The Complete Guide to Becoming An Aerospace Engineer
What aerospace engineers really do all day, what they earn at every stage, and whether you have the grit and aptitude to make it — before you spend a dollar on tuition.
by Alumigogo Books
non-fiction
The real deal on aerospace engineering: daily work, pay, paths in, and honest fit — before you commit years and tuition.
About this book
You've seen the glossy brochures: a smiling engineer in a clean polo, standing next to a jet engine, looking like they just solved world hunger. The reality is messier — and a lot more interesting. This guide shows you what aerospace engineering actually involves: the 90-hour weeks during a certification push, the thrill of seeing a part you designed survive a flight test that tried to shake it apart, the painful truth about starting salaries that don't always match the hype.
Written from the perspective of someone who has worked alongside aerospace engineers in manufacturing plants and design reviews, this book gives you concrete numbers and real scenarios. You'll learn the three main paths into the field — from a four-year degree to a two-year technical route — with honest cost and timeline breakdowns. You'll see actual salary ranges by experience level, which states and industries hire the most, and what a typical Tuesday looks like, hour by hour.
If you're deciding whether to spend $40,000 or more on an aerospace engineering degree, or considering a career pivot into the sector, this guide gives you the unvarnished truth. No inspirational filler. No recruiter spin. Just clarity on whether this demanding, occasionally thrilling, and deeply satisfying career is the right one for you.
Reader Reviews
Sandra Rodriguez
★★★★★I was on the fence about committing to an aerospace major after two years of community college, and this guide saved me from a costly mistake. The chapter on what engineers actually do all day — the endless documentation, the rev work, the rare moments of flight test glory — was brutally honest. The salary tables sealed it for me. I'm still enrolling, but now I know exactly what I'm signing up for. Worth the read.
Brian Green
★★★★★The book is thorough, and the author clearly knows the industry, but I felt Chapter 1 could have used a little more on the software side. I've done CAD work and was expecting more depth on what tools you use daily. That said, the salary breakdowns and the self-assessment checklist in Chapter 2 were really useful. It's a solid starting point, just not the definitive word on every specialty.
Betty Roberts
★★★★★I'm a career-changer from mechanical drafting, and this guide made me realize my skills transfer more than I thought. The chapter on breaking in had a checklist of things to do before applying — I did three of them, and I've already landed two interviews for an aerospace technician role. I appreciated that it didn't sugar-coat the entry-level grind, but it still motivated me to take the leap.
Lisa Campbell
★★★★★Decent overview, but I found the tone slightly repetitive — the author hammers home the 'real work' point a lot. The day-in-the-life chapter felt a little too routine; I was hoping for more variety in scenarios. However, the education comparison table was clear and helped me narrow down whether to pursue an associate's degree or a full bachelor's. It's a practical book, if not a thrilling one.
Thomas Martinez
★★★★★This is the book I wish I had before I chose my major. I read it cover-to-cover in one night and then went back to re-read the salary and job growth sections. The author is a straight shooter — no fluff, just reality. The Chapter 1 breakdown of a typical workweek, the tool sets, and who you collaborate with made me feel so much more prepared for my internship this summer. If you're even remotely considering this career, buy this first.