Also called: Rocket Engineer
Designs and improves the rockets that carry satellites and people to orbit.
You might spend the morning reviewing data from last week's launch, frame by frame, to see why a valve opened 20 milliseconds late. In the afternoon you design the fix, and in a few weeks you watch it fly from the control room with your heart pounding.
Bachelor's degree (4-year), about 4 years after high school. Bachelor's in aerospace or mechanical engineering.
Ways in: 4-year college, Graduate school. Training cost: $15k – $60k.
Majors to look at: Aerospace Engineering, Mechanical Engineering.
Growing faster than average (about 6% over 10 years).
Low risk in 5 years, medium in 10. AI speeds design and analysis; building, testing and launching real rockets keep this hands-on in a booming industry.
Classes: AP Physics, AP Calculus, Chemistry, Shop class.
Official data: O*NET occupation 17-2011.
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