Aerospace Engineers Salary
The median pay for a aerospace engineers in Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA is $129,530/year ($62.28/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $90K at the entry level to $213K for experienced workers. Prices run high here (RPP 106.44), so that salary is closer to $121,693 in real purchasing power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $2,201/month, or 28.8% of estimated take-home pay.
So what does $130K get you in Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario’s Regional Price Parity (106.44). 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 Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario
Aerospace engineers pay in Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario tracks closely to the national median, $130K locally vs. $135K nationwide, a 4% difference. Rent runs $2,201/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 29% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Cost-of-living overall is 6% above the national average (BEA RPP 106.44), so groceries and services cost more too. Pay and costs are both near average, leaving limited margin for savings at the median wage.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for aerospace engineers in metros near Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim | $163K | $144K |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara | $182K | $164K |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad | $135K | $121K |
| Bakersfield-Delano | $129K | $128K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA
Entry-level aerospace engineers (10th percentile) start around $90K. Mid-career wages sit at $130K. Top earners bring in $213K or more, a $123K 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 Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a aerospace engineer afford a 2BR apartment alone in Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario?
Yes — at the median salary of $130K, rent takes 29% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $2,201/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for aerospace engineers in Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new aerospace engineers typically earn — is $90K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $5,372/month. At HUD’s $2,201/month FMR, rent would take 41% 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 Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $130K locally vs. $135K nationally, a 4% difference.
How does Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario compare to the national average for aerospace engineers?
Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario pays $130K median vs. the U.S. average of $135K — that’s -4%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 106.44), the purchasing-power equivalent is $122K — below the national median.
How much do aerospace engineers make in Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA?
The median is $129,530 a year, that works out to about $62 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $89,540, and experienced aerospace engineers can clear $212,630. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $130K enough to live in Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $7,592/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $2,201/month, which eats 29% 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 Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario?
Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario has a Regional Price Parity of 106.44 (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 $121,693 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.