Aerospace engineer salary in California
In California, space employers offer aerospace engineers a median of $169k a year, the middle half $162k–$191k $3.55k above the national posted median. From 11 jobs at 5 employers that name a salary in their postings.
- 25th percentile$162,411.75/hr
- Median (50th)$168,550/hr
- 75th percentile$191,000/hr
- Distinct posted rates11
- Jobs stating an hourly rate11
- Employers5
The median is the middle of the 11 distinct rates they post, and the middle half, $162,411.75–$191,000 an hour, runs from their 25th percentile to their 75th: half of the rates fall between them. Each range counts at its midpoint, and a job posted many times at one rate counts once, so no employer's posting volume sets the figure.
- 25th percentile$162,411.75/hr
- Median (50th)$168,550/hr
- 75th percentile$191,000/hr
- Distinct posted rates11
- Jobs stating an hourly rate11
- Employers5
The median is the middle of the 11 distinct rates they post, and the middle half, $162,411.75–$191,000 an hour, runs from their 25th percentile to their 75th: half of the rates fall between them. Each range counts at its midpoint, and a job posted many times at one rate counts once, so no employer's posting volume sets the figure.
- Median posted pay, a year$168,600
- Hours in a full-time year2,080
- The same per hour, full time$81.03/hr
Every figure here is a year's pay: a job that posts pay counts at 2,080 hours (40 a week for 52 weeks). Rounded to the nearest $100.
- Inversion Space4 jobs
- Virgin Galactic2 jobs
- Varda Space Industries2 jobs
- Lockheed Martin2 jobs
- Outpost1 job
Jobs stating pay, the employers with the most first: 11 in all, at 5 employers.
The jobs themselves: Aerospace engineer jobs in California · Aerospace engineer pay nationwide
What aerospace engineers are paid in California
Each bar counts the open jobs posting pay in its step of pay (a range at its midpoint).
Median $169k a year. Middle half $162k to $191k. Point at a bar for its count. Tap a bar for its count.
Posted on open jobs in California
Middle half of 11 distinct posted rates (a job posted many times at one rate counted once), median $169k. 79% of the 14 open aerospace engineer jobs in California state pay.
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Aerospace engineer pay by town in California
Towns where at least three open jobs state pay, the towns with the most such jobs first.
| Town | Median posted | Posted range | Jobs (employers) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles | $191k | $137k–$225k | 5 (2) |
Median of employers' rates in the town, the lowest and highest rate posted, and the jobs and employers behind them. A town opens its own job page.
Aerospace engineer pay by employer in California
What each employer posts for aerospace engineers here, the employers with the most jobs stating pay first.
| Employer | Median posted | Posted range | Jobs stating pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Inversion Space | $178k | $137k–$221k | 4 |
| Virgin Galactic | $202k | $143k–$269k | 2 |
| Varda Space Industries | $148k | $120k–$179k | 2 |
| Lockheed Martin | $145k | $79.3k–$219k | 2 |
| Outpost | $198k | $170k–$225k | 1 |
Median of each employer's jobs in California (a range at its midpoint), and its lowest and highest rate here. An employer's name opens its pay for aerospace engineers nationwide when it has such a page.
Best-paid open aerospace engineer jobs in California
The open jobs posting the highest pay figures tonight, at most two from one employer.
$176,598–$269,442/yr
$170,000–$225,000/yr
$161,000–$221,000/yr- $161,000–$221,000/yr
- $143,031–$218,132/yr
$118,000–$219,100/yr
$140,333–$179,314/yr- $119,543–$152,749/yr
- $79,300–$163,700/yr
Aerospace engineer salary in California: common questions
How much does an aerospace engineer make in California?
Open aerospace engineer jobs in California that state pay post a median of $169k, the middle half $162k–$191k (11 jobs from 5 employers).
How does California compare with the rest of the country?
The posted median in California ($169k) is $3.55k above the national posted median of $165k.
Where do these figures come from?
From the pay open jobs state, read every night from each employer's own job board: 11 of 14 open aerospace engineer jobs in California (79%) state pay. No pay is estimated for a job that states none; "up to" ceilings and weekly travel rates are left out.
Aerospace engineer pay in other states
Sources and method
Cite this page
SpaceJobs.Now. (2026). Aerospace engineer salary in California. Data as of 7 Nov 2026. https://spacejobs.now/salaries/aerospace-engineers/california