Aerospace Engineering
By Nikhil Kumar
Definition
Aerospace engineering is the primary field of engineering concerned with the development of aircraft and spacecraft. It is divided into the branches of aeronautical and astronautical. I am interested in this field because I love learning about unique technologies such as flight and how they are designed.
On a Typical Day...
An aerospace engineer develop control systems for things that fly, such as planes, analyze new materials for spacecraft construction, or figure out how to improve flight or fix a defect.
Salary
The typical starting salary for an aerospace engineer with a Bachelor's degree is $53,408. One with a Master's starts at around $62,459 and one with a Ph.D. starts at about $73,814. These are only starting salaries however, so the average engineer makes much more. The mean annual wage for aerospace engineers is $105,380.
Required Education
A Bachelor's degree is required for entry-level work in the aerospace field and a Master's is needed for research and education careers. Any further degree only opens up better position opportunities and higher salary. Top aerospace engineering schools include MIT, Stanford, and UT Austin.