Aerospace Engineers Salary
The median pay for a aerospace engineers in Tucson, AZ is $106,760/year ($51.33/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $78K at the entry level to $170K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 96.9), that's roughly $110,175 in purchasing power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,402/month, or 20.4% of estimated take-home pay.
So what does $107K get you in Tucson?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Tucson’s Regional Price Parity (96.9). 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 Tucson
Pay for aerospace engineers in Tucson runs about 21% below the U.S. median of $135K. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,402/month, 20.8% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Cost of living (RPP 96.9) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. Lower pay, lower costs, Tucson 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 Tucson, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler | $130K | $126K |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim | $163K | $144K |
| Denver-Aurora-Centennial | $156K | , |
| Colorado Springs | $152K | , |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Tucson, AZ
Entry-level aerospace engineers (10th percentile) start around $78K. Mid-career wages sit at $107K. Top earners bring in $170K or more, a $92K 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 Tucson numbers change.
Related careers in Engineering
Frequently asked questions
Can a aerospace engineer afford a 2BR apartment alone in Tucson?
Yes — at the median salary of $107K, rent takes 20.8% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,402/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for aerospace engineers in Tucson?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new aerospace engineers typically earn — is $78K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $4,695/month. At HUD’s $1,402/month FMR, rent would take 30% of that take-home — manageable on an entry-level income.
Is aerospace engineer a high-paying job in Tucson?
Local pay runs 21% below the national median — $107K here vs. $135K nationally.
How does Tucson compare to the national average for aerospace engineers?
Tucson pays $107K median vs. the U.S. average of $135K — that’s -21%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 96.9), the purchasing-power equivalent is $110K — below the national median.
How much do aerospace engineers make in Tucson, AZ?
The median is $106,760 a year, that works out to about $51 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $78,250, and experienced aerospace engineers can clear $169,990. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $107K enough to live in Tucson?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $6,735/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,402/month, which eats 20.8% 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 Tucson?
Tucson has a Regional Price Parity of 96.9 (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 $110,175 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.