Side-by-side distribution
Aerospace Engineer
$132,936
median · per year, annualized USD
- Disclosing
- 64.1%
- Live roles
- 206
Petroleum Engineer
$98,200
median · per year, annualized USD
- Disclosing
- 11.1%
- Live roles
- 36
Highest-paying jobs
Principal Airframe Engineer - IPT Lead [AERO]
Senior Aerospace Software Engineer
Staff Aeronautical Engineer- Test & Evaluation
Staff Aeronautical Engineer (VMS & GNC)
Staff Engineer Aeronautical (level 5)
Staff Engineer Aeronautical
Staff Aeronautical Engineer -Test and Evaluation Lead
Astrodynamics Aerospace Engineer, Lead
Astrodynamics Aerospace Engineer, Lead
Structures Engineer, Aerospace & Defense (All Levels)
Top companies hiring
| Company | Median | Roles |
|---|---|---|
|
Northrop Grumman
|
$142,500 | 42 |
|
Blue Origin
|
$119,041 | 11 |
Xometry
|
$72,375 | 9 |
| GV GE Vernova | $90,000 | 6 |
|
Booz Allen Hamilton
|
$142,450 | 5 |
| BO Boeing | $132,000 | 5 |
Leidos
|
$122,275 | 5 |
TSC
|
$121,000 | 5 |
Top companies hiring
| Company | Median | Roles |
|---|---|---|
Chevron
|
$90,608 | 2 |
FormFactor
|
$157,508 | 1 |
Residential Home Health and Hospice
|
$88,400 | 1 |
Aerospace Engineer salary by location
| Location | Median | Roles |
|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles | $132,747 | 7 |
| Seattle | $132,747 | 11 |
| Denver | $109,121 | 10 |
Aerospace Engineer vs Petroleum Engineer: which pays more?
The median for Aerospace Engineer is $132,936 per year (typically $114,700–$152,994), versus $98,200 for Petroleum Engineer ($84,604–$120,377). That puts Aerospace Engineer about 35% ahead at the median.
Both figures are computed live from active listings on JobsRadar and normalized to annualized USD, so Aerospace Engineer and Petroleum 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.