The Tennessee Promise application is now open for the Class of 2027.  Learn More

Record number of high school FAFSA Champions recognized for 2025-2026. Learn More

 

Back to Careers
Share To Email
Career Finder

Aerospace Engineers

What do they do?

Perform engineering duties in designing, constructing, and testing aircraft, missiles, and spacecraft. May conduct basic and applied research to evaluate adaptability of materials and equipment to aircraft design and manufacture. May recommend improvements in testing equipment and techniques.

Education Required

Most of these occupations require a four-year bachelor's degree, but some do not.

Employees in these occupations usually need several years of work-related experience, on-the-job training, and/or vocational training.

Find Colleges That Offer This Degree
What Does This Job Pay?
Tennessee Average Salary: $86,000-$175,000
Median Annual Salary: $130,720
Median Hourly Salary: $65
Salary distribution bell curve graph
$81,620
$130,720
$188,910
One out of ten earn less than $81,620
The median salary is $130,720
One out of ten earn more than $188,910
Top Skills For This Job
  • Basic Skills
  • thinking about the pros and cons of different ways to solve a problem
  • reading work related information
  • Problem Solving
  • noticing a problem and figuring out the best way to solve it
  • People and Technology Systems
  • thinking about the pros and cons of different options and picking the best one
  • measuring how well a system is working and how to improve it
Will There Be Jobs?
Jobs more likely

New job opportunities are very likely in the future.

View high demand jobs.
Are You On Track?
Typical education needed: Bachelor's degree
Bachelor's degree
Master's degree
Associate's degree
59%
33%
8%
Typical Daily Tasks
  • Formulate mathematical models or other methods of computer analysis to develop, evaluate, or modify design, according to customer engineering requirements.
  • Plan or conduct experimental, environmental, operational, or stress tests on models or prototypes of aircraft or aerospace systems or equipment.
  • Formulate conceptual design of aeronautical or aerospace products or systems to meet customer requirements or conform to environmental regulations.