Side-by-side distribution
Aerospace Engineer
$135,000
median · per year, annualized USD
- Disclosing
- 43.5%
- Live roles
- 46
Mechanical Engineer
$150,000
median · per year, annualized USD
- Disclosing
- 47%
- Live roles
- 1,335
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
Data Center Mechanical Engineer
Mechanical Commissioning Project Engineer
Staff Mechanical Engineer, Fluid Systems
Mechanical Engineer, Robotics Hardware
Senior Mechanical engineer
Mechanical Design Engineer
Mechanical Engineer
Principal Mechanical Engineer, Space Special Programs
Principal Mechanical Engineer, Factory Automation
Principal Mechanical Design & Analysis Engineer, Tooling
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
|
$170,000 | 68 |
SpaceX
|
$111,875 | 28 |
|
Relativity Space
|
$165,000 | 22 |
Syska Hennessy Group
|
$132,627 | 20 |
Vast
|
$147,213 | 16 |
| DG DLR Group | $114,565 | 16 |
Rocket Lab Corporation
|
$136,500 | 15 |
Antares
|
$150,000 | 11 |
Aerospace Engineer salary by location
| Location | Median | Roles |
|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles | $155,000 | 4 |
Mechanical Engineer salary by location
| Location | Median | Roles |
|---|---|---|
| Seattle | $188,500 | 20 |
| San Francisco | $165,000 | 57 |
| Austin | $165,000 | 16 |
| Los Angeles | $150,000 | 55 |
| New York | $131,750 | 26 |
| Boston | $128,692 | 7 |
| Denver | $125,000 | 11 |
| Chicago | $114,565 | 10 |
| Atlanta | $102,500 | 4 |
Aerospace Engineer vs Mechanical Engineer: which pays more?
The median for Aerospace Engineer is $135,000 per year (typically $125,500–$175,000), versus $150,000 for Mechanical Engineer ($120,000–$172,100). That puts Mechanical Engineer about 11% 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.