Aerospace Engineers pay range in Detroit
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $84,810 a year or less, while the top 10% make $166,610 or more. The middle half of aerospace engineers in Detroit earn between $104,560 and $139,680.
- $85K10th
- $105K25th
- $129KMedian
- $140K75th
- $167K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $129,240 | $10,770 | $62.13 |
| Median | $128,960 | $10,747 | $62.00 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $104,560 | $8,713 | $50.27 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $139,680 | $11,640 | $67.15 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year.
Aerospace Engineers salary after taxes in Detroit
On the average salary of $129,240, a single filer in Detroit takes home about $91,393 a year, or $7,616 a month and $3,515 every two weeks. Taxes take 29% of gross pay.
Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2025 rules). Includes Detroit's local income tax (2.4%).
Is Detroit a good place for aerospace engineers? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the Detroit area are in line with the U.S. average (BEA price parity 100.3), so the average $129,240 buys what about $128,856 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 2.5 times the median wage of all jobs in Detroit ($52,080). A typical home costs $269,080, or 2.1 years of this average salary before tax.
Aerospace Engineers salary in other Michigan cities
Detroit ranks 2nd of 3 Michigan metro areas for this job; Grand Rapids pays the most ($134,980).
- Grand Rapids$134,980
- Detroit$129,240
- Ann Arbor$115,880
Highest-paying cities for aerospace engineers
San Francisco, CA pays this job the most of the metro areas we cover ($183,920).
- San Francisco, CA$183,920
- San Jose, CA$181,690
- Omaha, NE$172,720
- Washington, DC$168,780
- Boulder, CO$165,500
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Aerospace Engineers salary in Detroit: questions
How much do aerospace engineers make an hour in Detroit?
$62.13 an hour on average, and $62.00 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level aerospace engineers salary in Detroit?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $84,810 a year and the 25th percentile is $104,560, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the aerospace engineers take-home pay in Detroit?
About $91,393 a year ($7,616 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $129,240. Includes Detroit's local income tax (2.4%).
Do aerospace engineers earn more in Detroit than elsewhere?
The average here is 11% less than the U.S. metro average for this job ($144,780).
Sources and how to read this page
- Wages: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 estimates for metropolitan areas. SOC code 17-2011; area Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI (19820). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 5.0%.
- Cost of living: Bureau of Economic Analysis regional price parities (RPP), 2024; 100 = U.S. average.
- Home value: Zillow Home Value Index. Typical-wage figure: OEWS all occupations, same metro.
- Take-home pay: Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2025 rules). Includes Detroit's local income tax (2.4%).
- Job concentration: location quotient 0.32, this job is less common than in the U.S. overall (location quotient 0.32).
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