5 College Degrees With the Best Starting Salaries

4. Aerospace Engineering

Median Salary: $126,880

In the aerospace engineering sector, top employment is seen in industries like Aerospace Product and Parts Manufacturing, Architectural, Engineering, and Related Services, and the Federal Executive Branch. The highest-paying industries include Scientific Research and Development Services and Semiconductor and Other Electronic Component Manufacturing, offering mean annual wages upwards of $140,000.

Geographically, California leads in aerospace engineering employment, with a significant concentration of jobs paying mean wages of around $139,840 annually. States like Texas, Florida, and Alabama also feature notable employment levels, each offering mean annual wages ranging from $115,860 to $139,000. However, states like New Mexico and Alabama boast high location quotients, indicating a concentration of aerospace engineering jobs relative to their employment landscape, with mean annual wages exceeding $124,000.