Aerospace Engineer Management Salary

The aerospace product and parts manufacturing industry is one of the largest employers of engineering managers, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Aerospace engineers and engineering managers in the aerospace industry both earn high average salaries, but managers earn significantly more on average. Managers also often receive benefits that other engineers do not, such as expense accounts and bonuses.

Average Salaries

The average pay rate for aerospace engineers as of May of 2010 was $99,000 per year, or $47.59 per hour on a standard 40-hour per week schedule, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. The top 10 percent earned $143,360 per year and more. The average salary for engineering managers in the aerospace product and parts manufacturing industry was $60.44 per hour, or $125,710 per year, which was nearly identical to the average annual salary for engineering managers across all industries -- $125,900.

Median Salary

The median salary for engineering managers in the aerospace product and parts manufacturing industry in 2010 was a bit lower than the average, at $59.35 per hour, or about $123,450 per year. That was an increase of about 4 percent over the median salary in 2008, which was $118,430 per year.

Salary Range

Aerospace industry engineering managers in the middle 50 percent of the pay scale in 2010 were making $48.06 to $69.90 per hour, or $99,970 to $145,390 per year. The bottom 10 percent of the salary range was at or below $38.42 per hour, or $79,910 per year. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics does not disclose the top 10 percent of the pay scale for these managers but says their annual salary is equal to or greater than $166,400.

Outlook

Average job growth is likely in the occupation of engineering manager in general through at least 2018, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Advanced technical knowledge and good communication skills give prospective engineering managers an edge in any field, and business management skills are also valuable in this career.

References

• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Engineering and Natural Sciences Managers
• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Occupational Employment and Wages, May 2010 - Aerospace Engineers
• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Occupational Employment and Wages, May 2010 - Architectural and Engineering Managers
• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: May 2010 National Industry-Specific Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates - Aerospace Product and Parts Manufacturing
• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Occupational Employment Statistics Query System