SalariesWhat the occupation covers
Operate, install, adjust, and maintain integrated computer/communications systems, consoles, simulators, and other data acquisition, test, and measurement instruments and equipment, which are used to launch, track, position, and evaluate air and space vehicles. May record and interpret test data.
Official definition from the Standard Occupational Classification, code 17-3021.
The pay range
Pay differs a lot inside one occupation, with experience, employer and place. The table shows where the lines fall.
| Share of workers | A year | A month* | A week* | An hour |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lowest 10% earn less than | $59,050 | $4,921 | $1,136 | $28.39 |
| Lowest 25% earn less than | $67,680 | $5,640 | $1,302 | $32.54 |
| Median (half earn less, half more) | $82,890 | $6,908 | $1,594 | $39.85 |
| Top 25% earn more than | $111,280 | $9,273 | $2,140 | $53.50 |
| Top 10% earn more than | $125,160 | $10,430 | $2,407 | $60.18 |
* Month and week are the yearly figure divided by 12 and by 52, worked out here for convenience. BLS publishes the yearly and hourly figures.
How it compares
The median for all occupations in the United States was $50,980 a year. The median for Aerospace Engineering and Operations Technologists and Technicians is $82,890, which is 63% higher. Among the 36 occupations of the field Architecture and Engineering, it ranks number 20 by median pay. With 11,280 jobs, it makes up about 0.7 of every 10,000 jobs in the country. The average ($91,310) is well above the median, a sign that a smaller group of high earners pulls the average up.
Aerospace Engineering and Operations Technologists and Technicians pay by state
The highest median pay was in Washington ($125,160), Alaska ($105,780) and Nevada ($102,980). The lowest was in Oklahoma ($45,590), Pennsylvania ($60,770) and Alabama ($62,130). The most jobs were in Washington (1,590), California (1,560) and Texas (950). The occupation is most concentrated in Washington, where its share of all jobs is 6.2 times the national share.
No state matches.
| State | Jobs | Median a year | Average a year | Median an hour |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Washington | 1,590 | $125,160 | $121,010 | $60.18 |
| Alaska | 40 | $105,780 | $107,410 | $50.85 |
| Nevada | 50 | $102,980 | $93,160 | $49.51 |
| California | 1,560 | $99,000 | $106,720 | $47.59 |
| Colorado | 660 | $98,990 | $107,360 | $47.59 |
| Maryland | 200 | $91,820 | $92,570 | $44.14 |
| Oregon | 120 | $81,100 | $75,630 | $38.99 |
| Virginia | 270 | $81,040 | $82,320 | $38.96 |
| Massachusetts | 30 | $79,420 | $81,090 | $38.18 |
| Connecticut | 70 | $79,410 | $94,450 | $38.18 |
| Ohio | 900 | $79,310 | $80,440 | $38.13 |
| Florida | 770 | $78,560 | $83,180 | $37.77 |
| Kansas | 580 | $78,350 | $75,990 | $37.67 |
| Texas | 950 | $78,350 | $81,510 | $37.67 |
| Utah | 400 | $76,680 | $82,890 | $36.87 |
| Arizona | 380 | $75,230 | $74,790 | $36.17 |
| Minnesota | not published | $71,240 | $74,160 | $34.25 |
| Michigan | 70 | $69,840 | $69,220 | $33.58 |
| New Mexico | not published | $66,460 | $70,060 | $31.95 |
| New York | 330 | $64,480 | $69,280 | $31.00 |
| Indiana | 480 | $62,520 | $64,560 | $30.06 |
| Alabama | 140 | $62,130 | $69,540 | $29.87 |
| Pennsylvania | 80 | $60,770 | $66,250 | $29.22 |
| Oklahoma | 30 | $45,590 | $61,110 | $21.92 |
| Georgia | 400 | not published | not published | not published |
| North Carolina | 190 | not published | not published | not published |
| South Carolina | 120 | not published | not published | not published |
Sorted by median pay, highest first. "Not published" means BLS did not release that figure for the state, usually because too few employers were surveyed. "$239,200 or more" is the highest value BLS reports in the state tables.
Similar occupations by pay
- Civil Engineers$100,840 a year
- Architects, Except Landscape and Naval$99,280 a year
- Agricultural Engineers$98,590 a year
- Cartographers and Photogrammetrists$81,390 a year
- Landscape Architects$79,870 a year
- Engineering Technologists and Technicians, Except Drafters, All Other$78,350 a year
Common questions
How much do Aerospace Engineering and Operations Technologists and Technicians earn in the United States?
The median pay was $82,890 a year in May 2025, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. The lowest-paid 10% earned less than $59,050 and the highest-paid 10% more than $125,160.
How many people work as Aerospace Engineering and Operations Technologists and Technicians?
About 11,280 jobs in the United States in May 2025, not counting the self-employed.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Checked in November 2026. Figures are for employees, before tax, and leave out overtime pay and benefits. They are official statistics, not advice or a pay offer; see bls.gov/oes for the original tables.