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Aerospace Engineering federal salary series 0861

Full-time federal employees in the Aerospace Engineering series earned a median of $155,484 in annualized adjusted basic pay in September 2026, 42% above the all-federal median of $109,641. The middle half earned between $129,942 and $180,968.

Median pay
$155,484
full-time, September 2026
Middle 50%
$129,942–$180,968
25th–75th percentile
Employees
8,847
in this series, all schedules
Change in median
-1.6%
vs. September 2025
Pay distribution, full-time employees with published pay, September 2026
Aerospace Engineering
All federal (full-time)

What shapes aerospace engineering pay

The most common grade with published pay is GS-13 (1,660 employees, median $133,017). The largest employer of this series with published pay is the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (3,961 employees). Among states with at least 30 full-time employees with published pay, the median is highest in Maryland ($186,207) and lowest in Alabama ($136,712), a gap that partly reflects locality pay differences. Federal pay depends mostly on grade and step, plus a locality adjustment for where the job is located; see the GS pay scale explainer.

OPM withheld pay for 45% of employees in this series. The figures here describe only employees with published pay; withholding is concentrated in certain agencies (see data coverage).

Aerospace Engineering pay by grade

Grades with at least 30 full-time employees with published pay. GS grades are listed first; other pay plans follow.

Aerospace Engineering pay by grade
Pay plan–grade Employees Median pay Middle 50%
GS-7 58 $63,224 $56,039–$75,653
GS-9 85 $72,065 $68,549–$80,675
GS-11 178 $85,552 $77,772–$87,061
GS-12 445 $99,923 $95,026–$110,107
GS-13 1,660 $133,017 $121,932–$143,208
GS-14 1,215 $161,979 $148,923–$172,700
GS-15 1,031 $193,760 $179,755–$197,200

middle 50% (25th–75th percentile) 10th–90th percentile median all-federal median ($109,641)

Aerospace Engineering pay by agency

Aerospace Engineering pay by agency
Agency Employees Median pay Middle 50%
National Aeronautics and Space Administration 3,961 $152,930 $129,322–$179,755
Department of Transportation 834 $164,510 $137,522–$185,481

middle 50% (25th–75th percentile) 10th–90th percentile median all-federal median ($109,641)

Aerospace Engineering pay by state

The 10 states with the most employees in this series and published pay.

Aerospace Engineering pay by state
State Employees Median pay Middle 50%
Texas 1,046 $159,575 $139,116–$188,573
Alabama 1,022 $136,712 $118,237–$169,483
Florida 502 $139,398 $121,526–$164,729
Virginia 445 $140,426 $118,821–$170,164
California 372 $175,962 $144,767–$197,200
Maryland 351 $186,207 $158,318–$197,200
Ohio 277 $148,844 $122,252–$170,736
Washington 129 $173,325 $148,362–$194,772
District of Columbia 106 $180,072 $142,838–$198,281
Georgia 90 $160,276 $131,255–$181,824

middle 50% (25th–75th percentile) 10th–90th percentile median all-federal median ($109,641)

Compare aerospace engineering pay across all states and agencies →

Change since September 2025

The median moved −1.6% from $157,977 in September 2025 to $155,484 in September 2026. Headcount went from 9,684 to 8,847 (−8.6%). A change in the median reflects both pay adjustments and who joined or left the workforce, so it is not the same as a pay raise.

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