Aerospace engineer
Design, test and maintain aircraft, satellites and related propulsion and control systems.
Salary
Cited figures only: median full-time weekly earnings for the ANZSCO unit group Other Engineering Professionals (2339) from Your Career (Jobs and Skills Australia), and where available the QILT graduate starting salary for the matching study area.
| Figure | AUD | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Median full-time weekly earnings | $2502 | Your Career (2026-09-23) |
| Graduate starting salary | $82,500 | QILT (2026-08-31) |
Jobs, demand and who does this work
Figures for the ANZSCO occupation Aeronautical Engineer (233911), the closest official match for aerospace engineer, from Your Career (Jobs and Skills Australia data, sourced 2026-09-23).
- People employed
- 1,400
- Future demand
- Strong
- Work full-time
- 91%
- Average full-time hours
- 42 a week
- Women
- 11%
- Median age
- 37
Where the jobs are (share of workers)
| NSW | 27.8% |
| VIC | 26.9% |
| QLD | 24.7% |
| WA | 2.3% |
| SA | 8.8% |
| TAS | 0% |
| ACT | 8.1% |
| NT | 1.3% |
Highest qualification held by workers
| Postgraduate qualification | 29.2% |
| Bachelor degree | 56.3% |
| Diploma or advanced diploma | 5.5% |
| Certificate I-IV | 4.1% |
| Year 12 | 3.2% |
| Below Year 12 | 0.2% |
What an aerospace engineer actually does
Australia has a relatively small aerospace sector and most aerospace engineers work either in defence aviation, MRO (maintenance, repair and overhaul) for civil aircraft, satellite and drone start-ups, or as airworthiness analysts at the Civil Aviation Safety Authority. Office days involve CAD work in CATIA or NX, stress analysis using Nastran or Abaqus, CFD simulations, and writing structural justification reports. Hangar or flight-line days involve walking aircraft, signing off modifications, and reviewing maintenance records. Most engineers spend the early years shadowing chartered or accredited engineers because aerospace work needs formal sign-offs against EASA, FAA or CASA standards. Hours are typically 38-45 per week with occasional surges during test campaigns and certification submissions.
Typical tasks
- Design airframes, control surfaces and avionics interfaces.
- Lead structural and aerodynamic testing.
- Manage airworthiness and certification programmes.
Skills you'll use
- 3D CAD in CATIA, NX or SolidWorks
- Structural analysis with Nastran, Abaqus or Patran
- Computational fluid dynamics for aerodynamics
- Reading and applying FAA, EASA and CASA airworthiness regulations
- MATLAB and Simulink for control system simulation
- Flight test data analysis and reporting
- Configuration management and technical documentation control
How to become one
- 1Finish Year 12 with English, Maths Methods or Specialist and Physics
- 2Complete a 4-year Bachelor of Engineering (Honours) with an aerospace, mechanical or aeronautical major accredited by Engineers Australia
- 3Apply for graduate programmes at BAE Systems, Boeing Defence Australia, Lockheed Martin Australia, Airbus Group Australia Pacific, the Royal Australian Air Force or smaller satellite and drone firms
- 4Build certification and standards literacy during your first 2-3 years. Most modification work requires sign-off by an experienced engineer
- 5Work toward Chartered Engineer status with Engineers Australia and seek CASA delegations if you go down the airworthiness path
- 6Consider a Masters in aerospace engineering or systems engineering, particularly if you want to move into space, propulsion or guidance work
Where you can work
- Defence primes including BAE Systems, Boeing Defence Australia, Lockheed Martin Australia and Airbus
- Royal Australian Air Force and Australian Defence Force civilian engineering branches
- Civil aircraft maintenance and overhaul providers
- Satellite and small spacecraft start-ups in the Australian Space Agency ecosystem
- Drone and uncrewed aerial system manufacturers
- Aviation regulators including the Civil Aviation Safety Authority
- Universities and CSIRO research groups
Career progression
Typical stages and roles. Years of experience are a rough guide; pay at each stage depends on the employer, award or agreement.
- Graduate0-2 yearsTypical roles: Graduate aerospace engineer, Design engineer, Stress analyst
- Engineer3-6 yearsTypical roles: Aerospace engineer, Airworthiness engineer, Systems engineer
- Senior7-12 yearsTypical roles: Senior aerospace engineer, Lead systems engineer, Chief engineer (small programme)
- Principal or Manager12+ yearsTypical roles: Principal engineer, Engineering manager, Chief engineer
Is this for you?
You might love this if
- You are happy working in a small, highly regulated field
- You can handle paperwork and traceability as carefully as the engineering itself
- You are interested in spacecraft, defence aviation or drone systems
- You can hold a security clearance and work on classified programmes
- You are willing to move to Adelaide, Brisbane, Melbourne or the Williamtown area
This might not suit you if
- You want a job where decisions can be made quickly without sign-off
- You expect a large job market in your home city
- You dislike highly documented, audit-driven processes
Ways in
Uni and TAFE routes for aerospace engineer. We only list pathways that actually lead to this occupation.
University
Bachelor degrees that lead to this career.
TAFE / VET
Nationally accredited Certificate and Diploma qualifications.
No direct TAFE pathway to this career.
Sources
ExamExplained does not publish predictive salary figures. For current Australian earnings data check Your Career (yourcareer.gov.au) directly. Career classifications follow the ABS ANZSCO 2022 release.