs	Bottom 10%	Top 10%
1	Washington	$125,160	$116,958	1,590	$108,200	$125,160
2	Alaska	$105,780	$103,342	40	$104,240	$113,500
3	Nevada	$102,980	$103,002	50	$62,700	$125,010
4	California	$99,000	$89,415	1,560	$71,990	$161,650
5	Colorado	$98,990	$96,058	660	$84,150	$131,670
6	Maryland	$91,820	$87,482	200	$62,200	$124,430
7	Oregon	$81,100	$78,463	120	$54,400	$81,310
8	Virginia	$81,040	$80,155	270	$58,910	$100,610
9	Massachusetts	$79,420	$75,097	30	$72,890	$99,740
10	Connecticut	$79,410	$76,643	70	$68,840	$132,640
11	Ohio	$79,310	$85,487	900	$60,010	$105,030
12	Florida	$78,560	$75,967	770	$57,200	$122,870
13	Kansas	$78,350	$86,990	580	$51,200	$100,170
13	Texas	$78,350	$80,726	950	$56,000	$119,840
15	Utah	$76,680	$77,561	400	$64,170	$112,740
16	Arizona	$75,230	$74,724	380	$61,530	$94,390
17	Minnesota	$71,240	$72,236	Not reported	$64,930	$78,080
18	Michigan	$69,840	$72,586	70	$42,700	$98,610
19	New Mexico	$66,460	$72,073	Not reported	$64,320	$92,220
20	New York	$64,480	$59,747	330	$53,000	$88,650
21	Indiana	$62,520	$66,989	480	$48,710	$77,550
22	Alabama	$62,130	$69,948	140	$43,390	$110,250
23	Pennsylvania	$60,770	$62,282	80	$54,380	$91,620
24	Oklahoma	$45,590	$51,899	30	$37,120	$104,420

State names link to the state's college page. BLS publishes no median pay for aerospace engineering and operations technologists and technicians in 28 other states and territories.

Programs that lead to this job

The federal crosswalk from fields of study to jobs links these programs to aerospace engineering and operations technologists and technicians. Figures are medians across each program type's US programs. Program names link to the national ranking.

Program	Programs	Year 1 pay	Debt
Aerospace Engineering (Bachelor's)	55	$72,210	$24,846

Program figures are first-year pay for new graduates. The job's median pay covers every experience level.

Common questions

Aerospace engineering and operations technologists and technicians earn a median of $82,890 a year in the US, across all experience levels (May 2025). The bottom 10% earn less than $59,050, and the top 10% more than $125,160.

About this data

Pay is from the Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics for May 2025. It covers all experience levels and all industries, and leaves out self-employed workers.
Projections are the Bureau of Labor Statistics Employment Projections for 2025 to 2035, for the whole US.
Price levels are the Bureau of Economic Analysis Regional Price Parities for 2024.
Program figures are College Scorecard medians across programs, and only include students who received federal financial aid.

Sources

Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025
Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections 2025 to 2035
Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities, 2024
NCES, CIP 2020 to SOC 2018 crosswalk
U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard, field of study files, June 2026 release

Aerospace Engineering and Operations Technologists and Technicians: Pay by State and the Programs That Lead There

Pay for aerospace engineering and operations technologists and technicians by state

Programs that lead to this job

Common questions

How much do aerospace engineering and operations technologists and technicians make?

Which state pays aerospace engineering and operations technologists and technicians the most?

What education do aerospace engineering and operations technologists and technicians need?

Are jobs for aerospace engineering and operations technologists and technicians growing?

About this data

Sources