Aerospace Engineers Salary
The median pay for a aerospace engineers in Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood, MI is $144,020/year ($69.24/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $90K at the entry level to $180K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 95.55), that's roughly $150,727 in purchasing power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,519/month, or 17.4% of estimated take-home pay.
So what does $144K get you in Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood’s Regional Price Parity (95.55). 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 Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood
Aerospace engineers pay in Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood tracks closely to the national median, $144K locally vs. $135K nationwide, a 7% difference. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,519/month, 17.7% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Cost of living (RPP 95.55) 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 Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Detroit-Warren-Dearborn | $129K | $129K |
| Ann Arbor | $102K | $101K |
| Dayton-Kettering-Beavercreek | $129K | $140K |
| Cleveland | $143K | $152K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood, MI
Entry-level aerospace engineers (10th percentile) start around $90K. Mid-career wages sit at $144K. Top earners bring in $180K or more, a $90K 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 Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood numbers change.
Related careers in Engineering
Frequently asked questions
Can a aerospace engineer afford a 2BR apartment alone in Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood?
Yes — at the median salary of $144K, rent takes 17.7% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,519/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for aerospace engineers in Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new aerospace engineers typically earn — is $90K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $5,401/month. At HUD’s $1,519/month FMR, rent would take 28% of that take-home — manageable on an entry-level income.
Is aerospace engineer a high-paying job in Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $144K locally vs. $135K nationally, a 7% difference.
How does Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood compare to the national average for aerospace engineers?
Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood pays $144K median vs. the U.S. average of $135K — that’s +7%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 95.55), the purchasing-power equivalent is $151K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do aerospace engineers make in Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood, MI?
The median is $144,020 a year, that works out to about $69 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $90,010, and experienced aerospace engineers can clear $180,160. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $144K enough to live in Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $8,589/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,519/month, which eats 17.7% 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 Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood?
Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood has a Regional Price Parity of 95.55 (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 $150,727 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.