Designs, builds and tests rocket engines and spacecraft thrusters, from turbopumps and injectors to valves, tanks and plumbing. BLS does not publish separate figures for aerospace engineers; it counts them within aerospace engineer (SOC 17-2011), whose median pay is $134,960 a year (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Typical entry-level education: Bachelor's degree.
- SOC 17-2011
- Architecture and Engineering
- Last updated October 9, 2026
At a glance
Rocket Propulsion Engineer in four numbers
- Median pay
- $134,960a year, or $64.89/hrBLS OEWS, May 2025Lowest 10% $87KTop 10% $206K
US median, all jobs: $50,980
- Projected growth
- +8.3%Much faster than averageBLS EP, 2025–2035This career+8.3%All jobs+3.5%
Projected employment change, 2025–2035 Item Value This career +8.3% All jobs +3.5% - Openings a year
- 3,80068,700 jobs todayBLS EP, 2025–2035
- Jobs in 202568.7K
- Projected 203574.4K
Employment, 2025–2035 Item Value Jobs in 2025 68.7K Projected 2035 74.4K - Typical education
- Bachelor'sneeded to enterBLS EP, 2025–2035; mix: O*NET
Also advertised as: Propulsion Engineer, Rocket Engine Engineer, Liquid Propulsion Engineer, Combustion Devices Engineer, Propulsion Test Engineer.
Pay
How much do Aerospace Engineers make?
Every rocket propulsion engineer in the US, by percentile of annual wage
Median
$134,960
Middle half earn $106,110 to $169,690
- 10th
- $86,700
- 25th
- $106,110
- 75th
- $169,690
- 90th
- $205,890
All US occupations: $50,980
| Percentile | Value |
|---|---|
| 10th | $86,700 |
| 25th | $106,110 |
| Median | $134,960 |
| 75th | $169,690 |
| 90th | $205,890 |
| All US occupations | $50,980 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025
- Median annual wage
- $134,960
- Median hourly wage
- $64.89/hr
- Mean annual wage
- $142,060
- People employed
- 67,710
Versus all US occupations
At $134,960, Aerospace Engineers earn 165% above the $50,980 median across all US occupations, a difference of $83,980 a year.
Versus architecture and engineering occupations
Inside the Architecture and Engineering group, where the middle occupation pays $104,110, this is 30% above the group median.
Pay range
The top 10% earn $205,890 or more while the bottom 10% earn $86,700, a gap of 2.4×. That is a typical spread for a US occupation.
Rank in the bank
This median pays more than 89% of the 1,741 occupations in the NueCareer career bank.
Highest-paying state
Minnesota pays the most at $159,060, and still leads at $161,284 once local prices are taken into account.
Pay by state
Which states pay Aerospace Engineers the most?
State medians come from the same OEWS release as the national figures. The cost-of-living column divides each state median by that state's BEA Regional Price Parity, restating pay in national-average dollars so a high-cost state and a low-cost one can be compared directly.
| State | Median | COL-adjusted | Employed |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1Minnesota | $159,060 | $161,284 | 140 |
| 2Washington | $158,370 | $147,991 | 5,760 |
| 3California | $157,620 | $142,359 | 9,170 |
| 4District of Columbia | $157,600 | $143,402 | 290 |
| 5Maryland | $156,750 | $149,344 | 3,180 |
| 6Colorado | $156,190 | $151,564 | 4,070 |
| 7Massachusetts | $149,470 | $141,333 | 990 |
| 8Vermont | $144,400 | $147,410 | 100 |
| 9Virginia | $143,210 | $141,646 | 2,540 |
| 10Georgia | $140,460 | $145,867 | 2,230 |
Job outlook
Is Rocket Propulsion Engineer a growing career?
Employment change over 2025–2035, against every US occupation
Much faster than average. +8.3% projected growth vs 3.5% for all occupations.
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Aerospace Engineers | +8.3% |
| All US occupations | +3.5% |
Source: BLS EP, 2025–2035
Much faster than average
BLS projects employment of Aerospace Engineers to change 8.3% over 2025–2035, roughly 2.4× the 3.5% projected for all occupations. That is 5,700 more jobs.
Annual openings
About 3,800 openings are projected each year, 5.5% of the 68,700 jobs that existed in 2025. Most come from workers leaving the occupation, not from growth alone.
Getting in
How to become a Rocket Propulsion Engineer
A bachelor's degree in aerospace, mechanical or chemical engineering is the standard entry point, with coursework in thermodynamics, fluid mechanics, heat transfer and combustion. Many propulsion engineers earn a master's degree, and university labs such as Purdue's Zucrow Laboratories are well-known pipelines into the industry.
Hands-on experience counts heavily, especially from student liquid rocket teams, engine test projects and internships. Because rocket engine technology is export controlled under ITAR, employers usually require U.S. citizenship or permanent residency. AIAA's propulsion and energy technical committees connect practitioners.
- 1
Typical entry-level education
Bachelor's degree
- 2
Work experience in a related occupation
None
- 3
Typical on-the-job training
None
- 4
Preparation needed (O*NET job zone)
Medium preparation
BLS Employment Projections, 2025–2035; job zone from O*NET 31.0 Database.
The work
What does a Rocket Propulsion Engineer do?
Rocket propulsion engineers work on the engines that lift launch vehicles and the thrusters that move spacecraft in orbit. Depending on the role, they design combustion chambers, injectors and nozzles, turbopumps, valves and feed lines, or whole propulsion systems including tanks and pressurization.
Testing is central. Engineers write test plans, run hot-fire tests on engine stands, analyze pressure, temperature and vibration data, and trace failures back to root cause. They also work with machinists and additive manufacturing teams to build parts, and with suppliers on materials that survive cryogenic and extreme-heat conditions. Employers include NASA's Marshall, Glenn and Stennis centers, launch companies and in-space propulsion startups.
Day-to-day tasks
- Design engine components such as injectors, chambers, nozzles and turbopumps
- Size propulsion systems, tanks and feed lines for a mission
- Write and run hot-fire test procedures on engine test stands
- Analyze test data to assess performance and find failure causes
- Work with manufacturing on machined and 3D-printed engine parts
- Select materials that survive cryogenic and high-temperature conditions
- Document designs for reviews and flight qualification
Typical tasks, researched by NueCareer from the sources below.
Working conditions and hours
Propulsion engineers split time between design offices, machine shops and remote test sites with engine stands. Test campaigns bring early mornings, long days and work around high-pressure gases, cryogenic propellants and hazardous chemicals under strict safety rules. Travel to test sites and suppliers is common.
Where the work happens
Indoors, climate-controlled
NeverEvery dayOutdoors in all weather
NeverEvery dayAlmost never works outdoors.
Physical demands
Sitting
NeverAlmost all the timeSeated for more than half the working day.
Standing
NeverAlmost all the timeBending or twisting
NeverAlmost all the time
Working with people
Contact with other people
NoneConstantFace-to-face discussions
NeverEvery dayFace-to-face discussions every day.
Dealing with the public
Not importantExtremely important
Pressure and stakes
Strict deadlines
NeverEvery dayConflict situations
NeverEvery dayConflict situations are rare.
Cost of a mistake
Not seriousExtremely serious
Autonomy
Freedom to decide
NoneA lot
Conditions: O*NET Work Context survey. Each item has its own scale, so each dot is read against the two answers that end its own line.
Core skills
O*NET importance, 1 to 5
- Reading Comprehension4.1
- Critical Thinking4.1
- Writing4.0
- Mathematics4.0
- Science4.0
- Active Listening3.9
- Speaking3.9
- Active Learning3.9
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Reading Comprehension | 4.1 |
| Critical Thinking | 4.1 |
| Writing | 4.0 |
| Mathematics | 4.0 |
| Science | 4.0 |
| Active Listening | 3.9 |
| Speaking | 3.9 |
| Active Learning | 3.9 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
Transferable skills
O*NET importance, 1 to 5
- Complex Problem Solving4.0
- Judgment and Decision Making4.0
- Operations Analysis3.9
- Systems Evaluation3.6
- Quality Control Analysis3.4
- Systems Analysis3.4
- Coordination3.3
- Technology Design3.3
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Complex Problem Solving | 4.0 |
| Judgment and Decision Making | 4.0 |
| Operations Analysis | 3.9 |
| Systems Evaluation | 3.6 |
| Quality Control Analysis | 3.4 |
| Systems Analysis | 3.4 |
| Coordination | 3.3 |
| Technology Design | 3.3 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
Tools and software
- Analytical or scientific software · in demand
- Computer aided design CAD software · in demand
- Data base user interface and query software · in demand
- Development environment software · in demand
- Electronic mail software · in demand
- Enterprise application integration software · in demand
- Enterprise resource planning ERP software · in demand
- Object or component oriented development software · in demand
- Office suite software · in demand
- Operating system software · in demand
- Presentation software · in demand
- Process mapping and design software · in demand
“In demand” marks an O*NET Employer-Based Hot Technology, software named in real job postings for this occupation.
Personality fit
What personality type suits a Rocket Propulsion Engineer?
NueCareer estimate (Holland code IRC) built on O*NET's Aerospace Engineer profile, scored 1 to 7
| Axis | Rocket Propulsion Engineer |
|---|---|
| Realistic | 6 |
| Investigative | 6 |
| Artistic | 2 |
| Social | 1 |
| Enterprising | 3 |
| Conventional | 5 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
What the work is built around
Day to day this is work built around investigating, analysing and solving problems with ideas and data, combined with hands-on, practical work with tools, machines or the outdoors.
- Investigative6.0
- Realistic5.7
- Conventional4.6
- Enterprising2.5
- Artistic2.4
- Social1.3
Closest MBTI types
NueCareer fit scores: cosine similarity between each MBTI type's interest vector and this occupation's O*NET interest profile. Not a BLS or O*NET figure; the method is documented on our methodology page.
Explore further
Careers related to Rocket Propulsion Engineer
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More architecture and engineering careers
Median annual pay, with aerospace engineers highlighted
- Aerospace Engineer$134,960
- Rocket Propulsion Engineer$134,960
- Electrical Engineer$120,630
- Environmental Engineer$107,110
- Mechanical Engineer$104,110
- Automotive Engineer$104,110
- Industrial Engineer$102,440
- Civil Engineer$100,840
- Architect$99,280
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Aerospace Engineer | $134,960 |
| Rocket Propulsion Engineer | $134,960 |
| Electrical Engineer | $120,630 |
| Environmental Engineer | $107,110 |
| Mechanical Engineer | $104,110 |
| Automotive Engineer | $104,110 |
| Industrial Engineer | $102,440 |
| Civil Engineer | $100,840 |
| Architect | $99,280 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025
Lists Rocket Propulsion Engineer appears on
Questions
Rocket Propulsion Engineer: frequently asked questions
How much do Aerospace Engineers make?
BLS does not publish a separate wage for aerospace engineers. It counts them within aerospace engineer, whose median pay is $134,960 a year (BLS OEWS, May 2025). The middle half of that occupation earn between $106,110 and $169,690, and the top 10% earn $205,890 or more.
Do you need a degree to become a Rocket Propulsion Engineer?
Yes. BLS reports a bachelor's degree as the typical entry-level education for Aerospace Engineers, and O*NET rates the preparation needed as medium preparation.
Is Rocket Propulsion Engineer a growing career?
Yes, strongly. Employment is projected to grow 8.3% over 2025–2035, more than double the 3.5% projected for all occupations (BLS EP, 2025–2035). BLS still projects about 3,800 openings a year, mostly from workers retiring or moving to other work.
What does a Rocket Propulsion Engineer do?
Rocket propulsion engineers work on the engines that lift launch vehicles and the thrusters that move spacecraft in orbit. A typical task: design engine components such as injectors, chambers, nozzles and turbopumps. Employers most often ask for Analytical or scientific software, Computer aided design CAD software, Data base user interface and query software.
Which states pay Aerospace Engineers the most?
The highest state medians for Aerospace Engineers are Minnesota ($159,060), Washington ($158,370), California ($157,620) (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
What personality type suits a Rocket Propulsion Engineer?
O*NET scores Aerospace Engineers highest on the Investigative, Realistic and Conventional interest areas, so the work mixes investigating, analysing and solving problems with ideas and data with hands-on, practical work with tools, machines or the outdoors. On NueCareer's MBTI-to-interest mapping the closest types are ISTJ, INTJ, ISTP. Personality is a fit signal, not a gate. The free NueCareer quiz scores your own profile against all 1,731 careers in the bank.