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Aerospace Wages on Par With Comparable Industries
The first Aviation Week Careers Special Report
Salary Survey found that aerospace employees' compensation is on
par with that of their peers in the electronics industry and research
and development fields.
 In
fact, compensation levels among aerospace engineers have risen substantially
during the last five years. In 1996, aerospace engineers with five
years' experience were paid approximately $37,000. This year, the
median point for a five-year aerospace engineering veteran is close
to $55,000.
In examining aerospace pay by engineering category,
there are several seeming contradictions in the numbers found in
this year's survey.
For instance, some aerospace engineers with
five years' experience or less are paid substantially more than
engineers with much more experience.
This disparity reflects the diversity of individuals
responding to the Aviation Week survey and the flexibility companies
have been forced to build into their compensation systems as a result
of a shortage of personnel with key skills. Increasingly, companies
have learned they have to pay above-market wages for these critical
skills (see the table titled "Median Base Salary Comparison for
Select Engineering Categories").
| Improving
the Aerospace Careers Survey Methodology |
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For the past
seven years, Aviation Week & Space Technology's (AW&ST)
annual Careers Special Report has relied on aerospace
salary data derived from several different industry
sources, ranging from recruiting firms to professional
societies.
This year,
for the first time, Aviation Week conducted its own
aerospace compensation survey in order to establish
and maintain a steady source of data that would permit
more detailed analyses and consistent comparisons of
salaries.
This survey,
which was conducted for AW&ST by Summit Research, yielded
more than 500 usable responses.
The sample
universe was current AW&ST magazine subscribers working
as engineers or engineering managers in U.S. aerospace
manufacturing companies and related industries.
The net response
rate to the initial Aviation Week survey was 53%. The
results shown here were based on the salary median for
each category. The median is not an average. It is the
salary point literally in the middle, with an equal
number of salary points above and below.
Also note that
the engineering salary data is compiled by years since
employees received their B.S. or M.S. degrees. For instance,
if it has been 15 years since you earned your degree,
you are at the low end of the 15-20-year range, and
your salary will probably be below the median for that
category.
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In our February 2000 report, Aviation Week confirmed
that engineers who had earned their master's degrees enjoyed higher
salaries than those who had only bachelor's degrees. This year's
numbers show that is still the case.
Perhaps because of this, many recruiters and
employment experts today indicate that aerospace engineers are returning
for more education in engineering specialties, program/project management
and management of technology programs. Some aerospace engineers
are even obtaining MBAs to further their careers.
As might also be expected, engineers with supervisory
responsibilities usually earn more that those without such management
duties (see the table titled "Midpoint Salaries of Engineers By
Highest Degree").
For example, engineers with 9-10 years' experience
and a master's degree earned approximately 7% more than those with
similar on-the-job experience but only a bachelor's degree. This
compensation advantage increased to nearly 10% at the 13-16 year
mark.
Another trend that was examined again this year
was dual-track engineering careers. In the 1980s and 1990s, "engineering
fellow" positions became popular in the aerospace industry. These
jobs offered engineers a way to progress and earn more without becoming
supervisors.
The results of this year's Aviation Week Salary
Survey indicate that the dual-track career plan remains a viable
way for engineers to advance within an aerospace company.
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Median
Base Salary Comparison for Select Engineering Categories
|
| Engineering
Category |
0-5
Years |
6-10
Years |
11-20
Years |
21-30
Years |
31+
Years |
| Aeronautical
|
$63,000 |
$63,000 |
$83,200 |
$100,000 |
$110,000 |
| Electrical
|
NA |
NA |
$81,000 |
$82,500 |
$111,000 |
| Hardware |
NA |
NA |
$89,000 |
$97,000 |
$90,000 |
| Manufacturing
|
$49,000 |
$82,500 |
$87,500 |
$80,000 |
$110,000 |
| Mechanical
|
$58,500 |
$59,500 |
$85,500 |
$83,000 |
$101,000 |
| Software
|
$60,000 |
$80,000 |
$90,000 |
$89,438 |
$105,000 |
| Systems
|
$108,000 |
NA |
$98,000 |
$95,000 |
$103,000 |
| Other
|
$46,000 |
$60,000 |
$80,000 |
$105,000 |
$98,000 |
| Source:
Aviation Week Careers Special Report Salary Survey |
|
Midpoint
Salaries of Engineers By Highest Degree
|
| Years
since B.S. |
9-10
Years |
11-12
Years |
13-16
Years |
17-20
Years |
21-25
Years |
26-30
Years |
31-35
Years |
35+
Years |
| B.S.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Non-supervisory
|
$64,188
|
$69,188
|
$70,888 |
$73,307
|
$85,077
|
$90,277
|
$123,790 |
$100,000 |
| Supervisory |
$84,700
|
$86,700 |
$86,700 |
$90,500
|
$92,000 |
$94,000
|
$100,000
|
$100,000 |
| M.S. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Non-supervisory |
$81,250
|
$75,650 |
$80,150 |
$87,050 |
$85,950 |
$88,500 |
$90,500 |
$104,000 |
| Supervisory |
$90,000
|
$93,000 |
$98,600 |
$99,600 |
$103,600 |
$108,600 |
$115,000 |
$115,000 |
| Source:
Aviation Week Careers Special Report Salary Survey |
Aviation Week’s Salary Survey confirmed that engineers with advanced
degrees earn more than those who have bachelor’s degrees. Engineering
supervisors, regardless of the degree they hold, usually earn more
than engineers without supervisory duties.
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