Also called: Powerplant Engineer, Structures Engineer (Airline), Maintenance Program Engineer
Engineer at an airline or MRO who studies breakdown data and designs repairs and inspection programs to keep a fleet flying.
You notice one engine part keeps failing early, dig into the data, and write a new inspection rule. Later you design a repair for a dented fuselage panel and get it approved. You spend time both at a desk and out in the hangar looking at real damage.
Based on BLS aerospace engineers (median ~$134k, May 2024).
Approximate: anchored on Bureau of Labor Statistics data for a broader job group.
Bachelor's degree (4-year), about 4 years after high school. Bachelor's in aerospace or mechanical engineering; some start as A&P mechanics and go back to school.
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). BLS projects aerospace engineers to grow about 6% 2024-34.
Medium risk for 10 years. AI predicts failures from fleet data and does much analysis; engineering judgment and FAA-approved repairs stay human.
Classes: AP Physics, AP Calculus, AP Statistics.
Official data: O*NET occupation 17-2011.
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.