How long does it take to become an aerospace engineer?

Typically about four years for the degree. That is the usual route rather than a rule — people arrive by other paths all the time.

How much do aerospace engineers make?

The US median is $134,960 a year, meaning half earn more and half less. Pay varies widely by state, employer and experience.

Do you need a degree to become an aerospace engineer?

Yes — a degree is the usual way in.

Where can you train to become an aerospace engineer?

468 US colleges, community colleges and trade schools award credentials in a matching program. See which ones →

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How to become an aerospace engineer

Engineering & architecture · SOC 17-2011

$134,960US median pay, 2025

+8.3%Projected growth, 2025–35

3,800Openings per year

DegreeUsual way in

How you get in

A degree is the usual way in.

Bachelor's degree
Work as an aerospace engineer

Programs that lead to this job

These are the federal program codes (CIP) that the Department of Education maps to this occupation, and how many US colleges, community colleges or trade schools report awarding credentials in each.

Program	Code	Schools
Mechanical Engineering	CIP 14.1901	413
Electrical and Electronics Engineering	CIP 14.1001	408
Aerospace, Aeronautical, and Astronautical/Space Engineering, General	CIP 14.0201	91
Astronautical Engineering	CIP 14.0202	1
Aerospace, Aeronautical, and Astronautical/Space Engineering, Other	CIP 14.0299	0

See the 468 schools that offer these programs →

Common questions

How long does it take to become an aerospace engineer?: Typically about four years for the degree. That is the usual route rather than a rule — people arrive by other paths all the time.
How much do aerospace engineers make?: The US median is $134,960 a year, meaning half earn more and half less. Pay varies widely by state, employer and experience.
Do you need a degree to become an aerospace engineer?: Yes — a degree is the usual way in.
Where can you train to become an aerospace engineer?: 468 US colleges, community colleges and trade schools award credentials in a matching program. See which ones →

Pay and growth are national figures. What you earn depends on where you work, your employer and your experience, and these are projections rather than promises. Education requirements describe how most people enter the job, not a rule — plenty of people take another route.

Pay, growth, openings and entry requirements: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections 2025–35. Program-to-occupation mapping: NCES CIP–SOC crosswalk (2020/2018). School counts: IPEDS completions, 2022–23.

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