Aerospace Engineers Salary
The median pay for a aerospace engineers in Virginia is $143,210/year ($68.85/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $95K at the entry level to $227K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 94.79), which stretches that salary to about $151,081 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,646/month, or 18.9% of estimated take-home pay.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Virginia. Jump to a metro for precise data:
Where the paycheck goes
What $143K actually covers in Virginia, month by month
About aerospace engineers
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What this looks like in Virginia
Aerospace engineers pay in Virginia tracks closely to the national median, $143K locally vs. $135K nationwide, a 6% difference. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,646/month, 19.6% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Regional Price Parity sits at 94.79 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 5% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Virginia
Entry-level aerospace engineers (10th percentile) start around $95K. Mid-career wages sit at $143K. Top earners bring in $227K or more, a $132K spread from bottom to top.
Aerospace Engineers salary by metro in Virginia
3 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk | $139K | -3% | 800 |
| Charlottesville | $123K | -14% | 30 |
| Richmond | $120K | -16% | 110 |
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BLS updates this data annually. We'll email you when Virginia numbers change.
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Quick answers
The stuff people actually ask about this job
Can a aerospace engineer afford a 2BR apartment alone in Virginia?
Yes — at the median salary of $143K, rent takes 19.6% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,646/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for aerospace engineers in Virginia?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new aerospace engineers typically earn — is $95K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $5,879/month. At HUD’s $1,646/month FMR, rent would take 28% of that take-home — manageable on an entry-level income.
Is aerospace engineer a high-paying job in Virginia?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $143K locally vs. $135K nationally, a 6% difference.
How does Virginia compare to the national average for aerospace engineers?
Virginia pays $143K median vs. the U.S. average of $135K — that’s +6%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 94.79), the purchasing-power equivalent is $151K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do aerospace engineers make in Virginia?
The median is $143,210 a year, that works out to about $69 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $95,420, and experienced aerospace engineers can clear $226,950. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $143K enough to live in Virginia?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $8,410/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,646/month, which eats 19.6% 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 Virginia?
Virginia has a Regional Price Parity of 94.79 (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 $151,081 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.