Aerospace Engineers Salary
The median pay for a aerospace engineers in Richmond, VA is $120,370/year ($57.87/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $83K at the entry level to $251K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 97.86), that's roughly $123,002 in purchasing power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,655/month, or 22.6% of estimated take-home pay.
So what does $120K get you in Richmond?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Richmond’s Regional Price Parity (97.86). 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 Richmond
Pay for aerospace engineers in Richmond runs about 11% below the U.S. median of $135K. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,655/month, 22.9% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Cost of living (RPP 97.86) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. Lower pay, lower costs, Richmond can be a reasonable trade-off for aerospace engineerss who value affordability over top-dollar markets.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for aerospace engineers in metros near Richmond, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk | $139K | $142K |
| Charlottesville | $123K | $124K |
| 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, Richmond, VA
Entry-level aerospace engineers (10th percentile) start around $83K. Mid-career wages sit at $120K. Top earners bring in $251K or more, a $168K 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 Richmond numbers change.
Related careers in Engineering
Frequently asked questions
Can a aerospace engineer afford a 2BR apartment alone in Richmond?
Yes — at the median salary of $120K, rent takes 22.9% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,655/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for aerospace engineers in Richmond?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new aerospace engineers typically earn — is $83K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $4,991/month. At HUD’s $1,655/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 Richmond?
Local pay runs 11% below the national median — $120K here vs. $135K nationally.
How does Richmond compare to the national average for aerospace engineers?
Richmond pays $120K median vs. the U.S. average of $135K — that’s -11%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 97.86), the purchasing-power equivalent is $123K — below the national median.
How much do aerospace engineers make in Richmond, VA?
The median is $120,370 a year, that works out to about $58 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $83,190, and experienced aerospace engineers can clear $250,730. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $120K enough to live in Richmond?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $7,218/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,655/month, which eats 22.9% 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 Richmond?
Richmond has a Regional Price Parity of 97.86 (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 $123,002 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.