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May 2025 BLS wage data

Aerospace Engineering Technician Salary: $82,890 National Median

The national aerospace engineering technician salary runs from $59,050 at the 10th percentile to $125,160 at the 90th. Compare the full spread and the state employment count behind every published median.

By Taylor Rupe · Reviewed August 28, 2026 · BLS SOC 17-3021

Editorial illustration of a technician calibrating sensors on an aerospace test fixture.
10th percentile$59,050National annual wage
Median salary$82,890Half earn above, half below
90th percentile$125,160National annual wage
Employment estimate11,280National OEWS jobs

National salary

What is the average aerospace engineering technician salary?

The BLS reports a $82,890 national median for aerospace engineering and operations technologists and technicians in May 2025. The mean is $91,310, but the median is the more useful midpoint because it is less sensitive to a smaller number of very high wages.

BLS estimates 11,280 jobs in this occupation. The 10th-to-90th-percentile spread is $59,050 to $125,160, a difference of $66,110. Employer, setting, specialty, location, and responsibility all sit inside that national range.

10th$59,050 Median$82,890 90th$125,160

Percentiles describe where wages fall across the occupation. They do not assign a wage to a specific experience level.

What moves the number

What affects an aerospace engineering technician salary?

01

Test-system responsibility

Calibrating and operating critical equipment carries a different level of responsibility from basic assembly support.

02

Technical breadth

Computer systems, instrumentation, mechanical assembly, simulation, and quality work create different advancement paths.

03

Employer and shift

Manufacturing, research, and engineering services settings use different pay structures. Shift and overtime policies also shape actual earnings.

04

Location and employment base

State medians vary, and some are based on small employment counts. Read the count beside the wage.

State comparison

Aerospace Engineering Technician salary by state

The table pairs every state median below with its employment estimate. It is ordered by median salary, but the job count matters: a high figure based on a small occupational market describes a different opportunity than a similar figure supported by thousands of jobs.

The largest state employment estimates for aerospace engineering and operations technologists and technicians are Washington (1,590 jobs), California (1,560 jobs), and Texas (950 jobs). Read those market sizes against the national estimate of 11,280 jobs before treating a state wage as a relocation signal.

22 state and district estimates with both median wage and employment data
RankStateMedian10th–90th percentileEmployment
1 Washington $125,160 $108,200–$125,160 1,590
2 Alaska $105,780 $104,240–$113,500 40
3 Nevada $102,980 $62,700–$125,010 50
4 California $99,000 $71,990–$161,650 1,560
5 Colorado $98,990 $84,150–$131,670 660
6 Maryland $91,820 $62,200–$124,430 200
7 Oregon $81,100 $54,400–$81,310 120
8 Virginia $81,040 $58,910–$100,610 270
9 Massachusetts $79,420 $72,890–$99,740 30
10 Connecticut $79,410 $68,840–$132,640 70
11 Ohio $79,310 $60,010–$105,030 900
12 Florida $78,560 $57,200–$122,870 770
13 Kansas $78,350 $51,200–$100,170 580
14 Texas $78,350 $56,000–$119,840 950
15 Utah $76,680 $64,170–$112,740 400
16 Arizona $75,230 $61,530–$94,390 380
17 Michigan $69,840 $42,700–$98,610 70
18 New York $64,480 $53,000–$88,650 330
19 Indiana $62,520 $48,710–$77,550 480
20 Alabama $62,130 $43,390–$110,250 140
21 Pennsylvania $60,770 $54,380–$91,620 80
22 Oklahoma $45,590 $37,120–$104,420 30

BLS OEWS, May 2025. Employment counts are estimates and may be rounded.

Degree context

How education connects to aerospace engineering technician pay

An associate degree in engineering technology or a related field is the typical entry route, although some employers consider a certificate or high school preparation.

Technician does not mean unskilled assistant. The work involves precise measurements, test safety, computer systems, mechanical assembly, troubleshooting, and records that engineers use to make design decisions.

The wage percentiles do not separate workers by degree or experience. Use the education requirement to decide whether the route is open to you, then use the state and national wage distributions to understand the market rather than treating one percentile as a personal forecast.

Career guide See how to become an aerospace engineering technician Direct route · Associate's degree

Common questions

Aerospace Engineering Technician salary FAQ

What is the median aerospace engineering technician salary?
The national median is $82,890 in the May 2025 BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics release. A median means half of workers earn more and half earn less.
What is the national aerospace engineering technician salary range?
BLS reports $59,050 at the 10th percentile and $125,160 at the 90th percentile. That is a wage distribution, not a guaranteed starting-to-senior progression.
How many aerospace engineering and operations technologists and technicians does BLS count?
The May 2025 national OEWS estimate is 11,280 jobs in SOC 17-3021.
Does the 10th-percentile aerospace engineering technician salary mean entry level?
No. Wage percentiles place workers inside the pay distribution. They do not sort the workers by years of experience, degree, employer, or job level.
What education do aerospace engineering and operations technologists and technicians need?
An associate degree in engineering technology or a related field is the typical entry route, although some employers consider a certificate or high school preparation. The career guide explains how that route relates to space studies programs.

Primary sources

Sources for aerospace engineering technician salary data

Wage records and occupation facts reviewed August 28, 2026.