Side-by-side distribution
Aerospace Engineer
$132,936
median · per year, annualized USD
- Disclosing
- 67%
- Live roles
- 200
Mechanical Engineer
$135,000
median · per year, annualized USD
- Disclosing
- 43.7%
- Live roles
- 3,564
Highest-paying jobs
Principal Airframe Engineer - IPT Lead [AERO]
Senior Aerospace Software Engineer
Staff Engineer Aeronautical (level 5)
Staff Aeronautical Engineer- Test & Evaluation
Staff Aeronautical Engineer (VMS & GNC)
Staff Engineer Aeronautical
Astrodynamics Aerospace Engineer, Lead
Astrodynamics Aerospace Engineer, Lead
Structures Engineer, Aerospace & Defense (All Levels)
Sentinel CFD Staff Aeronautical Engineer - 20341
Highest-paying jobs
Staff Mechanical Engineer - Data Center Cooling
Staff Mechanical Engineer
Mechanical Engineer, Hardware Systems
Mechanical Engineer, PCBA Test Infrastructure, Robotics
Data Center Mechanical Engineer
Distinguished Technologist Mechanical Engineer (Network Infrastructure)
Senior Mechanical Controls Engineer
Staff Mechanical Engineer
Staff Mechanical Engineer
Mechanical Design Engineer, Motor Design & Prototyping
Top companies hiring
| Company | Median | Roles |
|---|---|---|
|
Northrop Grumman
|
$142,500 | 41 |
|
Blue Origin
|
$125,894 | 12 |
Xometry
|
$72,375 | 9 |
| BO Boeing | $149,000 | 6 |
| GV GE Vernova | $90,000 | 6 |
|
Booz Allen Hamilton
|
$142,450 | 5 |
Leidos
|
$122,275 | 5 |
TSC
|
$121,000 | 5 |
Top companies hiring
| Company | Median | Roles |
|---|---|---|
|
Northrop Grumman
|
$121,650 | 107 |
Anduril Industries
|
$170,000 | 90 |
|
Blue Origin
|
$145,228 | 54 |
Applied Materials
|
$147,500 | 48 |
Mindrift
|
$76,960 | 46 |
KLA
|
$159,050 | 34 |
Syska Hennessy Group
|
$119,627 | 34 |
|
Leidos
|
$122,275 | 28 |
Aerospace Engineer salary by location
| Location | Median | Roles |
|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles | $135,000 | 9 |
| Seattle | $133,874 | 12 |
| Denver | $109,121 | 11 |
Mechanical Engineer salary by location
| Location | Median | Roles |
|---|---|---|
| San Francisco | $162,275 | 74 |
| Austin | $158,000 | 23 |
| Los Angeles | $150,000 | 70 |
| Boston | $149,250 | 21 |
| Seattle | $145,228 | 64 |
| Denver | $125,500 | 35 |
| New York | $125,000 | 33 |
| Chicago | $119,437 | 18 |
| Atlanta | $111,000 | 10 |
| London | $74,880 | 5 |
Aerospace Engineer vs Mechanical Engineer: which pays more?
The median for Aerospace Engineer is $132,936 per year (typically $114,700–$151,981), versus $135,000 for Mechanical Engineer ($107,500–$162,581). That puts Mechanical Engineer about 2% ahead at the median.
Both figures are computed live from active listings on JobsRadar and normalized to annualized USD, so Aerospace Engineer and Mechanical 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.