Aerospace Engineers Salary
The median pay for a aerospace engineers in Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL is $126,500/year ($60.82/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $76K at the entry level to $162K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 100.89), that's roughly $125,384 in purchasing power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,977/month, or 24.2% of estimated take-home pay.
So what does $127K get you in Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater’s Regional Price Parity (100.89). 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 Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater
Aerospace engineers pay in Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater tracks closely to the national median, $127K locally vs. $135K nationwide, a 6% difference. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,977/month, 24.4% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Cost of living (RPP 100.89) 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 Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville | $132K | $132K |
| Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach | $131K | $115K |
| Jacksonville | $119K | $120K |
| Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford | $124K | $123K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL
Entry-level aerospace engineers (10th percentile) start around $76K. Mid-career wages sit at $127K. Top earners bring in $162K or more, a $87K 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 Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater numbers change.
Related careers in Engineering
Frequently asked questions
Can a aerospace engineer afford a 2BR apartment alone in Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater?
Yes — at the median salary of $127K, rent takes 24.4% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,977/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for aerospace engineers in Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new aerospace engineers typically earn — is $76K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $4,549/month. At HUD’s $1,977/month FMR, rent would take 43% 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 Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $127K locally vs. $135K nationally, a 6% difference.
How does Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater compare to the national average for aerospace engineers?
Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater pays $127K median vs. the U.S. average of $135K — that’s -6%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 100.89), the purchasing-power equivalent is $125K — below the national median.
How much do aerospace engineers make in Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL?
The median is $126,500 a year, that works out to about $61 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $75,820, and experienced aerospace engineers can clear $162,330. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $127K enough to live in Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $8,101/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,977/month, which eats 24.4% 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 Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater?
Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater has a Regional Price Parity of 100.89 (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 $125,384 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.