Aerospace Engineers Salary
The median pay for a aerospace engineers in Bend, OR is $105,760/year ($50.85/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $85K at the entry level to $172K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 103.61), that's roughly $102,075 in purchasing power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,784/month, or 27.4% of estimated take-home pay.
So what does $106K get you in Bend?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Bend’s Regional Price Parity (103.61). Rent from HUD Fair Market Rents. Taxes estimated for single filer, standard deduction. * Healthcare is the employee-paid share only (premiums + out-of-pocket). Actual costs vary by coverage type: employer-sponsored, ACA marketplace, or uninsured.
About aerospace engineers
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What this looks like in Bend
Pay for aerospace engineers in Bend runs about 22% below the U.S. median of $135K. Rent runs $1,784/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 28.9% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Cost of living (RPP 103.61) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for aerospace engineers in metros near Bend, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro | $139K | $132K |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue | $164K | $147K |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim | $163K | $144K |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara | $182K | $164K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Bend, OR
Entry-level aerospace engineers (10th percentile) start around $85K. Mid-career wages sit at $106K. Top earners bring in $172K or more, a $87K spread from bottom to top.
Aerospace Engineers pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Aerospace Engineers salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minnesota | $159K | +18% | 140 |
| Washington | $158K | +17% | 5,760 |
| California | $158K | +17% | 9,170 |
| District of Columbia | $158K | +17% | 290 |
| Maryland | $157K | +16% | 3,180 |
| Colorado | $156K | +16% | 4,070 |
| Massachusetts | $149K | +11% | 990 |
| Vermont | $144K | +7% | 100 |
| Virginia | $143K | +6% | 2,540 |
| Georgia | $140K | +4% | 2,230 |
| Ohio | $138K | +3% | 3,710 |
| Hawaii | $137K | +2% | 40 |
| South Carolina | $137K | +2% | 650 |
| Louisiana | $137K | +1% | 90 |
| Utah | $136K | +1% | 1,010 |
| Nebraska | $136K | +1% | 130 |
| Pennsylvania | $134K | -1% | 990 |
| New Mexico | $133K | -2% | 570 |
| Missouri | $131K | -3% | 650 |
| Kansas | $130K | -3% | 1,730 |
| New York | $130K | -3% | 560 |
| Texas | $130K | -3% | 6,750 |
| Connecticut | $130K | -4% | 1,160 |
| Florida | $129K | -4% | 3,250 |
| Michigan | $129K | -4% | N/A |
| Tennessee | $129K | -5% | 610 |
| Alabama | $128K | -5% | 5,820 |
| New Jersey | $126K | -6% | 3,400 |
| Kentucky | $126K | -7% | 290 |
| Oklahoma | $125K | -7% | 1,090 |
| Oregon | $125K | -8% | 250 |
| Arizona | $123K | -9% | 3,110 |
| North Carolina | $123K | -9% | 650 |
| Mississippi | $109K | -19% | 90 |
| Illinois | $109K | -19% | 200 |
| Indiana | $107K | -20% | 440 |
| Arkansas | $102K | -24% | 180 |
| Alaska | $102K | -25% | 100 |
| Nevada | $97K | -28% | 270 |
| Idaho | $96K | -29% | 190 |
| Wisconsin | $88K | -34% | 120 |
Showing 1–10 of 41 states
BLS does not publish data for every state when sample sizes are too small
Track aerospace engineers salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Bend numbers change.
Related careers in Engineering
Frequently asked questions
Can a aerospace engineer afford a 2BR apartment alone in Bend?
Yes — at the median salary of $106K, rent takes 28.9% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,784/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for aerospace engineers in Bend?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new aerospace engineers typically earn — is $85K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $5,104/month. At HUD’s $1,784/month FMR, rent would take 35% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is aerospace engineer a high-paying job in Bend?
Local pay runs 22% below the national median — $106K here vs. $135K nationally.
How does Bend compare to the national average for aerospace engineers?
Bend pays $106K median vs. the U.S. average of $135K — that’s -22%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 103.61), the purchasing-power equivalent is $102K — below the national median.
How much do aerospace engineers make in Bend, OR?
The median is $105,760 a year, that works out to about $51 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $85,070, and experienced aerospace engineers can clear $172,000. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $106K enough to live in Bend?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $6,172/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,784/month, which eats 28.9% 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 Bend?
Bend has a Regional Price Parity of 103.61 (100 is the national average). Prices are above average here, so your dollar buys less than the same salary would in a cheaper metro. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median aerospace engineers salary is worth about $102,075 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.