Aerospace Engineers Salary
The median pay for a aerospace engineers in Alabama is $127,540/year ($61.32/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $79K at the entry level to $195K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 88.36), which stretches that salary to about $144,341 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,085/month, or 14% of estimated take-home pay.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Alabama. Jump to a metro for precise data:
Where the paycheck goes
What $128K actually covers in Alabama, month by month
About aerospace engineers
Sponsored links, AffordMap may earn a commission at no cost to you. Learn more
What this looks like in Alabama
Aerospace engineers pay in Alabama tracks closely to the national median, $128K locally vs. $135K nationwide, a 5% difference. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,085/month, 14.2% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Regional Price Parity sits at 88.36 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 12% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Alabama
Entry-level aerospace engineers (10th percentile) start around $79K. Mid-career wages sit at $128K. Top earners bring in $195K or more, a $117K spread from bottom to top.
Aerospace Engineers salary by metro in Alabama
4 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Decatur | $138K | +9% | 100 |
| Huntsville | $131K | +3% | 4,880 |
| Mobile | $98K | -23% | 230 |
| Birmingham | $93K | -27% | 140 |
Compare to other states
Track aerospace engineers salary changes
BLS updates this data annually. We'll email you when Alabama numbers change.
Related careers in Engineering
Quick answers
The stuff people actually ask about this job
Can a aerospace engineer afford a 2BR apartment alone in Alabama?
Yes — at the median salary of $128K, rent takes 14.2% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,085/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for aerospace engineers in Alabama?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new aerospace engineers typically earn — is $79K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $4,996/month. At HUD’s $1,085/month FMR, rent would take 22% of that take-home — manageable on an entry-level income.
Is aerospace engineer a high-paying job in Alabama?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $128K locally vs. $135K nationally, a 5% difference.
How does Alabama compare to the national average for aerospace engineers?
Alabama pays $128K median vs. the U.S. average of $135K — that’s -5%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 88.36), the purchasing-power equivalent is $144K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do aerospace engineers make in Alabama?
The median is $127,540 a year, that works out to about $61 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $78,660, and experienced aerospace engineers can clear $195,190. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $128K enough to live in Alabama?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $7,643/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,085/month, which eats 14.2% of your paycheck. That's under the 30% guideline most financial planners use, so the numbers work.
How far does a aerospace engineers salary go in Alabama?
Alabama has a Regional Price Parity of 88.36 (100 is the national average). That's below average, your money stretches further here than the raw salary number suggests. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median aerospace engineers salary is worth about $144,341 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do aerospace engineers get paid the most?
The table above ranks every state by median pay for this role. Keep in mind that the highest-paying states tend to have the highest costs of living, so the top salary doesn't always mean the most money in your pocket.