SalaryData

Registered Nurse vs Aerospace Engineer Salary (2026)

Side-by-side salary comparison based on BLS OES data. Updated 2026.

Higher paying occupation

Aerospace Engineer

$126,293/yr median(+$35,835 · 39.6% more)

Registered Nurse

Median$90,458
Mean$93,431
10th %ile$69,377
25th %ile$79,192
75th %ile$104,665
90th %ile$119,036
Employed3.3M+
Higher pay

Aerospace Engineer

Median$126,293
Mean$131,559
10th %ile$85,586
25th %ile$102,100
75th %ile$156,298
90th %ile$184,321
Employed68K+

Salary Distribution Comparison

Registered Nurse

Registered Nurse salary percentiles
PercentileAnnual Salary
10th percentile$69,377
25th percentile$79,192
Median (50th percentile)$90,458
75th percentile$104,665
90th percentile$119,036

Aerospace Engineer

Aerospace Engineer salary percentiles
PercentileAnnual Salary
10th percentile$85,586
25th percentile$102,100
Median (50th percentile)$126,293
75th percentile$156,298
90th percentile$184,321

Top Paying States

Registered Nurse

#StateMedian
1California$140,330
2Hawaii$136,320
3Oregon$123,990
4Washington$112,180
5Alaska$110,690

Aerospace Engineer

#StateMedian
1District of Columbia$175,350
2Washington$158,600
3Maryland$158,220
4Massachusetts$152,210
5Colorado$151,570

Frequently Asked Questions

Which pays more, Registered Nurse or Aerospace Engineer?
Aerospace Engineer pays more with a median salary of $126,293/year, which is 39.6% more than Registered Nurse at $90,458/year.
What is the salary difference between Registered Nurse and Aerospace Engineer?
The median salary difference is $35,835/year (39.6%).

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