Career comparison
Aerospace Engineer vs. Astronomer
Side-by-side pay, training, growth and day-to-day duties to help you choose between two related careers.
Aerospace engineers earn more at the median ($134,960 vs. $128,820), while aerospace engineers usually get to work faster (4-year engineering degree of training). Aerospace engineers design aircraft, spacecraft, satellites and missiles. Astronomers study stars, planets and the universe using telescopes and data.
Pay data: BLS OEWS, May 2025 · Outlook: BLS 2025–35 · Checked October 15, 2026
| Aerospace Engineer | Astronomer | |
|---|---|---|
| Median pay | $134,960 ($64.89/hr) | $128,820 ($61.94/hr) |
| Pay range (10th–90th) | $86,700 – $205,890 | $78,010 – $195,190 |
| Job growth, 2025–35 | +8.3% (much faster than average) | +7.8% (much faster than average) |
| Openings per year | 3,800 | 100 |
| Typical entry education | Bachelor's degree | Doctoral or professional degree |
| Training time | 4-year engineering degree | 5–7 years after a bachelor’s plus postdocs |
| Key credential | PE license | Ph.D. |
| Work setting | Aerospace engineers work in offices, labs, test sites and factories.. | Astronomers work at universities, observatories and space agencies.. |
What each job does
Aerospace Engineer
- Design aircraft and spacecraft
- Run simulations
- Analyze stresses
- Test prototypes
- Work with manufacturing
Astronomer
- Plan observations
- Analyze data
- Build models
- Write code
- Publish papers
How they’re similar
Both careers involve high-pay, problem-solving, in-demand, and working with information. Both are part of the science, engineering & lab field, so many skills transfer between them.
Which should you choose?
Choose aerospace engineer if…
- I love planes and rockets
- I like physics and math
- I like testing
Choose astronomer if…
- I love space
- I like physics and math
- I can code
Still torn? Take the Aerospace Engineer fit quiz and the Astronomer fit quiz, or the full Career Match Quiz.
Quick comparisons
Which pays more, aerospace engineer or astronomer?
Aerospace Engineers earn more at the median: $134,960 versus $128,820 for astronomers, based on BLS May 2025 data.
Which takes less time to train for?
Aerospace Engineers typically train faster (4-year engineering degree) than astronomers (5–7 years after a bachelor’s plus postdocs).
Which career has better job growth?
BLS projects aerospace engineers to grow +8.3% from 2025–35, compared with +7.8% for astronomers.