Aerospace Engineers

Low Risk
33%
Where Would You Like to Go Next?
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Vote Comments (26)
Or, Explore This Profession in Greater Detail...
AUTOMATION RISK
CALCULATED
39%
(Low Risk)
POLLING
27%
(Low Risk)
Average: 33%
LABOR DEMAND
GROWTH
6.0%
by year 2033
WAGES
$130,720
or $62.84 per hour
Volume
66,660
as of 2023
SUMMARY
JOB SCORE
7.7/10

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Calculated automation risk

39% (Low Risk)

Low Risk (21-40%): Jobs in this level have a limited risk of automation, as they demand a mix of technical and human-centric skills.

More information on what this score is, and how it is calculated is available here.

Some quite important qualities of the job are difficult to automate:

  • Originality

  • Persuasion

  • Negotiation

  • Social Perceptiveness

User poll

27% chance of full automation within the next two decades

Our visitors have voted there's a low chance this occupation will be automated. This assessment is further supported by the calculated automation risk level, which estimates 39% chance of automation.

What do you think the risk of automation is?

What is the likelihood that Aerospace Engineers will be replaced by robots or artificial intelligence within the next 20 years?






Sentiment

The following graph is included wherever there is a substantial amount of votes to render meaningful data. These visual representations display user poll results over time, providing a significant indication of sentiment trends.

Sentiment over time (yearly)

Growth

Fast growth relative to other professions

The number of 'Aerospace Engineers' job openings is expected to rise 6.0% by 2033

Total employment, and estimated job openings

* Data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics for the period between 2021 and 2031
Updated projections are due 09-2024.

Wages

Very high paid relative to other professions

In 2023, the median annual wage for 'Aerospace Engineers' was $130,720, or $62 per hour

'Aerospace Engineers' were paid 172.0% higher than the national median wage, which stood at $48,060

Wages over time

* Data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics

Volume

Moderate range of job opportunities compared to other professions

As of 2023 there were 66,660 people employed as 'Aerospace Engineers' within the United States.

This represents around < 0.001% of the employed workforce across the country

Put another way, around 1 in 2 thousand people are employed as 'Aerospace Engineers'.

Job description

Perform engineering duties in designing, constructing, and testing aircraft, missiles, and spacecraft. May conduct basic and applied research to evaluate adaptability of materials and equipment to aircraft design and manufacture. May recommend improvements in testing equipment and techniques.

SOC Code: 17-2011.00

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Comments

Leave a comment

wefjiboeu (No chance) 18 days ago
The engineering of this kind of stuff requires sudden changes and the human mind
0 0 Reply
Felipe Duarte Padilha (No chance) 7 months ago
Airplanes or general aircraft are extremely complicated machinery that would need AI inside of the craft to be engineered. It is also extremely costly and would most likely not be able for it to be replaced.
0 0 Reply
Nirmal Teja (No chance) 9 months ago
It's almost impossible to any type of artificial intelligence to think out of the box as a human thoughts go there is no limit to human creativity but the artificial intelligence is limited even after decades..
0 0 Reply
James (No chance) 1 year ago
Needs innovation and creativity
0 0 Reply
Aero (Low) 1 year ago
Required novel application of physics
0 0 Reply
L.M. (No chance) 1 year ago
the risk of even a slight failure could prevent an ai that could replace this job from ever leaving development
0 0 Reply
duck (Uncertain) 1 year ago
Engineering is a difficult job and with the precision of present machines, they could make things more accurate than human hands. The only downside is a machine/robot can't make full decisions, Humans are able to go through options and choose the best one based on circumstance. Robots can't do that... yet
0 0 Reply
Bagle 7 months ago
pls don't tel me me future profssion will b replaced by AI
0 0 Reply
Kauã (No chance) 1 year ago
No way people trust building ROCKETS to A.I.S
0 0 Reply
Sawle (Uncertain) 1 year ago
It really depends on how we see it, if we as engineers use AI to our advantage and adapt it's positives we can easily stay in the field, but if we step aside then you know what will happen eventually.
World now is not waiting for us to improve it WILL improve.
0 0 Reply
BibirMengkeroet (Low) 2 years ago
Applying for a position as an Aerospace Engineer is already challenging. It's also a job where, if something goes wrong even in the slightest, the financial losses could be enormous.

Take a look at the 2013 Proton rocket crash. It occurred because the engineer installed the rotation sensors upside down, causing it to plummet to the ground. Such a small mistake resulted in $65 million dollars in losses.

However, it could be possible that AI will create more efficient propulsion designs in the future.
0 0 Reply
A (Moderate) 2 years ago
Because we could use robots to design and build the aircraft and do the calculations for us.
0 0 Reply
Rick 1 year ago
Robots currently lack the creative ability and proccessing power to do complex designing, so as of the near future its not likely it will be taken over.
0 0 Reply
Saltine (Uncertain) 2 years ago
Some aspects like assembly could be covered by robots but idk if the design and testing process can
0 0 Reply
Bret (Low) 3 years ago
It's a complex job. Many constraints need to be accounted for. A computer just may not be as good at it.
0 0 Reply
N (Small Chance) 3 years ago
I personally do not believe that rocket scientists/aerospace engineers will be overthrown by AI/robots because it requires complex math, complex designing, and building. I do understand that AI will improve over the years, but I don't see robots doing a job like this. Though I do see them helping around. This scares me as they could probably move up a position.
0 0 Reply
G (No chance) 3 years ago
This job designs vehicles that are specifically made for aeronautical and astronautical transportation. It is a highly creative job that requires thinking outside the box.
0 0 Reply
Nicolas (No chance) 3 years ago
aerospace engineering is an area that needs innovation and creativity, always discovering new things and not always doing the same task, testing new materials and things that have never been used are constant tasks, etc.
0 0 Reply
Apoorva 3 years ago
As it is a very risk taking job, the one working in this sector has to have a clear mindset of what is right and what is wrong. Whereas robots take decisions according to the way they are programmed. Adding to this, robots are machines so even if they can impress yet they cannot express. Flying or operating a spacecraft or a missile or a rover needs some emotional attachments with hard work, dedication and dreams. Just completing a task within a short span of time won't give happiness 🙂
0 0 Reply
katie 3 years ago
Clever minds. Aerospace engineers need to come up with clever solutions, which robots cannot (at least with today foreseen technology). Think about all different trade studies which were sometimes counter intuitive and required completely surprising and innovative solutions. This would drive robots crazy, right?

Teamwork. Aerospace engineers are required to help each other during product creations, which robots can not do properly. Either you guided someone younger, or you gave a hand on CAD or FEA software tips to a bloke close to retirement. Most of the time you did not care if this person is different skin colour, religion, gender or beliefs. Well this pays off in the end.

No tight space requirement. Unless you are working in a design or manufacturing sweat shop, aerospace engineers do not require squeezing into small spaces which is strong point of robotics.

Negotiation. Aerospace design requires negotiation skills, robots cannot do this properly. Think about all interface and supplier and customer meetings you have ever been to. Or even meetings with different functions like manufacturing and maybe stress analysis.
1 0 Reply
Cody T. (Low) 4 years ago
I just don't think it is realistic to replace this job within the next 20 years. It seems it take at least a little longer, as this job requires extremely difficult math, and hands on experience engineering. It also requires the capable human mind. Therefore it is unlikely that this job is replaced soon.
0 0 Reply
Julien 4 years ago
The occupation will not be replaced any time soon because it requires critical and creative thinking, which AI or robots do not possess currently.
0 0 Reply

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