Aerospace Engineers Salary
The median pay for a aerospace engineers in Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA is $138,670/year ($66.67/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $86K at the entry level to $180K for experienced workers. Prices run high here (RPP 105.42), so that salary is closer to $131,541 in real purchasing power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,922/month, or 23.5% of estimated take-home pay.
So what does $139K get you in Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro’s Regional Price Parity (105.42). 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 Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro
Aerospace engineers pay in Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro tracks closely to the national median, $139K locally vs. $135K nationwide, a 3% difference. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,922/month, 24.6% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Cost-of-living overall is 5% above the national average (BEA RPP 105.42), so groceries and services cost more too. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for aerospace engineers in metros near Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Bend | $106K | $102K |
| 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, Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA
Entry-level aerospace engineers (10th percentile) start around $86K. Mid-career wages sit at $139K. Top earners bring in $180K or more, a $94K 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 Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a aerospace engineer afford a 2BR apartment alone in Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro?
Yes — at the median salary of $139K, rent takes 24.6% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,922/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for aerospace engineers in Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new aerospace engineers typically earn — is $86K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $5,153/month. At HUD’s $1,922/month FMR, rent would take 37% 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 Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $139K locally vs. $135K nationally, a 3% difference.
How does Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro compare to the national average for aerospace engineers?
Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro pays $139K median vs. the U.S. average of $135K — that’s +3%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 105.42), the purchasing-power equivalent is $132K — below the national median.
How much do aerospace engineers make in Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA?
The median is $138,670 a year, that works out to about $67 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $85,880, and experienced aerospace engineers can clear $180,010. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $139K enough to live in Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $7,817/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,922/month, which eats 24.6% 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 Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro?
Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro has a Regional Price Parity of 105.42 (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 $131,541 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.