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Aerospace Technician vs Manufacturing Engineer: pay, jobs and what each takes
Technicians and manufacturing engineers side by side: what each earns by the US Bureau of Labor Statistics and by the jobs open today, how many jobs there are, and the education and credentials each takes.
Aerospace Technician vs Manufacturing Engineer, side by side
| Technician | Manufacturing engineer | |
|---|---|---|
| Open jobs on this board today | 755 | 527 |
| Median posted hourly pay (open jobs) | $73,882.25 | $137,000 |
| Median hourly pay (BLS) | - | - |
| Median yearly pay (BLS) | - | - |
| Projected employment change (BLS) | - | - |
| Openings a year (BLS) | - | - |
| Typical education to enter (BLS) | - | - |
| Credentials | IPC J-STD-001 soldering and IPC-A-610 workmanship (with the space addendum); Airframe and Powerplant mechanic certificate (A&P); Security clearance (Secret, Top Secret, TS/SCI) | Security clearance (Secret, Top Secret, TS/SCI) |
Aerospace Technician vs Manufacturing Engineer: common questions
Are there more technician or manufacturing engineer jobs?
On this board today: 755 open technician jobs and 527 manufacturing engineer jobs, read from each employer's own job board.
What is the difference between a technician and a manufacturing engineer?
Space companies hire technicians to build, integrate and test rockets and spacecraft by hand, on the factory floor, at test stands and at the launch site. Space companies hire manufacturing engineers to turn designs into flight hardware at rate: the processes, tooling and lines that build engines, tanks and spacecraft.
How do you become a technician or a manufacturing engineer?
Hands-on experience, a trade school or military background; many roles need no degree. A mechanical, industrial or manufacturing engineering degree and time on a production floor. Each occupation's page lists its credentials and who grants them: Technicians, Manufacturing engineers.
Other careers compared
- Aerospace Engineer vs Mechanical Engineer
- Propulsion Engineer vs Aerospace Engineer
- Systems Engineer vs Software Engineer
- Electrical Engineer vs RF Engineer
- GNC Engineer vs Software Engineer
- Test Engineer vs Systems Engineer
- Manufacturing Engineer vs Quality Engineer
- Mechanical Engineer vs Materials Engineer
- Aerospace Technician vs Machinist
- Machinist vs Welder
- Program Manager vs Product Manager
- Data Scientist vs Software Engineer
- Mission Operations Engineer vs Systems Engineer
Sources and method
Pay and outlook are BLS's figures for each occupation's main SOC code; open jobs and their posted median are this board's, counted as each occupation's own page counts them.
- US Bureau of Labor Statistics: Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics and Employment Projections
- SpaceJobs.Now job board: open jobs read every night from each employer's own careers site
Cite this page
SpaceJobs.Now. (2026). Aerospace Technician vs Manufacturing Engineer: Pay, Jobs and Requirements Compared. Data as of 7 Nov 2026. https://spacejobs.now/compare-careers/aerospace-technician-vs-manufacturing-engineer