Also called: Astronautics Professor
Teaches future engineers and runs a research lab that might build satellites or rocket engines.
You lecture on orbital mechanics in the morning, meet with your PhD students about their thruster experiment, and write a grant proposal to NASA in the evening. Your student team's CubeSat might launch next year.
Uses BLS engineering postsecondary teachers figures.
Approximate: anchored on Bureau of Labor Statistics data for a broader job group.
Doctorate (PhD), about 10 years after high school. PhD in aerospace engineering or a related field.
Ways in: Graduate school. Training cost: $15k – $60k.
Majors to look at: Aerospace Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Physics.
Growing faster than average (about 5% over 10 years).
Low risk for 10 years. AI tutors and grading tools help; mentoring students and leading research labs stay human.
Classes: AP Physics, AP Calculus, Speech or debate, English composition.
Official data: O*NET occupation 25-1032.
Career Universe is an early version. Pay, training and AI-risk figures are estimates to start your own research, not verified facts. The research was written with AI research assistants, checked by validation scripts and spot-checked by hand. Check anything important with schools, employers and official sources. How the numbers work.