What are the main factors that influence an Aviation Engineering Director's salary?

The primary factors are: 1) Experience Level, 2) Geographic Location, 3) Education/Skills, 4) Company Size & Industry

How does experience change An Aviation Engineering Director's salary?

An Aviation Engineering Director's salary grows with experience: an Aviation Engineer VI (10-12 years)earns $199,461, an Aviation Engineering Supervisor (12+ years)earns $131,807, an Aviation Engineering Manager (12+ years)earns $158,631, an Aviation Engineering Senior Manager (12+ years)earns $179,714, an Aviation Engineering Director (12+ years)earns $200,869,

What are the highest paying states for an Aviation Engineering Director?

Aviation Engineering Director salary varies significantly by state. The top 3 highest paying states for Aviation Engineering Director roles are District of Columbia $222,500, California $221,600, Massachusetts $218,700. These tech hubs typically pay 10-15% above the national average.

How much do different types of Aviation Engineering Director roles make?

Salaries for Aviation Engineering Director level roles vary by specialization: Aviation Operations Director: $244,000; Aeronautical Engineering Director: $200,869; Aerospace Aviation Engineering Senior Manager: $198,600; Aviation Engineering Senior Manager: $179,800; Aerospace Aviation Maintenance Engineering Senior Manager: $166,400.

How do different companies affect an Aviation Engineering Director's salary?

Company size, industry, and compensation structure create significant salary variations for Aviation Engineering Director roles. Large, established industry leaders like Kpmg Us LLP ($114,295) and Warner Bros Discovery ($114,096) offer base salaries 35-40% above the national average. In contrast, smaller firms or startups may offer closer to $88,138.

Aviation Engineering Director Salary in the United States

How much does an Aviation Engineering Director make in the United States?

As of September 01, 2026, the average salary for an Aviation Engineering Director in the United States is $200,900 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $97.

However, an Aviation Engineering Director's salary can vary significantly. Here’s a look at the typical salary range:

Top Earners (90th percentile): $228,601
Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $189,600 to $215,400
Entry-Level (10th percentile): $179,312

10% $179,312

50% (Median) $200,900

90% $228,601

Aviation Engineering Director Salaries by Percentile

	Annual Salary	Monthly Pay	Weekly Pay	Hourly Wage
75th Percentile	$215,400	$17,950	$4,142	$104
Average	$200,900	$16,742	$3,863	$97
25th Percentile	$189,600	$15,800	$3,646	$91

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Key Factors That Influence Aviation Engineering Director Salaries

An Aviation Engineering Director's salary isn't a fixed number. It's shaped by several important factors. Below, we'll explore how your years of experience, geographic location and company size can directly affect your earning potential.

How Experience Level Affects Aviation Engineering Director Salaries?

Experience is a primary driver of an Aviation Engineering Director's salary. As you build your skills and take on more complex tasks, your compensation generally increases. Here's how the average salary grows at different career stages:

Aviation Engineer VI (10-12 years): $199,461
Aviation Engineering Supervisor (12+ years): $131,807
Aviation Engineering Manager (12+ years): $158,631
Aviation Engineering Senior Manager (12+ years): $179,714
Aviation Engineering Director (12+ years): $200,869

Job Role	Years of Experience	Average Salary
Aviation Engineer VI	10-12 years	$199,461
Aviation Engineering Supervisor	12+ years	$131,807
Aviation Engineering Manager	12+ years	$158,631
Aviation Engineering Senior Manager	12+ years	$179,714
Aviation Engineering Director	12+ years	$200,869

View as Graph

How Do Aviation Engineering Director Salaries Vary from State to State?

Your salary can change significantly depending on where you work. States with a higher cost of living and strong industrial sectors often pay more to attract Aviation Engineering Directors. For example, consider the average annual salaries in these key locations:

District of Columbia: $222,500.
California: $221,600.
Massachusetts: $218,700.

District of Columbia $222,500

California $221,600

Massachusetts $218,700

Washington $217,900

New Jersey $217,800

Alaska $217,500

Connecticut $214,700

New York $213,600

Hawaii $210,000

Rhode Island $208,300

Maryland $207,200

Minnesota $205,600

Colorado $205,000

Illinois $204,800

Oregon $204,000

Delaware $203,500

New Hampshire $203,100

Virginia $202,300

Pennsylvania $200,000

Nevada $198,900

North Dakota $198,500

Michigan $197,900

Wisconsin $197,600

Vermont $197,200

Texas $196,000

Maine $195,900

Arizona $195,800

Ohio $195,600

Georgia $193,800

Indiana $192,900

Wyoming $192,700

Utah $192,400

Iowa $192,300

Kansas $191,300

Louisiana $191,000

North Carolina $190,900

Missouri $190,900

Florida $190,100

Montana $189,700

Nebraska $189,300

Kentucky $189,100

South Carolina $188,300

Tennessee $187,800

Idaho $187,600

New Mexico $186,100

Oklahoma $185,800

Alabama $184,600

South Dakota $182,600

Arkansas $181,500

West Virginia $180,900

Mississippi $179,200

Top Paying Cities for Aviation Engineering Directors

Salaries can also vary between different cities. Major metropolitan areas or cities with a high demand for technicians often offer more competitive pay. Here are a few examples of average annual salaries in different U.S. cities:

San Jose: $253,400
San Francisco: $250,600
Oakland: $245,400

San Jose, CA $253,400

San Francisco, CA $250,600

Oakland, CA $245,400

New York, NY $231,300

Paramus, NJ $228,500

Queens Village, NY $228,500

Passaic, NJ $228,300

Bergenfield, NJ $228,300

Stamford, CT $227,900

Huntington, NY $227,800

Newark, NJ $226,300

Bridgeport, CT $225,900

Vallejo, CA $225,500

New Brunswick, NJ $225,400

Petaluma, CA $225,300

Middlesex, NJ $224,900

Somerset, NJ $224,700

Santa Cruz, CA $224,500

Boston, MA $223,300

Monterey, CA $222,600

Seattle, WA $222,100

Santa Rosa, CA $222,100

Los Angeles, CA $222,000

Juneau, AK $221,500

Washington, DC $221,200

Orange, CA $220,500

Santa Ana, CA $220,000

Long Beach, CA $219,800

Anaheim, CA $219,800

Anchorage, AK $219,700

Santa Maria, CA $219,100

Everett, WA $219,000

Danbury, CT $218,300

Bremerton, WA $218,000

Tacoma, WA $217,300

New Suffolk, NY $217,300

Sacramento, CA $217,200

Santa Barbara, CA $217,000

Trenton, NJ $216,800

San Diego, CA $216,800

Brockton, MA $216,600

Fairbanks, AK $216,100

Lompoc, CA $215,600

Lowell, MA $215,400

Ventura, CA $215,400

Nashua, NH $215,300

Stockton, CA $215,300

Modesto, CA $213,900

Poughkeepsie, NY $213,400

New Haven, CT $213,000

Olympia, WA $213,000

Kennewick, WA $213,000

Lawrence, MA $212,200

Hartford, CT $212,000

Riverside, CA $212,000

New Bedford, MA $211,800

Richland, WA $211,800

Bakersfield, CA $211,500

Atlantic City, NJ $211,400

San Bernardino, CA $211,400

New Britain, CT $211,400

New London, CT $211,300

Norwich, CT $211,300

Portsmouth, NH $211,200

Boulder, CO $210,800

Portland, OR $210,500

Worcester, MA $210,500

Minneapolis, MN $209,900

Philadelphia, PA $209,600

Honolulu, HI $208,900

Saint Paul, MN $208,800

Vineland, NJ $208,800

Providence, RI $208,200

Chicago, IL $207,600

Bellingham, WA $207,400

Baltimore, MD $207,200

Springfield, MA $207,200

Chico, CA $206,700

Pittsfield, MA $206,100

Manchester, NH $205,700

Spokane, WA $204,900

Denver, CO $204,800

Albany, NY $203,900

Troy, NY $203,800

Nassau, NY $203,600

Schenectady, NY $203,400

Wilmington, DE $203,200

Salem, OR $202,900

Burlington, VT $202,900

Portland, ME $202,200

Yakima, WA $202,000

Rochester, MN $201,400

Reno, NV $201,300

Fresno, CA $201,300

Milwaukee, WI $201,100

Ann Arbor, MI $200,900

Allentown, PA $200,900

Detroit, MI $200,900

Colorado Springs, CO $200,500

Syracuse, NY $200,400

Carson City, NV $200,400

Houston, TX $200,200

Eugene, OR $200,100

Gary, IN $199,800

Springfield, OR $199,700

Bismarck, ND $199,600

Galveston, TX $199,500

Medford, OR $199,200

Fort Collins, CO $199,100

Concord, NH $199,000

Austin, TX $198,900

Mesa, AZ $198,500

Reading, PA $198,500

Phoenix, AZ $198,500

Dallas, TX $198,400

Saint Cloud, MN $198,200

Madison, WI $197,900

Utica, NY $197,400

Rochester, NY $197,100

Des Moines, IA $197,100

Raleigh, NC $197,000

Atlanta, GA $196,700

Battle Creek, MI $196,700

Salt Lake City, UT $196,600

Lancaster, PA $196,300

Harrisburg, PA $196,000

Fort Worth, TX $195,800

Champaign, IL $195,800

Kansas City, MO $195,800

Kansas City, KS $195,800

Columbus, OH $195,700

Boca Raton, FL $195,700

Pittsburgh, PA $195,600

Indianapolis, IN $195,500

Richmond, VA $195,500

Cleveland, OH $195,500

Cincinnati, OH $195,200

Las Vegas, NV $195,200

Petersburg, VA $194,900

Huntsville, AL $194,600

Lansing, MI $194,500

Lebanon, PA $194,500

Pueblo, CO $194,500

Appleton, WI $194,400

Dayton, OH $194,300

Buffalo, NY $194,300

Charlotte, NC $194,200

Racine, WI $194,200

Saint Louis, MO $194,100

York, PA $194,000

Elkhart, IN $194,000

Gastonia, NC $194,000

Billings, MT $193,900

Beaumont, TX $193,900

Benton Harbor, MI $193,800

Lorain, OH $193,800

Toledo, OH $193,700

Rock Hill, SC $193,600

Binghamton, NY $193,600

Rockford, IL $193,500

Springfield, IL $193,400

Elyria, OH $193,400

Fargo, ND $193,400

Flagstaff, AZ $193,300

Fort Lauderdale, FL $193,200

Duluth, MN $193,000

Miami, FL $193,000

Cheyenne, WY $192,900

Grand Forks, ND $192,900

Bangor, ME $192,500

Cedar Rapids, IA $192,200

Durham, NC $192,200

Louisville, KY $192,100

Grand Rapids, MI $192,100

Hialeah, FL $192,100

Casper, WY $191,800

Scranton, PA $191,600

Virginia Beach, VA $191,500

New Orleans, LA $191,500

Akron, OH $191,400

Peoria, IL $191,100

Sarasota, FL $191,100

Nashville, TN $190,900

Omaha, NE $190,900

Green Bay, WI $190,900

Baton Rouge, LA $190,800

Charleston, SC $190,800

Jamestown, NY $190,700

Davenport, IA $190,700

Tucson, AZ $190,600

Saint Petersburg, FL $190,500

Tampa, FL $190,400

Evansville, IN $190,300

Port Arthur, TX $190,300

Bradenton, FL $190,200

Santa Fe, NM $189,900

Orlando, FL $189,500

Clearwater, FL $189,400

La Crosse, WI $189,000

Canton, OH $189,000

Albuquerque, NM $188,900

Newport News, VA $188,900

High Point, NC $188,800

Ogden, UT $188,700

Corpus Christi, TX $188,600

Norfolk, VA $188,500

Laramie, WY $188,500

Jacksonville, FL $188,300

Rock Island, IL $188,300

Saginaw, MI $188,300

Salisbury, NC $188,200

Boise, ID $188,200

Moline, IL $188,100

Fort Myers, FL $188,000

Memphis, TN $188,000

Tulsa, OK $187,900

Waterloo, IA $187,800

Spartanburg, SC $187,600

Lincoln, NE $187,500

Fort Wayne, IN $187,400

Provo, UT $187,400

Cedar Falls, IA $187,200

San Antonio, TX $187,100

Greensboro, NC $187,000

South Bend, IN $187,000

Savannah, GA $186,800

Birmingham, AL $186,700

Muskegon, MI $186,700

Winston Salem, NC $186,600

Lake Charles, LA $186,100

Anderson, IN $186,100

Lexington, KY $186,000

Augusta, GA $185,900

Greenville, SC $185,900

Wichita, KS $185,800

Lima, OH $185,800

Tuscaloosa, AL $185,800

Columbia, SC $185,600

Springfield, OH $185,500

Asheville, NC $185,200

Bloomington, IN $185,100

Knoxville, TN $184,300

Shreveport, LA $184,300

Wilmington, NC $184,100

Roanoke, VA $184,100

Topeka, KS $183,700

Frankfort, KY $183,700

Chillicothe, OH $183,500

Oklahoma City, OK $183,500

Longview, TX $183,400

Melbourne, FL $183,400

Sioux Falls, SD $183,100

Mobile, AL $183,100

Terre Haute, IN $183,000

Altoona, PA $182,900

Amarillo, TX $182,700

Killeen, TX $182,700

Chattanooga, TN $182,500

Fayetteville, AR $182,500

Sioux City, IA $182,300

Idaho Falls, ID $182,200

Lynchburg, VA $182,100

Gainesville, FL $181,800

Portsmouth, OH $181,700

Little Rock, AR $181,700

Lafayette, LA $181,600

Youngstown, OH $181,600

Clarksville, TN $181,500

Daytona Beach, FL $181,500

Pensacola, FL $181,400

Temple, TX $181,400

Hopkinsville, KY $180,800

Erie, PA $180,800

Florence, SC $180,700

Charleston, WV $180,400

Great Falls, MT $180,300

Tallahassee, FL $180,000

Macon, GA $180,000

Fayetteville, NC $179,900

Waco, TX $179,900

Helena, MT $179,800

Pine Bluff, AR $179,700

Vincennes, IN $179,400

Lubbock, TX $179,400

Alamogordo, NM $179,200

Twin Falls, ID $179,100

Rapid City, SD $179,000

Greenville, MS $178,600

Jackson, MS $178,600

Huntington, WV $178,600

Parkersburg, WV $178,400

Montgomery, AL $178,400

Wichita Falls, TX $178,200

Springfield, MO $178,200

Biloxi, MS $178,100

Monroe, LA $177,900

Sumter, SC $177,700

Johnstown, PA $177,700

Columbus, GA $177,600

Pascagoula, MS $177,300

Abilene, TX $177,300

Kingsport, TN $176,700

Albany, GA $176,700

Gulfport, MS $176,700

Alexandria, LA $176,000

Fort Smith, AR $175,500

El Paso, TX $175,000

Las Cruces, NM $174,100

Harlingen, TX $173,600

Pocatello, ID $173,500

Florence, AL $173,300

Brownsville, TX $173,200

Mcallen, TX $172,800

Dothan, AL $172,500

Columbus, MS $171,300

Altus, OK $170,400

Lawton, OK $170,000

Pierre, SD $169,300

Aviation Engineering Director Salary by Company Size: Startups vs. Enterprise

Aviation Engineering Director salary potential scales significantly with company size. Data shows that Enterprise companies (5,000+ employees) pay the highest average salary at around $222,717. While startup companies pay approximate $188,735.

Aviation Engineering Director Salary by Company Size

Company Size	Employees	Average Salary
Startup	1~50	$188,735
Growth Stage	51~500	$199,500
Established	501~5000	$215,161
Enterprise	5000+	$222,717

Aviation Engineering Director Salary by Industry: Top Paying Sectors

For Aviation Engineering Director roles, the industry you choose can affect earning potential by as much as 140% (the gap between the highest and lowest paying industries). Data shows that the Software & Networking and Energy & Utilities sectors offer the strongest compensation, at 60% above the average. In contrast, Aviation Engineering Director positions in Transportation or Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit typically offer lower base pay, as these industries often view Aviation Engineering Director as a support function rather than a direct revenue driver.

The top paying industries for an Aviation Engineering Director

Industry Sector	Average Annual Salary	Average Hourly Rate	Pay vs.Avg
Software & Networking	$321,440	$155.0	60%
Energy & Utilities	$261,170	$126.0	30%
Aerospace & Defense	$241,080	$116.0	20%
MFG Durable	$210,945	$101.0	5%

Aviation Engineering Director Salary: Hourly Rate, Weekly Pay, and Monthly Pay

Understanding how an Aviation Engineering Director's annual salary breaks down can help with budgeting. Below, you can see the average hourly rate, weekly pay, and monthly pay for this role. Use the buttons to switch between different pay periods.

$189,600

Average $200,900/year

$215,400

$15,800

Average $16,742/month

$17,950

$3,646

Average $3,863/week

$4,142

$91

Average $97/hour

$104

	Annual Salary	Monthly Pay	Weekly Pay	Hourly Wage
75th Percentile	$215,400	$17,950	$4,142	$104
Average	$200,900	$16,742	$3,863	$97
25th Percentile	$189,600	$15,800	$3,646	$91

Aviation Engineering Director Salary Growth & Career Path

Aviation Engineering Director

Next Role

Advancement

Division VP of Engineering Senior Vice President of Engineering

For an Aviation Engineering Director, the most direct path to higher earnings is advancing to the Division VP of Engineering role. This promotion typically comes with a significant pay increase, bringing the average annual salary to $235,500 - a projected growth of 17% over your current level.

Salary Trends for Aviation Engineering Director

Salaries for an Aviation Engineering Director can change over time, reflecting shifts in market demand and the overall economy. The median salary from $189,788 in 2023 to around $189,788 in 2025, reflecting changes in demand, location, experience, and the wider economy. For a detailed analysis of Aviation Engineering Director salary trends, .

Average Annual Salary of Aviation Engineering Director Over Time

$???
$189,788
$???
$???
$???

2023
2024
2025
2026
2027

Year	Average Annual Salary
2023	View More
2024	$189,788
2025	View More
2026	View More
2027	View More

Most common benefits for Aviation Engineering Director

Social Security
401 (k)
Disability
Healthcare
Pension
Time Off (days)

Common company salaries for Aviation Engineering Director

Here are companies hiring for Aviation Engineering Director and their salaries, click below for more details.

K $114,295/per year

Kpmg Us LLP Business Services the United States

W $114,096/per year

Warner Bros Discovery Business Services the United States

D $111,927/per year

Dentsu International Ltd Business Services the United States

G $111,873/per year

GroupM Worldwide Inc Business Services the United States

C $111,651/per year

CoWorx Staffing Business Services the United States

C $110,194/per year

Contemporary Services Corp Business Services the United States

S $107,128/per year

Showcase Cinemas Business Services the United States

A $106,429/per year

Amentum Services Inc Business Services the United States

A $106,199/per year

Allied Universal Security Services LLC Business Services the United States

S $106,104/per year

Sodexo USA Business Services the United States

J $105,192/per year

JLL Technologies Business Services the United States

I $104,478/per year

Intact Insurance Group USA LLC Business Services the United States

N $101,619/per year

NielsenIQ Business Services the United States

T $101,470/per year

The Leading Edge Alliance Business Services the United States

H $101,308/per year

Honeywell UOP Business Services the United States

R $97,720/per year

Reeve & Associates Business Services the United States

M $97,584/per year

ManpowerGroup Global Inc Business Services the United States

F $95,980/per year

Financial Sys Nco Business Services the United States

A $95,314/per year

Arrow Global Ltd Business Services the United States

C $94,777/per year

CarMax Enterprise Services LLC Business Services the United States

D $94,479/per year

DZConneX Business Services the United States

A $93,802/per year

Adecco Staffing, USA Business Services the United States

R $92,937/per year

Resource MFG Business Services the United States

Z $92,774/per year

Zachry Brands Inc Business Services the United States

G $88,138/per year

Greystar Worldwide LLC Business Services the United States

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FAQ about Aviation Engineering Director

1. What industry pays the highest salary for Aviation Engineering Director?

The Software & Networking industry offers the highest average compensation for Aviation Engineering Director roles, with salaries approximately 60% above the market median.

Where Does Our Salary Data Come From?

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We offer detailed salary information across multiple percentiles for your reference. (Click here to learn Why the Salary Midpoint Formula Is Crucial for Achieving Pay Equity.)

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Aviation Engineering Director Salary in the United States

How much does an Aviation Engineering Director make in the United States?

Key Factors That Influence Aviation Engineering Director Salaries

How Experience Level Affects Aviation Engineering Director Salaries?

How Do Aviation Engineering Director Salaries Vary from State to State?

Top Paying Cities for Aviation Engineering Directors

Aviation Engineering Director Salary by Company Size: Startups vs. Enterprise

Aviation Engineering Director Salary by Company Size

Aviation Engineering Director Salary by Industry: Top Paying Sectors

The top paying industries for an Aviation Engineering Director

Aviation Engineering Director Salary: Hourly Rate, Weekly Pay, and Monthly Pay

Aviation Engineering Director Salary Growth & Career Path

Salary Trends for Aviation Engineering Director

Average Annual Salary of Aviation Engineering Director Over Time

Most common benefits for Aviation Engineering Director

Common company salaries for Aviation Engineering Director

Find Your Next Aviation Engineering Director Job

For Employees

For Employers

FAQ about Aviation Engineering Director

1. What industry pays the highest salary for Aviation Engineering Director?

Where Does Our Salary Data Come From?

Are you an HR manager or compensation specialist?

Aviation Engineering Director Salary in the United States

How much does an Aviation Engineering Director make in the United States?

Key Factors That Influence Aviation Engineering Director Salaries

How Experience Level Affects Aviation Engineering Director Salaries?

How Do Aviation Engineering Director Salaries Vary from State to State?

Top Paying Cities for Aviation Engineering Directors

Aviation Engineering Director Salary by Company Size: Startups vs. Enterprise

Aviation Engineering Director Salary by Company Size

Aviation Engineering Director Salary by Industry: Top Paying Sectors

The top paying industries for an Aviation Engineering Director

Aviation Engineering Director Salary: Hourly Rate, Weekly Pay, and Monthly Pay

Aviation Engineering Director Salary Growth & Career Path

Salaries of Jobs related to Aviation Engineering Director

Salary Trends for Aviation Engineering Director

Average Annual Salary of Aviation Engineering Director Over Time

Most common benefits for Aviation Engineering Director

Common company salaries for Aviation Engineering Director

Find Your Next Aviation Engineering Director Job

For Employees

For Employers

FAQ about Aviation Engineering Director

1. What industry pays the highest salary for Aviation Engineering Director?

Where Does Our Salary Data Come From?

Are you an HR manager or compensation specialist?