Is Aerospace A Good Career Path For Graduates|2023 (Updated)

is-aerospace-a-good-career-path
Phot Credit: iStock

Yes! Aerospace is a good career path. Aerospace is one of the fastest-growing sectors in the twenty-first century.

The aerospace business is the best fit for people who enjoy taking international flights and who aspire for jobs that put them near aircraft.

Therefore, the annual turnover in the aerospace industry has increased dramatically in recent years.

The demand for products and services in the aircraft business is increasing daily as more individuals develop a passion for travel and choose flights over other modes of transportation to get where they need to go more quickly.

Since the aerospace business encompasses more than just airplanes and also includes spacecraft, satellites, and missiles, one could say that many industries are dependent on it.

If you’ve already decided that you want to work in the aerospace sector but want to learn more about it before making such a significant career choice, stick with this article all the way to the conclusion and pick up all the knowledge you need.

Related: Is Homebuilding A Good Career Path?

About the Aerospace Industry in Brief

Let’s start by learning a little bit about the aerospace sector, including what it does in the current world, why it exists, what chances it offers, and so on.

Let’s first take a look back in time to 1903, the first-ever momentous year, when Wilbur and Orville Wright built and successfully flew the first powered airplane.

This is when the aerospace industry in the United States began. So you can confidently state that America is where it all started.

Hence, after graduating from high school, students typically choose to pursue degrees in aeronautics or aerospace to start a career in the aerospace sector.

These degrees are crucial because they teach students skills that are useful for all professions while also introducing them to the aerospace industry.

One of the most powerful industries in the world, the aerospace sector in the United States is in charge of serving five distinct markets: general aviation, commercial airliners, military aircraft, missiles, and space.

You’ll be happy to learn that the United States has the largest aerospace industry in the world and is the primary provider of both military and commercial aerospace hardware to the rest of the world.

Also a good read: Is Specialty Chemicals A Good Career Path For Graduates |2023

What Do Employees in Aerospace Do?

Aerospace employees work independently or as part of a team conducting research and designing and developing vehicles and systems for atmospheric and space environments.

Moreover, Mathematics and science are the basis for this career field and are used daily in their work. There are three basic branches of aerospace – engineers, technicians, and scientists.

Also, Engineers are the people who make things work, putting power and materials to work. However, Technicians work closely with scientists and engineers in support of their research.

Therefore, scientists are the knowledge seekers who understand why things are happening. They seek questions, find the answers, and expand our knowledge.

Aerospace engineers typically do the following:

  • Direct and coordinate the design, manufacture, and testing of aircraft and aerospace products
  • Assess proposals for projects to determine if they are technically and financially feasible
  • Determine if proposed projects will result in safe operations that meet the defined goals
  • Evaluate designs to see that the products meet engineering principles, customer requirements, and environmental regulations
  • Develop acceptance criteria for design methods, quality standards, sustainment after delivery, and completion dates
  • Ensure that projects meet quality standards
  • Ensure that projects meet quality standards
  • Inspect malfunctioning or damaged products to identify sources of problems and possible solutions

Also, Aerospace engineers may develop new technologies for use in aviation, defense systems, and spacecraft. They often specialize in aerodynamic fluid flow; structural design; guidance, navigation, and control; instrumentation and communication; robotics; and propulsion and combustion.

Aerospace engineers can specialize in designing different types of aerospace products, such as commercial and military airplanes and helicopters; remotely piloted aircraft and rotorcraft; spacecraft, including launch vehicles and satellites; and military missiles and rockets.

What Qualifications are Required for a Career in Aerospace? Is Aerospace a Good Career Path?

Next, comes an important question, how can you get started with your aerospace career? And the answer is simple; you have to acquire degrees in the following areas to land a respectable job position of your choice. Find out which degree is appropriate for you and what job positions you can choose from after completing your degrees:

  • Associate Degree in Aeronautics- you can work as Aerospace Engineering and Operations Technician, Air Traffic Controller, or Drafter.
  • Bachelor’s Degree in Aeronautics- can fetch you jobs like Aerospace Engineer, Airline or Commercial Pilot, Aerospace Systems Engineer, Software Engineer.
  • Master’s Degree in Aeronautics- enables you to work in positions like Senior Systems Engineer, Program Manager, Architectural and Engineering Manager, and Senior Aerospace Engineer.
  • Doctoral Degree in Aeronautics- can make you a Vice President of Engineering or Postsecondary Teacher

Recommended: Is Computer Software Prepackaged Software A Good Career Path for Graduates? | 2023

What Skills are Required for a Career in the Aerospace Industry?

The following skills are a must-have for a career in Aerospace:

  • Communication
  • Problem solving
  • Critical thinking skills
  • Analytical skills
  • Operation analysis
  • Strong mathematical skills
  • Technical skills

In Which Industries of Aeronautics Can You Work?

Professionals in the aerospace industry are typically experts in developing, testing, and overseeing the production of missiles, satellites, spacecraft, and aircraft.

Also, these experts specialize in fields like aerodynamics, structural design, guidance, navigation, control, propulsion, information systems, etc., and create new technologies for use in aviation, defense systems, and space exploration.

To maintain the industry, they also make use of modern electronics, robotics, lasers, and computer-aided design software. Some of them are also undergoing training to become commercial, space, or aviation pilots.

What kind of jobs do you believe you could get with all these skills? You do, however, have some excellent options to consider:

  1. Aerospace Product and Parts Manufacturing
  2. Scientific Research and Development Services
  3. Federal Executive Branch
  4. Architectural, Engineering, and Related Services and
  5. Navigational, Measuring, Electrometrical, and Control Instruments Manufacturing.

You can choose amongst these subdivisions of the aerospace industry and work in your desired job position.

Check this Also: Is Clothing/Shoe/Accessory Stores A Good Career Path

Is the Aerospace Industry a Good Career Path?

Yes, aerospace is a good career path. If you love flying or working with airplanes, the aerospace industry is a beautiful choice for a career path.

So, the aerospace industry has seen a large growth in the past few years, and as more people find the desire to travel, opting for flights to get there faster, the industry will only continue to grow.

Hence, the aerospace career has a number of different career and growth opportunities for individuals to pursue.

Most job openings also have a high annual salary as compared to other industries. The aerospace industry is a place where you can learn, grow, and develop your skills, all while doing something you love.

Why Choose a Career In Aerospace?

Generally, for people who appreciate math and science and have a naturally curious nature, aerospace is the perfect profession. This may be the ideal career path for you if you like figuring out how things function and solving puzzles. Here are some justifications for picking an aerospace career:

  • Lucrative pay. Given the potential dangers as well as the high skill needed to be successful in aerospace, these careers are often well-paid.
  • Rewarding career. Individuals working in the aerospace career field contribute to the daily functioning of the global economy. Travel is important for a number of different reasons, making this an incredibly rewarding career.
  • Job security. Travel isn’t going away anytime soon and is likely ramping up in future years to come. For this reason, those working in the aerospace industry will enjoy job security.

Recommended: Is Computer Software Prepackaged Software A Good Career Path for Graduates? | 2023

What are the Job Prospects for Aerospace Engineers?

Employment of aerospace engineers is projected to grow 8 percent over the next ten years, about as fast as the average for all occupations.

About 4,000 openings for aerospace engineers are projected each year, on average, over the decade. Many of those openings are expected to result from the need to replace workers who transfer to different occupations or exit the labor force, such as to retire.

How Much Does Aerospace Make In 2022?

As of Jul 1, 2022, the average annual pay for an Aerospace Engineer in the United States is $104,927 a year.

Just in case you need a simple salary calculator, that works out to be approximately $50.45 an hour. This is the equivalent of $2,018/week or $8,744/month.

While ZipRecruiter is seeing annual salaries as high as $149,500 and as low as $34,000, the majority of Aerospace Engineer salaries currently range between $81,000 (25th percentile) to $130,500 (75th percentile) with top earners (90th percentile) making $145,500 annually across the United States.

The average pay range for an Aerospace Engineer varies greatly (by as much as $49,500), which suggests there may be many opportunities for advancement and increased pay based on skill level, location, and years of experience.

An Aerospace Engineer in your area makes on average $104,927 per year or the same as the national average annual salary of $104,927.

To estimate the most accurate annual salary range for Aerospace Engineer jobs, ZipRecruiter continuously scans its database of millions of active jobs published locally throughout America.

Source: ZipRecruiter

You Might Also be Interested in: Is Finance Consumer Services A Good Career Path for Graduates? | 2023

What are the Top 10 Highest Paying Cities for Aerospace Engineer Jobs?

Generally, we have identified 10 cities where the typical salary for an Aerospace Engineer job is above the national average.

Topping the list is Palo Alto, CA, with San Mateo, CA, and Daly City CA close behind in the second and third positions. Daly City, CA beats the national average by $18,483 (17.6%), and Palo Alto, CA furthers that trend with another $22,164 (21.1%) above the $104,927 average.

With these 10 cities having average salaries higher than the national average, the opportunities for economic advancement by changing locations as an Aerospace Engineer appears to be exceedingly fruitful.

Finally, another factor to consider is the average salary for these top ten cities varies very little at 8% between Palo Alto, CA and Tacoma, WA, reinforcing the limited potential for much wage advancement.

The possibility of a lower cost of living may be the best factor to use when considering location and salary for an Aerospace Engineer role.

CityAnnual SalaryMonthly PayWeekly PayHourly Wage
Palo Alto, CA$127,092$10,591$2,444$61.10
San Mateo, CA$125,523$10,460$2,414$60.35
Daly City, CA$123,410$10,284$2,373$59.33
Berkeley, CA$123,343$10,279$2,372$59.30
Green River, WY$120,486$10,040$2,317$57.93
Irvine, CA$119,780$9,982$2,303$57.59
Richmond, CA$117,512$9,793$2,260$56.50
Orange, CA$116,430$9,703$2,239$55.98
Oxnard, CA$116,396$9,700$2,238$55.96
Tacoma, WA$116,380$9,698$2,238$55.95

See Also: Is Energy A Good Career Path for Graduates? | 2023

What are the Highly Paid Jobs in Aerospace

Curious which positions in the aerospace industry are the highest paid? Here is a list of some positions that are both in high demand and have a high pay scale:

  • Aerospace Engineers– make $109,650 Annual Salary which is $52.72 per hour.
  • Pilots-  experienced pilots make around $121,920 whereas, newcomers make $70,640.
  • Mechanical Engineer- experienced professionals make around $90,980, and newcomers make $62,760
  • Quality Engineer- makes$77,152 per year.
  • System Engineer- earns $95,834 per year.
  • Planning Engineer- has an annual income of $96,302.
  • Air Traffic Controller- makes an annual income of $122,990.

And also, many others you need to discover after entering this industry.

Conclusion

That is everything there is to know about the aerospace sector before making the most important decision of your professional life.

By now, you must have a compelling enough rationale for selecting this professional route and working in the roles of your dreams.

It’s important to bear in mind that the aerospace sector is not only based in the United States; rather, it affects practically the whole world, making it a truly global industry that demands a wide range of abilities to work in.

You can get the career of your choice by picking the appropriate degrees and developing the necessary abilities because the aerospace business has a high employment rate and steady demand.

Also, The aircraft sector is expanding daily thanks to the emergence of new technology, and you can trace its influence everywhere, from the earth to outer space.

Frequently Asked Questions on is aerospace a good career path

What jobs will get you rich?

  • Doctor. Average salary: $189,760.
  • Surgeon. Average salary: $352,220.
  • Investment Banker. Average salary: $130,230.
  • Corporate Executive. Average salary: $173,320.
  • Petroleum Engineer. Average salary: $147,520.
  • Psychiatrist. Average salary: $181,880.
  • Data Scientist.
  • Research & Development Manager

What is the best job in aerospace?

  1. Mechanical Engineer.
  2. Aircraft/Spacecraft Designer.
  3. Data Processing Manager.
  4. Military Aerospace Engineer.
  5. Inspector and Compliance Officer.
  6. Drafter.
  7. Aerospace Technician.
  8. Mission or Payload Specialist.

Do aerospace engineers have a future?

Employment of aerospace engineers is projected to grow 8 percent from 2020 to 2030, about as fast as the average for all occupations. About 4,000 openings for aerospace engineers are projected each year, on average, over the decade

Is Aerospace Engineering a good career option?

Since the aviation and space industry is growing at a massive pace, there are bound to be numerous job opportunities in multiple spheres for qualified aerospace engineers. An aerospace engineer is one of the top five highest-paid professionals in the engineering sector

FAQs

Is Aerospace Engineering a good career option?

Since the aviation and space industry is growing at a massive pace, there are bound to be numerous job opportunities in multiple spheres for qualified aerospace engineers. An aerospace engineer is one of the top five highest-paid professionals in the engineering sector

Do aerospace engineers have a future?

Employment of aerospace engineers is projected to grow 8 percent from 2020 to 2030, about as fast as the average for all occupations. About 4,000 openings for aerospace engineers are projected each year, on average, over the decade

What is the best job in aerospace?

  1. Mechanical Engineer.
  2. Aircraft/Spacecraft Designer.
  3. Data Processing Manager.
  4. Military Aerospace Engineer.
  5. Inspector and Compliance Officer.
  6. Drafter.
  7. Aerospace Technician.
  8. Mission or Payload Specialist.

What jobs will get you rich?

  • Doctor. Average salary: $189,760.
  • Surgeon. Average salary: $352,220.
  • Investment Banker. Average salary: $130,230.
  • Corporate Executive. Average salary: $173,320.
  • Petroleum Engineer. Average salary: $147,520.
  • Psychiatrist. Average salary: $181,880.
  • Data Scientist.
  • Research & Development Manager

References

Recommendations

0 Shares:
Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

You May Also Like