Side-by-side distribution
Aerospace Engineer
$137,500
median · per year, annualized USD
- Disclosing
- 62.3%
- Live roles
- 207
Petroleum Engineer
$98,200
median · per year, annualized USD
- Disclosing
- 10%
- Live roles
- 40
Highest-paying jobs
Senior Aerospace Software Engineer
Staff Aeronautical Engineer (USAF Sustainment Sub-IPT Lead)
Staff Aeronautical Engineer (VMS & GNC)
Staff Aeronautical Engineer - Hydraulics Responsible Engineer
Staff Engineer Aeronautical (level 5)
Staff Aeronautical Engineer- Test & Evaluation
Staff Engineer Aeronautical - Propulsion and Fluid Management Systems
Aerospace Software Certification Engineer
Astrodynamics Aerospace Engineer, Lead
Delivery Engineer - Aerospace & Defense
Top companies hiring
| Company | Median | Roles |
|---|---|---|
|
Northrop Grumman
|
$123,000 | 41 |
|
Blue Origin
|
$125,894 | 12 |
|
Booz Allen Hamilton
|
$142,400 | 9 |
TSC
|
$142,500 | 6 |
Xometry
|
$125,500 | 5 |
| BO Boeing | $166,000 | 3 |
Vantor
|
$163,500 | 3 |
Sierra Nevada Corporation
|
$128,840 | 3 |
Top companies hiring
| Company | Median | Roles |
|---|---|---|
Chevron
|
$90,608 | 2 |
Ovintiv
|
$200,000 | 1 |
Residential Home Health and Hospice
|
$88,400 | 1 |
Aerospace Engineer salary by location
| Location | Median | Roles |
|---|---|---|
| New York | $212,500 | 3 |
| Seattle | $137,500 | 15 |
| Los Angeles | $135,000 | 9 |
| Denver | $108,308 | 8 |
Aerospace Engineer vs Petroleum Engineer: which pays more?
The median for Aerospace Engineer is $137,500 per year (typically $114,700–$165,000), versus $98,200 for Petroleum Engineer ($84,604–$131,000). That puts Aerospace Engineer about 40% 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.