Aerospace Engineers Salary
The median pay for a aerospace engineers in Charlottesville, VA is $122,690/year ($58.99/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $93K at the entry level to $229K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 99.15), that's roughly $123,742 in purchasing power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,824/month, or 24.5% of estimated take-home pay.
So what does $123K get you in Charlottesville?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Charlottesville’s Regional Price Parity (99.15). 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 Charlottesville
Aerospace engineers pay in Charlottesville tracks closely to the national median, $123K locally vs. $135K nationwide, a 9% difference. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,824/month, 24.9% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Cost of living (RPP 99.15) 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 Charlottesville, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk | $139K | $142K |
| Richmond | $120K | $123K |
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria | $166K | $153K |
| Baltimore-Columbia-Towson | $167K | $160K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Charlottesville, VA
Entry-level aerospace engineers (10th percentile) start around $93K. Mid-career wages sit at $123K. Top earners bring in $229K or more, a $137K 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 Charlottesville numbers change.
Related careers in Engineering
Frequently asked questions
Can a aerospace engineer afford a 2BR apartment alone in Charlottesville?
Yes — at the median salary of $123K, rent takes 24.9% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,824/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for aerospace engineers in Charlottesville?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new aerospace engineers typically earn — is $93K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $5,561/month. At HUD’s $1,824/month FMR, rent would take 33% 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 Charlottesville?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $123K locally vs. $135K nationally, a 9% difference.
How does Charlottesville compare to the national average for aerospace engineers?
Charlottesville pays $123K median vs. the U.S. average of $135K — that’s -9%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 99.15), the purchasing-power equivalent is $124K — below the national median.
How much do aerospace engineers make in Charlottesville, VA?
The median is $122,690 a year, that works out to about $59 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $92,680, and experienced aerospace engineers can clear $229,310. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $123K enough to live in Charlottesville?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $7,339/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,824/month, which eats 24.9% 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 Charlottesville?
Charlottesville has a Regional Price Parity of 99.15 (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 $123,742 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.