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Aerospace Engineer - Federal Salaries of 2011
Pay Rates for "Aerospace Engineer"
How much does an Aerospace Engineer in the federal government get paid? $119,453.54* *Based on the 2011 average.Aerospace Engineer was the 60th most popular job in the U.S. Government in 2011, with 5,292 employed. The most common payscale was the general schedule payscale.
In 2011, the Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center hired the most employees titled Aerospace Engineering, with an average salary of $123,573.
Government Aerospace Engineering jobs are classified under the General Schedule (GS) payscale. The minimum paygrade for a Aerospace Engineering job is GS-6, and the highest paygrade that can be attained within this job series is GS-15. Remember that the starting and maximum yearly pay listed above reflect base pay only - your actual salary will be higher based on the Locality Pay Adjustment for the area in which you work.
Science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) professions fall under this job category. Due to the growing focus of them STEM fields, individuals in this job category tend to advance more quickly than employees in the other job categories. Jobs in this category are being added quickly and many organizations have trouble finding qualified individuals. Individuals in this job category typically recieve pormotions of 2 grade increases at a time until they reach GS-12.
Agencies that have hired an Aerospace Engineer
| Agency | Employees Hired | Average Salary |
|---|---|---|
| Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center | 1,188 | $123,572.68 |
| George C. Marshall Space Flight Center | 1,002 | $113,027.88 |
| Federal Aviation Administration | 762 | $121,775.42 |
| Goddard Space Flight Center | 676 | $124,458.17 |
| Langley Research Center | 515 | $116,609.02 |
| John Glenn Research Center at Lewis Field | 354 | $119,506.68 |
| John F. Kennedy Space Center | 328 | $106,067.96 |
| Ames Research Center | 190 | $137,230.01 |
| Dryden Flight Research Center | 159 | $111,698.06 |
| John C. Stennis Space Center | 37 | $101,015.73 |
| National Transportation Safety Board | 28 | $130,084.04 |
| Headquarters, Nasa | 23 | $152,648.91 |
| National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration | 14 | $123,797.07 |
| Office of the Secretary, Research and Technology | 8 | $80,679.13 |
| Forest Service | 2 | $104,243.00 |
| Science and Technology Directorate | 2 | $112,832.50 |
| Environmental Protection Agency | 1 | $107,227.00 |
| U.S. Coast Guard | 1 | $115,742.00 |
| Department of State | 1 | $98,187.00 |
| Geological Survey | 1 | $155,500.00 |
Aerospace Engineer Pay Distribution
The average pay for an Aerospace Engineer is $119,453.54. The highest paid Aerospace Engineer made $198,360 in 2011.
Common Aerospace Engineer Payscales
| Payscale | Number of Aerospace Engineering Employees |
|---|---|
| GS - General Schedule | 4,457 |
| FV - Faa Core Compensation Plan | 734 |
| ES - Senior Executive Service | 23 |
| ST - Scientific And Professional | 20 |
| FG - Similar To The General Schedule | 17 |
| ZP - Scientific And Engineering Professional | 13 |
| EV - Faa Executive Compensation Plan | 11 |
| SL - Senior Level Positions | 8 |
| GM - Emp Covered By Pmrs Termination Provisns | 5 |
| AD - Administratively Determined Rates, Not E | 3 |
| ED - Expert (5 U.s.c. 3109) | 1 |
| Starting Paygrade: | $36,070.00 / year base pay at paygrade GS-6, Step 1 |
| Maximum Paygrade: | $152,771.00 / year base pay at paygrade GS-15, Step 10 |
| Category: | Professional and Scientific |
| Occupation Family: | 0800 ENGINEERING AND ARCHITECTURE GROUP |
Other Jobs at the GS-6 Paygrade
GS-6 is the starting paygrade for Aerospace Engineering jobs. Here are some other Federal Government jobs that can be held by employees at the GS-6 paygrade.
| Occupation | Occupation Category | Starting Paygrade | Maximum Paygrade |
|---|---|---|---|
| Communications Clerical | Clerical and Administrative Support | GS-1 | GS-9 |
| Geography | Professional and Scientific | GS-6 | GS-15 |
| Physical Therapist | Professional and Scientific | GS-6 | GS-15 |
| Environmental Protection Specialist | Administrative and Management | GS-4 | GS-15 |
| Civil Rights Analysis | Administrative and Management | GS-4 | GS-15 |
Average Aerospace Engineering Pay Trend from 2004 to 2021
In 2004, the average pay for an Aerospace Engineer was $97,387. Since then, the average pay has increased to $136,617 in 2021.
Data Sources
The information provided on these pages is sourced from the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) 
Enterprise Human Resources Integration (EHRI) dataset. Postal Service data is managed exclusively by the USPS . All information is displayed unmodified and as provided by the source agency.
Federal employee salaries are public information under open government laws (5 U.S.C. § 552). FederalPay provides this data in the interest of government transparency — employee data may not be used for commercial soliciting or vending of any kind. Learn more about the FederalPay Employees Dataset here.
The series code of this occupation is 0861.