Aero/Astronautical Engineering
Aero/Astronautical Engineering
Career Overview
Aerospace engineers design primarily aircraft, spacecraft, satellites, and missiles.
Education
Aerospace engineers must have a bachelor’s degree in aerospace engineering or another field of engineering or science related to aerospace systems. Aerospace engineers who work on projects that are related to national defense may need a security clearance.
Future Outlook
Employment of aerospace engineers is projected to grow 3 percent from 2019 to 2029, about as fast as the average for all occupations. Aircraft are being redesigned to cause less noise pollution and have better fuel efficiency, which will help sustain demand for research and development.
Work Environment
Aerospace engineers are employed in industries whose workers design or build aircraft, missiles, systems for national defense, or spacecraft. Aerospace engineers are employed primarily in manufacturing, analysis and design, research and development, and the federal government.
Recommended High School Courses
- Chemistry
- Computer Science
- Algebra
- Physics
- English
- Mathematics
- Trigonometry
- Active Learning - Understanding the implications of new information for both current and future problem-solving and decision-making.
- Active Listening - Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
- Complex Problem Solving - Identifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions.
- Coordination - Adjusting actions in relation to others' actions.
- Critical Thinking - Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
- Instructing - Teaching others how to do something.
- Judgment and Decision Making - Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.
- Learning Strategies - Selecting and using training/instructional methods and procedures appropriate for the situation when learning or teaching new things.
- Mathematics - Using mathematics to solve problems.
- Monitoring - Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
- Negotiation - Bringing others together and trying to reconcile differences.
- Operations Analysis - Analyzing needs and product requirements to create a design.
- Persuasion - Persuading others to change their minds or behavior.
- Quality Control Analysis - Conducting tests and inspections of products, services, or processes to evaluate quality or performance.
- Reading Comprehension - Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.
- Science - Using scientific rules and methods to solve problems.
- Social Perceptiveness - Being aware of others' reactions and understanding why they react as they do.
- Speaking - Talking to others to convey information effectively.
- Systems Analysis - Determining how a system should work and how changes in conditions, operations, and the environment will affect outcomes.
- Systems Evaluation - Identifying measures or indicators of system performance and the actions needed to improve or correct performance, relative to the goals of the system.
- Technology Design - Generating or adapting equipment and technology to serve user needs.
- Time Management - Managing one's own time and the time of others.
- Writing - Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.
- Computers and Electronics - Knowledge of circuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.
- Design - Knowledge of design techniques, tools, and principles involved in production of precision technical plans, blueprints, drawings, and models.
- Engineering and Technology - Knowledge of the practical application of engineering science and technology. This includes applying principles, techniques, procedures, and equipment to the design and production of various goods and services.
- English Language - Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
- Mathematics - Knowledge of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, statistics, and their applications.
- Mechanical - Knowledge of machines and tools, including their designs, uses, repair, and maintenance.
- Physics - Knowledge and prediction of physical principles, laws, their interrelationships, and applications to understanding fluid, material, and atmospheric dynamics, and mechanical, electrical, atomic and sub- atomic structures and processes.
- Production and Processing - Knowledge of raw materials, production processes, quality control, costs, and other techniques for maximizing the effective manufacture and distribution of goods.
- Category Flexibility - The ability to generate or use different sets of rules for combining or grouping things in different ways.
- Deductive Reasoning - The ability to apply general rules to specific problems to produce answers that make sense.
- Far Vision - The ability to see details at a distance.
- Flexibility of Closure - The ability to identify or detect a known pattern (a figure, object, word, or sound) that is hidden in other distracting material.
- Fluency of Ideas - The ability to come up with a number of ideas about a topic (the number of ideas is important, not their quality, correctness, or creativity).
- Inductive Reasoning - The ability to combine pieces of information to form general rules or conclusions (includes finding a relationship among seemingly unrelated events).
- Information Ordering - The ability to arrange things or actions in a certain order or pattern according to a specific rule or set of rules (e.g., patterns of numbers, letters, words, pictures, mathematical operations).
- Mathematical Reasoning - The ability to choose the right mathematical methods or formulas to solve a problem.
- Near Vision - The ability to see details at close range (within a few feet of the observer).
- Number Facility - The ability to add, subtract, multiply, or divide quickly and correctly.
- Oral Comprehension - The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.
- Oral Expression - The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.
- Originality - The ability to come up with unusual or clever ideas about a given topic or situation, or to develop creative ways to solve a problem.
- Perceptual Speed - The ability to quickly and accurately compare similarities and differences among sets of letters, numbers, objects, pictures, or patterns. The things to be compared may be presented at the same time or one after the other. This ability also includes comparing a presented object with a remembered object.
- Problem Sensitivity - The ability to tell when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong. It does not involve solving the problem, only recognizing there is a problem.
- Selective Attention - The ability to concentrate on a task over a period of time without being distracted.
- Speech Clarity - The ability to speak clearly so others can understand you.
- Speech Recognition - The ability to identify and understand the speech of another person.
- Visual Color Discrimination - The ability to match or detect differences between colors, including shades of color and brightness.
- Visualization - The ability to imagine how something will look after it is moved around or when its parts are moved or rearranged.
- Written Comprehension - The ability to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing.
- Written Expression - The ability to communicate information and ideas in writing so others will understand.
- Create models of engineering designs or methods.
- Test performance of electrical, electronic, mechanical, or integrated systems or equipment.
- Design electromechanical equipment or systems.
- Direct quality control activities.
- Prepare procedural documents.
- Direct design or development activities.
- Evaluate designs or specifications to ensure quality.
- Inspect equipment or systems.
- Investigate system, equipment, or product failures.
- Determine design criteria or specifications.
- Analyze design or requirements information for mechanical equipment or systems.
- Maintain operational records or records systems.
- Research engineering applications of emerging technologies.
- Evaluate plans or specifications to determine technological or environmental implications.
- Design systems to reduce harmful emissions.
- Research design or application of green technologies.
Schools
Schools
Auburn University
California Institute Of T...
California State Universi...
Capitol Technology Univer...
Case Western Reserve Univ...
Duke University
Embry-riddle Aeronautical...
Everett Community College
Florida Institute Of Tech...
Georgia Institute Of Tech...
Massachusetts Institute O...
Missisippi State Universi...
Missouri University Of Sc...
Montgomery College- Rockv...
Morehead State University
New Mexico State Universi...
Old Dominion University
Pennsylvania State Univer...
Princeton University
Purdue University- Online...
Rensselaer Polytechnic In...
San Diego State Universit...
San Jose State University
Santa Clara University
Stanford University
Stevens Institute Of Tech...
Suny At Buffalo
Tuskegee University
United States Air Force A...
United States Naval Acade...
University Of Arizona- Co...
University Of California-...
University Of Central Flo...
University Of Cincinnati
University Of Colorado- C...
University Of Dayton
University Of Florida
University Of Kansas- Law...
University Of Minnesota-...
University Of North Dakot...
University Of Tennessee-...
University Of Texas- Arli...
University Of Texas- Aust...
University Of Washington-...
Utah State University
West Virginia University-...
Western Michigan Universi...
Wichita State University
Worcester Polytechnic Ins...
Wright State University
Brandon University
Canadore College- Avia...
Carleton University
École De Technologie S...
Mcgill University
Polytechnique Montréal
Royal Military College...
Ryerson University
University Of Sherbroo...
University Of Toronto-...
University Of Windsor-...
York University- Keele...
Concordia University- L...
Potential Scholarships
5 Strong Scholarship
Agnes M. Lindsay Scholars...
- Traditional Fulbright P...
Approx Salary Expectation
Currency:
Low End:
$72,450.00 /yr
Avg/Med:
$116,500.00 /yr
High End:
$166,620.00 /yr
Related Careers
References
Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook, https://www.bls.gov/ooh/.
Trend Analysis - Explorer the Market, Labour Market Information, Government of Canada https://www.jobbank.gc.ca/trend-analysis.
O*NET OnLine, National Center for O*NET Development, https://www.onetonline.org/.
Trend Analysis - Explorer the Market, Labour Market Information, Government of Canada https://www.jobbank.gc.ca/trend-analysis.
O*NET OnLine, National Center for O*NET Development, https://www.onetonline.org/.