Aerospace Engineers Salary
The median pay for a aerospace engineers in Pittsburgh, PA is $128,390/year ($61.73/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $109K at the entry level to $153K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 94.67), which stretches that salary to about $135,618 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,299/month, or 16.3% of estimated take-home pay.
So what does $128K get you in Pittsburgh?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Pittsburgh’s Regional Price Parity (94.67). 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
Sponsored links, AffordMap may earn a commission at no cost to you. Learn more
What this looks like in Pittsburgh
Aerospace engineers pay in Pittsburgh 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 $1,299/month, 16.5% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Regional Price Parity sits at 94.67 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 5% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for aerospace engineers in metros near Pittsburgh, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Dayton-Kettering-Beavercreek | $129K | $140K |
| Baltimore-Columbia-Towson | $167K | $160K |
| Lexington Park | $138K | $137K |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City | $127K | $112K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Pittsburgh, PA
Entry-level aerospace engineers (10th percentile) start around $109K. Mid-career wages sit at $128K. Top earners bring in $153K or more, a $44K 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 with published data
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 Pittsburgh numbers change.
Related careers in Engineering
Frequently asked questions
Can a aerospace engineer afford a 2BR apartment alone in Pittsburgh?
Yes — at the median salary of $128K, rent takes 16.5% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,299/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for aerospace engineers in Pittsburgh?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new aerospace engineers typically earn — is $109K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $6,545/month. At HUD’s $1,299/month FMR, rent would take 20% of that take-home — manageable on an entry-level income.
Is aerospace engineer a high-paying job in Pittsburgh?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $128K locally vs. $135K nationally, a 5% difference.
How does Pittsburgh compare to the national average for aerospace engineers?
Pittsburgh pays $128K median vs. the U.S. average of $135K — that’s -5%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 94.67), the purchasing-power equivalent is $136K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do aerospace engineers make in Pittsburgh, PA?
The median is $128,390 a year, that works out to about $62 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $109,090, and experienced aerospace engineers can clear $153,260. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $128K enough to live in Pittsburgh?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $7,880/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,299/month, which eats 16.5% 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 Pittsburgh?
Pittsburgh has a Regional Price Parity of 94.67 (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 $135,618 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.