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Aerospace Engineering and Operations Technologists and Technicians: Career Profile
Operate, install, adjust, and maintain integrated computer/communications systems, consoles, simulators, and other data acquisition, test, and measurement instruments and equipment, which are used to launch, track, position, and evaluate air and space vehicles. May record and interpret test data.
What Tasks Do Aerospace Engineering and Operations Technologists and Technicians Take On?
The core tasks performed by aerospace engineering and operations technologists and technicians include:
- Test aircraft systems under simulated operational conditions, performing systems readiness tests and pre- and post-operational checkouts, to establish design or fabrication parameters.
- Identify required data, data acquisition plans, and test parameters, setting up equipment to conform to these specifications.
- Inspect, diagnose, maintain, and operate test setups and equipment to detect malfunctions.
- Confer with engineering personnel regarding details and implications of test procedures and results.
- Operate and calibrate computer systems and devices to comply with test requirements and to perform data acquisition and analysis.
- Record and interpret test data on parts, assemblies, and mechanisms.
- Adjust, repair, or replace faulty components of test setups and equipment.
- Fabricate and install parts and systems to be tested in test equipment, using hand tools, power tools, and test instruments.
Skills and Knowledge
Top aerospace engineering and operations technologists and technicians combine a mix of skills and domain knowledge.
Most Important Skills
The competencies most important for this role, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:
Core Knowledge
Other Aerospace Engineering and Operations Technologists and Technicians Job Titles
This career also goes by job titles like:
- Aerographer
- Aerospace Assembler
- Aerospace Engineering Technologist
- Aerospace Mechanic
- Aerospace Operations Technologist
- Aerospace Physiological Technician
- Aerospace Technician
- Aircraft Research Mechanic
Employment and Demand
The U.S. employs around 194,160 aerospace engineering and operations technologists and technicians working in the United States today. Demand is forecast to grow by +10.6% over the projection horizon.
Aerospace Engineering and Operations Technologists and Technicians Pay
| Statistic | Value |
|---|---|
| Annual median | $77,835 |
| Hourly median | $37.42 |
| 10th percentile | $51,098 |
| 25th percentile | $64,466 |
| 75th percentile | $91,204 |
| 90th percentile | $104,572 |
Pay can vary substantially based on experience, location, and industry.
Pay by State
| State | Annual median salary |
|---|---|
| Colorado | $124,290 |
| Washington | $105,910 |
| Alaska | $105,850 |
| Nevada | $98,770 |
| California | $96,370 |
| Maryland | $93,010 |
| Texas | $83,320 |
| North Carolina | $83,280 |
| Connecticut | $81,460 |
| Massachusetts | $81,420 |
| Florida | $80,150 |
| Virginia | $80,120 |
| South Carolina | $78,820 |
| Utah | $78,610 |
| Ohio | $76,750 |
| Kansas | $76,130 |
| Alabama | $69,590 |
| New York | $62,650 |
| Arizona | $62,160 |
| Oklahoma | $59,070 |
| Indiana | $58,810 |
| Oregon | $57,680 |
| Michigan | $46,620 |
Pay by U.S. Region
Compensation for aerospace engineering and operations technologists and technicians differ across the country. Top regions by median wage:
| Region | Median annual wage | Share of U.S. jobs | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rocky Mountains | $104,600 | 6.9% | 2.19 |
| Far Western US | $98,001 | 18.7% | 1.32 |
| Middle Atlantic | $81,713 | 5.1% | 1.15 |
| New England | $81,448 | 1.7% | 0.76 |
| Southwest | $77,678 | 10.7% | 0.83 |
| Plains States | $76,130 | 7.8% | 7.75 |
| Great Lakes | $70,841 | 17.4% | 2.70 |
| Southeast | $63,083 | 31.7% | 2.07 |
Top Metro Areas
| Metro area | State | Median annual wage | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO | CO | $131,540 | 200 |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | WA | $110,120 | 450 |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | CA | $103,200 | 130 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | TX | $100,930 | 230 |
| Las Vegas-Henderson-North Las Vegas, NV | NV | $98,770 | |
| Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA | CA | $98,640 | 60 |
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | DC | $97,580 | 200 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | CA | $96,370 | 410 |
Which Industries Hire Aerospace Engineering and Operations Technologists and Technicians
The bulk of aerospace engineering and operations technologists and technicians are concentrated in the following sectors:
| Industry | Employment | Median annual wage |
|---|---|---|
| Manufacturing | 4,730 | $80,390 |
| Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 3,330 | $75,390 |
| Educational Services | 520 | $87,360 |
| Transportation and Warehousing | 200 | $131,540 |
| Management of Companies and Enterprises | 110 | $123,270 |
| Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services | 90 | $111,350 |
Aerospace Engineering and Operations Technologists and Technicians work in the following industries:
Tech Stack
- Data base management system software: Apache Hadoop (hot technology)
- Project management software: Atlassian JIRA (hot technology)
- Computer aided design CAD software: Autodesk AutoCAD (hot technology)
- Object or component oriented development software: C++ (hot technology)
- Computer aided design CAD software: Dassault Systemes SolidWorks (hot technology)
- Enterprise application integration software: Extensible markup language XML (hot technology)
- Web platform development software: JavaScript (hot technology)
- Program testing software: JUnit (hot technology)
- Operating system software: Linux (hot technology)
- Data base user interface and query software: Microsoft Access (hot technology)
- Spreadsheet software: Microsoft Excel (hot technology)
- Office suite software: Microsoft Office software (hot technology)
Work Environment
The on-the-job environment of aerospace engineering and operations technologists and technicians tends to involve the following characteristics:
- Importance of Being Exact or Accurate
- Indoors, Environmentally Controlled
- Face-to-Face Discussions with Individuals and Within Teams
- Telephone Conversations
Getting Started in This Career
Most aerospace engineering and operations technologists and technicians positions require some college, no degree as the typical entry-level education. This career aligns with Medium Preparation Needed (Job Zone 3), indicating the level of preparation typically expected.
Related Careers
Similar Occupations
- Software Developers (Supplemental)
- Aerospace Engineers (Supplemental)
- Electronics Engineers, Except Computer (Supplemental)
- Validation Engineers (Supplemental)
- Mechanical Engineers (Supplemental)
- Mechatronics Engineers (Supplemental)
- Robotics Engineers (Supplemental)
- Electrical and Electronic Engineering Technologists and Technicians (Primary-Long)
Degree Programs
Aspiring aerospace engineering and operations technologists and technicians commonly pursue programs in:
Engineering Technologies and Engineering-Related Fields
3 programs across 3 majors
Mechanic and Repair Technologies/Technicians
1 programs across 1 majors
Sources
Data on this page comes from the following authoritative sources:
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) for employment and wage data by state and industry.
- BLS Employment Projections for total employment and growth forecasts.
- O*NET (Occupational Information Network) for skills, knowledge, tasks, work activities, work context, technology, and education-zone data.
SOC code: 17-3021.00 (Aerospace Engineering and Operations Technologists and Technicians).
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