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Aircraft Designer Salary in the United States

How much does an Aircraft Designer make in the United States?

As of October 01, 2026, the average salary for an Aircraft Designer in the United States is $70,171 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $34.

However, an Aircraft Designer's salary can vary significantly. Here’s a look at the typical salary range:

  • Top Earners (90th percentile): $80,703
  • Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $63,748 to $75,684
  • Entry-Level (10th percentile): $57,901
Salary Factors Salary-Boosting Skills Salary by Experience Related Job Salaries Top Paying Cities Explore Related Jobs

Key Factors That Influence Aircraft Designer Salaries

An Aircraft Designer'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, education and company size can directly affect your earning potential.

How Experience Level Affects Aircraft Designer Salaries?

Experience is a primary driver of an Aircraft Designer'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:

  • Entry-Level (less than 1 year): $71,508
  • Early Career (1-2 years): $86,875
  • Mid-Level (2-4 years): $120,758
  • Senior-Level (5-8 years): $146,163
  • Expert (over 8 years): $185,727
Levels Salary
Aircraft ... Level Aircraft Designer$71,508
Telecommu... Level Aircraft Designer$86,875
Telecommu... Level Aircraft Designer$120,758
Telecommu... Level Aircraft Designer$146,163
Telecommu... Level Aircraft Designer$185,727
View as Graph

How Do Aircraft Designer 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 Aircraft Designers. For example, consider the average annual salaries in these key locations:
  • District of Columbia: $77,693.
  • California: $77,398.
  • Massachusetts: $76,367.

Top Paying Cities for Aircraft Designers

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: $88,506
  • San Francisco: $87,537
  • Oakland: $85,692

What Skills Can Increase an Aircraft Designer's Salary?

Demanded Skills for the Role:

  • Project Management (Mentioned in 3.73% Job Postings): Project management is the application of processes, methods, skills, knowledge and experience to achieve specific project objectives according to the project acceptance criteria within agreed parameters. Project management has final deliverables that are constrained to a finite timescale and budget.
  • Medical Emergency (Mentioned in 2.78% Job Postings): A medical emergency is an acute injury or illness that poses an immediate risk to a person's life or long-term health, sometimes referred to as a situation risking "life or limb".
  • Microsoft Office (Mentioned in 1.4% Job Postings): Microsoft Office is a suite of desktop productivity applications that is designed by Microsoft for business use. You can create documents containing text and images, work with data in spreadsheets and databases, create presentations and posters.
Skills Demand Percentage
Project Management 3.73%
Medical Emergency 2.78%
Microsoft Office 1.4%
See More Skills

What skills can make your compensation higher?

Mastering certain specialized skills can lead to a significant increase in pay. Here are examples of skills and the potential impact they can have on an Aircraft Designer's salary.

  • Storytelling: Can increase your salary by up to 40%.
  • Call Center: Can increase your salary by up to 26%.
  • Organizational Skills: Can increase your salary by up to 20%.
Skill Salary Salary % Increase
Storytelling $98,239
40%
Call Center $88,415
26%
Organizational Skills $84,205
20%
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Aircraft Designer Salary by Industry: Top Paying Sectors

For Aircraft Designer roles, the industry you choose can affect earning potential by as much as 100% (the gap between the highest and lowest paying industries). Data shows that the Financial Services and Aerospace & Defense sectors offer the strongest compensation, at 50% above the average. In contrast, Aircraft Designer positions in Hospitality & Leisure or Transportation typically offer lower base pay, as these industries often view Aircraft Designer as a support function rather than a direct revenue driver.

The top paying industry for an Aircraft Designer

Industry Sector Average Annual Salary Average Hourly Rate Pay vs.Avg
Financial Services$105,256$51.050%

How Education impacts an Aircraft Designer's Salary?

Your level of education can impact your salary potential. While many Aircraft Designers enter the field with a High School Diploma or Technical Certificate degree, higher education can lead to more specialized and higher-paying roles.

According to our 100% employer-reported salary data, the median salary for an Aircraft Designer with a High School Diploma or Technical Certificate is between $65,833 and $70,174).

Aircraft Designer Salaries by Degree Level

Typical Education for Aircraft Designer
Degree Level % of user with this level of education
No Diploma 1.8%
High School 25.9%
Associates 17.0%
Bachelors 48.2%
Masters 6.3%
Doctorate 0.9%
View as Graph

Aircraft Designer Salary: Hourly Rate, Weekly Pay, and Monthly Pay

Understanding how an Aircraft Designer'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.

Last Updated on October 01, 2026
$63,748
Average $70,171/year
$75,684
$5,312
Average $5,848/month
$6,307
$1,226
Average $1,349/week
$1,455
$31
Average $34/hour
$36
Annual Salary Monthly Pay Weekly Pay Hourly Wage
75th Percentile $75,684 $6,307 $1,455 $36
Average $70,171 $5,848 $1,349 $34
25th Percentile $63,748 $5,312 $1,226 $31

Most common benefits for Aircraft Designer

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

Common company salaries for Aircraft Designer

Here are companies hiring for Aircraft Designer and their salaries, click below for more details.

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FAQ about Aircraft Designer

1. What industry pays the highest salary for Aircraft Designer?

The Financial Services industry offers the highest average compensation for Aircraft Designer roles, with salaries approximately 50% above the market median.

Where Does Our Salary Data Come From?

Salary.com provides salary estimates, histograms, trends, and comparisons using data from employer job postings and third-party sources.

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.)

With the most extensive online, real-time compensation data available, Salary.com helps you pinpoint your exact pay target.

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