How Much Money Can Aerospace Engineering Internships Pay?

When most people think of internships, low pay often comes to mind. To some degree, they’re not far off. But aerospace engineering internships are relatively close to the U.S. wage index. As of 2011, the national average salary for all occupations was $42,979 a year, or $20.66 an hour -- within a few dollars of what an engineering intern makes.

Hourly Wages

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the average aerospace engineer earned $104,810 a year, or $50.39 an hour, in 2012 -- an enviable figure, but interns can’t expect to bring home this high a wage. A survey by Intern Bridge, a college internship service, found that aerospace engineering interns earned closer to $17.49 an hour as of 2010.

Local Variances

Like a regular job, location affects the wages of internships. In Kansas, for example, engineering interns earned an average of $11.89 an hour. Interns in Maryland fared much better, at an average of $14.79 an hour, while those in Massachusetts earned $16.93 an hour. Engineering interns in California earned close to the national average, at $17.29 an hour. In Alaska, engineering internships paid $25.70 an hour.

Starting Salaries

First jobs out of college are notoriously low paying, even after completing an internship. This isn’t the case for aerospace engineers. As of 2012, the average starting salary was $71,300 a year, according to a survey by the National Association of Colleges and Employers. With a master’s degree, entry-level salaries averaged $79,900 annually.

Job Outlook

Through 2020, aerospace engineers can anticipate job opportunities to grow by as much as 5 percent, reports the BLS. This is less than half the growth anticipated for all U.S. occupations, an average of 14 percent. With roughly 81,000 aerospace engineers currently working in the nation, a growth rate of 5 percent works out to 4,000 new positions. Expect additional openings from workers retiring or leaving the field.