Side-by-side distribution
Aerospace Engineer
$135,000
median · per year, annualized USD
- Disclosing
- 43.5%
- Live roles
- 46
Automotive Engineer
$165,000
median · per year, annualized USD
- Disclosing
- 53%
- Live roles
- 217
Highest-paying jobs
Aerospace Software Certification Engineer
Principal Solutions Engineer - Aerospace & Defense
Delivery Engineer - Aerospace & Defense
Structures Engineer, Aerospace & Defense (All Levels)
Aerospace Algorithms Engineer
SME Aerospace Engineer (Secret)
Senior Design Engineer (Aerospace & Defense Hardware)
Structural Analysis Engineer - Aerospace
Systems Engineer III - Aerospace
Manufacturing Solutions Engineer, Aerospace & Defense
Highest-paying jobs
Principal Engineer, Embedded Vehicle Software
Senior Manufacturing Engineer (Arc Vehicle)
Staff Robotics Software Engineer, Air Vehicle Autonomy
Staff Robotics Software Engineer, Air Vehicle Autonomy
Staff Robotics Software Engineer, Air Vehicle Autonomy
Automotive System Engineer
Site Reliability Engineering Manager, Vehicle Software
Chief Engineer, Software-Defined Vehicle Platform
Principal Systems Engineer, Air Vehicle Systems
Staff Software Engineer, Vehicle Software, C++
Top companies hiring
| Company | Median | Roles |
|---|---|---|
|
Xometry
|
$125,500 | 5 |
|
PhysicsX
|
$212,500 | 2 |
|
Freeform
|
$155,000 | 2 |
| ST STI | $126,740 | 2 |
|
Archer
|
$233,000 | 1 |
|
Deltasands
|
$195,000 | 1 |
|
Divergent
|
$173,993 | 1 |
|
ALTEN Technology USA
|
$150,000 | 1 |
Top companies hiring
| Company | Median | Roles |
|---|---|---|
|
Anduril Industries
|
$193,000 | 37 |
Relativity Space
|
$144,000 | 14 |
Scout Motors
|
$122,500 | 10 |
|
Inversion
|
$130,500 | 9 |
Rocket Lab Corporation
|
$122,500 | 8 |
|
Wayve
|
$277,150 | 4 |
Stoke Space
|
$154,350 | 3 |
Motional
|
$146,000 | 3 |
Aerospace Engineer salary by location
| Location | Median | Roles |
|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles | $155,000 | 4 |
Automotive Engineer salary by location
| Location | Median | Roles |
|---|---|---|
| Seattle | $193,000 | 6 |
| Boston | $193,000 | 5 |
| Los Angeles | $144,750 | 4 |
Aerospace Engineer vs Automotive Engineer: which pays more?
The median for Aerospace Engineer is $135,000 per year (typically $125,500–$175,000), versus $165,000 for Automotive Engineer ($130,250–$197,625). That puts Automotive Engineer about 22% ahead at the median.
Both figures are computed live from active listings on JobsRadar and normalized to annualized USD, so Aerospace Engineer and Automotive Engineer are compared on equal terms regardless of the currency each role was originally posted in. Only roles that publish a salary range feed the medians; numbers refresh every few hours as new roles post and older ones close, so this comparison reflects the market right now rather than a fixed survey. Use it as a directional benchmark when weighing one path against the other.