Aerospace Engineering Career Guide: Roles, Salary & Future Scope

Updated on Feb 25, 2025 02:25 IST
Akansha Bisht

Akansha BishtSenior Executive

To put it concisely, Aerospace, defense, airlines, civil aviation, automobiles, manufacturing, research and development, academia, etc, are some of the areas where you can aspire to work after the completion of a course in this specialization. Some of the top recruiters include Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL), Mahindra Aerospace, Boeing, ISRO, DRDO, BrahMos Aerospace Pvt. Ltd., Tata Advanced Systems Ltd., Air India, etc.

Relevant Link for Aerospace Engineering Jobs in India:

Why Engineering is Still a Highly Paid Career Stream?

Aerospace Engineering Jobs in India: Top Profiles

Aerospace Engineering courses after Class 12 can lead to a lot of exciting work opportunities for students in various sectors. They can work with government research organizations, airline companies, multinational aircraft manufacturing companies, the Indian Air Force, space agencies, aeronautical laboratories, and so much more. Some of the most popular Aerospace Engineering jobs for freshers are given in the table below along with the average annual salary packages:

Aerospace Engineering Jobs in India

Average Aerospace Engineering Jobs Salary

Aerospace Engineers

INR 12.2 LPA

Aeronautical Engineers

INR 10.5 LPA

Aircraft Engineers

INR 12 LPA

Propulsion Systems Engineers

INR 7.8 LPA

Aerodynamics Engineers

INR 9.5 LPA

Spacecraft Maintenance Engineers

INR 6 LPA

Flight Test Engineers

INR 6 LPA

Thermodynamics Engineers

INR 7 LPA

Source: Ambitionbox.com.

Useful Link for Aerospace Engineering Jobs:

Aeronautical Engineering Jobs in India

Emerging Trends in Aerospace Engineering Jobs in India

Some popular trends in Aerospace Engineering jobs are mentioned below:

  • Sustainable Aviation Fuel: The aerospace industry is making strong moves when it comes to cutting down the carbon footprint and using biofuels for aerospace operational activities. A few research reports reveal that the global sustainable aviation fuel market will reach 16.8 billion US dollars in the next 5 years with a 47.7% CAGR.
  • Additive Manufacturing in Aerospace: This emerging trend of additive manufacturing deals with the use of metal 3D-printing techniques for making stronger and more durable alternatives to the aviation equipment and machines, leading to cost reduction and enhanced efficiency.
  • Autonomous Flight Systems: Autonomous ground vehicles and drones are already popular in existence; however, the aerospace industry is also involved in research and taking small steps towards single-pilot commercial aircraft and even pilotless aircraft led by automated systems and AI technology. This trend might take some time to come in full swing but will do wonders in the aerospace sector.
  • Internet of Things (IoT): The IoT technology helps in the analysis of large amount of data useful for predictive maintenance like identifying aerospace component failures before they actually happen and making timely fixes ensuring passenger safety at all times.
  • Electric Propulsion: This leads to a quieter aircraft takeoff and landing with less emissions and reduced costs. Electric propulsion systems also facilitate improvement in the design of aircraft and spacecraft vehicles.

Useful Links for Aerospace Engineering Jobs in India:

Engineering Jobs and Career Scope in India

Jobs after BTech Degree

Aerospace Engineering Jobs in India: Scope, Salary and Further Education

Aerospace Engineering courses after 12th open doors for a plethora of career options to explore in different work sectors such as aerospace and defense, manufacturing, civil aviation, airlines, academia, research and development, etc. The overall career scope of the course is extremely diverse and promising with endless opportunities for growth and skill enhancement. Students can either pursue higher education after their UG-level Aerospace Engineering courses or look for a job in the corporate world.

Courses after Graduation in Aerospace Engineering

Students in India with an Aerospace Engineering degree or even a well-settled job have a lot of options to advance their professional career and areas of expertise. Following are some of the course options, they may choose after completing B.E/ BTech Aerospace Engineering:

  • M.E/ MS/ M.Tech in Aerospace Engineering
  • M.Tech + PhD in Aerospace Engineering
  • Advanced-level Certificate Courses in Aerodynamics, Aerospace Structures, and Avionics

Information source: multiple sites on web (may vary)

Aerospace Engineering Jobs: Core Industries & Top Recruiters

A well-established Aerospace Engineering career path in India can be achieved with the help of laboratory work, industrial visits, and internships that together provide hands-on experience. After graduation, students can apply for jobs in various work sectors. A list of the core recruiting industries along with the top companies, is given below for reference:

Core Industries for Aerospace Engineering Graduates
Government and Defense Academia
Civil Aviation Space Agencies
Automotive and Manufacturing Research and Development
Private Airline Companies Aeronautical Laboratories

Various recruiters hire Aerospace Engineering graduates through placement drives hosted at prestigious engineering universities, as well as through specific walk-ins. The recruiters listed below are given according to the core industry that they belong to:

Government & Defense

ISRO

DRDO

HAL

GTRE 

Civil Aviation

Airports Authority of India (AAI)

DGCA (Directorate General of Civil Aviation)

 Air India

Indian Airlines

Aerospace & Defense

Tata Advanced Systems

 Mahindra Aerospace

 Taneja Aerospace

Reliance Aerospace

Automotive & Manufacturing

Tata Motors

Mahindra & Mahindra

Ashok Leyland

Larsen & Toubro

IT & Consulting

TCS 

Infosys

Wipro

HCL Technologies

Airlines & MRO

Indigo Airlines

SpiceJet

Air India Express

MRO service providers

Information source: multiple sites on web (may vary)

Aerospace Engineering Jobs: Best Colleges for Placements in India

The popular colleges for Aerospace Engineering include the top IITs and NITs which are considered as temples of technical education and are popular due to its industrial tie-ups and good placement opportunities. The colleges along with their average placement packages are as follows:

Aerospace Engineering Colleges Average Package Offered
IIT Bombay - Indian Institute of Technology Placements INR 17.92 LPA
IIT Hyderabad - Indian Institute of Technology Placements INR 15 LPA - 21.8 LPA
IIT Kharagpur - Indian Institute of Technology Placements INR 21.28 LPA
IIT Madras - Indian Institute of Technology Placements INR 12 LPA - 17.5 LPA
SRM Institute of Science and Technology Placements INR 6.1 LPA
Lovely Professional University Placements INR 7.07 LPA - 8.1 LPA
SASTRA University Placements INR 5.5 LPA - 7.6 LPA
Birla Institute of Technology, Mesra Placements INR 9 LPA
Graphic Era Deemed to be University Placements INR 7.25 LPA

Information source: Official website of the institute, and may vary.

Helpful Links for Aerospace Engineering Jobs for Freshers:

IIT Placements – Know Highest Salary Package & Placement Process

NIT Placements – Know Highest Salary Package & Placement Process

Table of contents
  • Popular Aerospace Engineering Colleges in India
  • Popular Private Aerospace Engineering Colleges in India
  • Popular Exams
  • Most Popular Courses
  • Popular Aerospace Engineering UG Courses
  • Popular Aerospace Engineering PG Courses

Popular Aerospace Engineering Colleges in India

Following are the most popular Aerospace Engineering Colleges in India. Learn more about these Aerospace Engineering colleges (Courses, Reviews, Answers & more) by downloading the Brochure.
6 Courses
2.71 L - 8 L
17.92 LPA

#1 India Today

5 Courses
20 K - 8 L
11 - 25.2 LPA
2 Courses
3.2 L - 16 L
3.0
3 Courses
39.85 K - 8 L
14 - 19.76 LPA

#4 India Today

5 Courses
20 K - 8 L
14.7 - 19.4 LPA

#3 India Today

2 Courses
48 K - 8 L
3.8

Popular Private Aerospace Engineering Colleges in India

3 Courses
11.85 L - 11.88 L
7.25 LPA
4 L - 12.8 L
3.26 L

Aerospace Engineering Applications open. Apply Now

3 L - 11.2 L
7.07 - 8.1 LPA

Aerospace Engineering Applications open. Apply Now

9 Courses
1.2 L - 11.14 L
3.4
3 L - 10.8 L
6 LPA

Aerospace Engineering Applications open. Apply Now

Popular Exams

Following are the top exams for Aerospace Engineering. Students interested in pursuing a career on Aerospace Engineering, generally take these important exams.You can also download the exam guide to get more insights.

21 Jan ' 26 - 29 Jan ' 26

JEE Main 2026 Exam Date Session 1

Jan '26 - Feb '26

JEE Main 2026 Registration Session 2

TENTATIVE

10 Jan ' 26 - 12 Feb ' 26

MHT CET 2026 Application Form for PCM and PCB

Apr '26

MHT CET 2026 Admit Card

TENTATIVE

16 Jan ' 26 - 17 Feb ' 26

KCET Application Form 2026

18 Feb ' 26

Last date to pay application fee

7 Feb ' 26

GATE 2026 Exam- Afternoon (AE, BT, CH, CY, GE, PH...

7 Feb ' 26

GATE 2026 Exam- Forenoon (AG, ES, GG, IN, MA, MN,...

Popular Aerospace Engineering UG Courses

Following are the most popular Aerospace Engineering UG Courses . You can explore the top Colleges offering these UG Courses by clicking the links below.

UG Courses

Popular Aerospace Engineering PG Courses

Following are the most popular Aerospace Engineering PG Courses . You can explore the top Colleges offering these PG Courses by clicking the links below.

PG Courses

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Student Forum

chatAnything you would want to ask experts?
Write here...

Answered 4 days ago

Yes, you can. Some colleges offer Diploma and certification courses in Aerospace Engineering that don't require any entrance exam scores. For degree courses, you may need to research a bit about colleges providing admission based on merit.

Know more about -

Aerospace Engineering Colleges in India

R

Rashmi Thakur

Contributor-Level 9

Answered 4 days ago

It depends on the level of the course you choose. For example, there'll be application fees, course fees, hostel or mess charges (if applicable), and other expenses. 

The average fees in India range from 10,000 to 31 Lacs Rs

Government Colleges  (INR 10,000 - INR 5 Lakh)

Private Colleges  (INR 96,000

...Read more

S

Shikha Arora

Contributor-Level 9

Answered 4 days ago

Some of the top colleges for a PhD in Aerospace Engineering in India are here. Take a look

PhD in Aerospace Engineering CollegesCourse Fees
IIT BombayINR 6.78 Lakh
IIT KanpurINR 48,550
Lovely Professional UniversityINR 3 Lakh
Amity University, NoidaINR 3 Lakh
Karunya Institute of Technology and SciencesINR 1.2 Lakh
Amity University, MumbaiINR 1.92 Lakh

Note - The information is taken from the official site of the college.

Know more about -

Aerospace Engineering Colleges in India

M

Mohit Datta

Contributor-Level 9

Answered 4 days ago

Yes, In fact, many aerospace companies in India and abroad prefer hiring Mechanical Engineers. Because their skills are broader and more versatile. Aerospace is essentially a specialised branch of Mechanical Engineering. To transition, you can pursue a Master's (M.Tech/MS) in Aerospace or simply gai

...Read more

78559834
Raj Vimal

Contributor-Level 10

Answered 4 days ago

Yes, the market has shifted significantly. Opportunities were previously limited to government bodies like ISRO, DRDO, and HAL. Now this sector has opened up. The government introduced a new space policy. There is now a surge in hiring from private players and startups (like Skyroot and Agnikul Cosm

...Read more

M

Mani Lama

Contributor-Level 7

Answered 5 days ago

The names of the subjects that M.Tech Faculty of Engineering and Technology, MSRUAS offers are mix of the elective, core, subjects atering to advanced research and industry needs. Some of the names of the subjects are: 

  • Advanced Concrete technology and Modern Construction Techniques
  • Resource Managemen

...Read more

C

Chanchal Gaurav

Contributor-Level 10

Answered 5 days ago

From the sixth semester of BTech course onwards, students can choose for prodessional core elective subjects. The names of some of the subjects are, Probability and Statistics, Composite Structures, Hypersonic Flow, Unmanned Air Vehicles, Aerospace Structural Dynamics, Data Sciences and Foundation,

...Read more

P

Piyush Jain

Contributor-Level 10

Answered a week ago

Top Aerospace Engineering colleges in Pune including both private and government colleges. Private colleges have higher tuition fees as compared to government colleges. Listed below is the Aeronautical Engineering colleges in Pune fees structure -

Fee StructureTop Colleges
Free of costUNIPUNE
INR < 1 lakhDefence Institute of Advanced Technology  (INR 88,000)
INR 1-3 lakhDefence Institute of Advanced Technology  (INR 1.44 lakh)
INR 7-10 lakhIndian Institute for Aeronautical Engineering and Information Technology  (INR 9.2 lakh)
INR 10-15 lakhMIT School of Engineering & Science  (INR 10.6 lakh)

T

Tasbiya Khan

Contributor-Level 10

Answered a week ago

Yes, you can join Aerospace Engineering in Pune without appearing in JEE Main exam by giving alternatives entrance exams like MHT-CET, private college entrance exams like MET, direct admission based on Class 12 PCM merit, or through the national AME CET exam, with colleges like IIAEIT Pune offering

...Read more

T

Tasbiya Khan

Contributor-Level 10

Answered a week ago

For the top Aerospace Engineering colleges in Pune, top colleges are MIT School of Engineering & Science, Indian Institute for Aeronautical Engineering and Information Technology, UNIPUNE, Defence Institute of Advanced Technology, etc.

Listed below are the colleges with their tuition fees -

Top Colleges

Tuition Fee

MIT School of Engineering & Science

INR 10.6 lakh

Indian Institute for Aeronautical Engineering and Information Technology

INR 9.2 lakh

Source: Of

...Read more

T

Tasbiya Khan

Contributor-Level 10

Answered a week ago

After completing the M.Tech  Aerospace Engineering course from IIAEIT Pune, students can find opportunities in public and private Aerospace sectors, roles in aircraft/spacecraft design and manufacturing, research and development positions in defense labs, careers in national and international resear

...Read more

V

Vishakha

Contributor-Level 10

Answered a month ago

Absolutely. The sector is booming with the privatization of the Indian space sector. Companies like Tata Advanced Systems, Godrej Aerospace, and startups like Skyroot are hiring aggressively. Combined with massive projects by ISRO (like Gaganyaan), the demand for skilled engineers in India is at an

...Read more

Y

Yatendra Shukla

Contributor-Level 7

Answered a month ago

United States and Switzerland offer the highest packages. In USA, experienced aerospace engineers can earn over USD 140,000 annually. Also, most of universities to study this course are here in USA. 

A

Aashi Tiwari

Contributor-Level 7

Answered a month ago

Yes they can! The condition is they need to get Green card first. Organizations like NASA and SpaceX fall under strict US government regulations. Most jobs at these organizations are restricted to US citizens or Green Card holders only.

V

Virajita Kumari

Contributor-Level 7

Answered a month ago

Yes, there are many affordable Aerospace Engineering colleges in India. SOme of them are mentioned below with tuition fees -

Affordable CollegesTuition Fee
Division of Mechanical Sciences, Indian Institute of Sciences FeesINR 18,000
Ramaiah Institute of Technology FeesINR 2.99 lakh
ACS College of Engineering FeesINR 1.76 lakh

Source: Official site and may vary.

Hope the above answer helps you!

T

Tasbiya Khan

Contributor-Level 10

Answered a month ago

According to NIRF ranking 2025, IIT Madras consistently ranked as the top Aerospace Engineering college in India followed by other colleges like IIT Delhi and IIT Bombay under "Engineering" category . 
Source: Official site and may vary.

 

T

Tasbiya Khan

Contributor-Level 10

Answered a month ago

Yes, there are many top private Aerospace Engineering colleges in India. Private colleges have good infrastructure and offered great placements. Listed below are the top private Aerospace Engineering colleges in India with fees -

Private Colleges

Total Tuition Fee

SRM IST Kattankulathur Admission

INR 3.2 Lacs - INR 16 lakh

LPU Admission

INR 3 Lacs – INR 11.2 lakh

Amrita School of Engineering, Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham, Coimbatore Admission

INR 16 lakh

MAHE Admission

INR 2.16 lakh

Chandigarh University AdmissionINR 8.37 Lacs - INR 11.16 lakh

Source: Official site and may vary.

T

Tasbiya Khan

Contributor-Level 10