New numbers prove Oklahoma isn’t just chasing the aerospace industry. It’s steering the plane.
A 2025 report from the Greater Oklahoma City Chamber details how Oklahoma’s largest city continues to turn itself into one of America’s aerospace capitals, generating a staggering $8.8 billion in output and supporting more than 80,000 jobs across the Oklahoma City Metro.
For jobseekers, that equals pure opportunity. Anchored by Tinker Air Force Base and the FAA’s Mike Monroney Aeronautical Center, two of the country’s largest federal aviation hubs, more than 32,000 jobs are already in play. But growth is taking off in the private sector too. Since 2020, OKC aerospace firms — primarily in maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO), consulting, logistics, and advanced systems —have added more than 1,100 jobs and cranked output by nearly 36%. Translation? Oklahoma’s aerospace industry isn’t just stable. It’s scaling.
And here’s the kicker: workers in this field are pulling in average wages of $87,000 a year — more than double the national average wage of $39,982. In California, that barely covers rent. In Oklahoma, it’s a mortgage, a weekend on the lake, and still enough left over for Thunder season tickets.
The ripple effects go beyond paychecks. Oklahoma City’s aerospace industry generates $4 billion in labor income and $413 million in local tax revenue, feeding directly into schools, parks, and a better city infrastructure. Pair that with a nationally-acclaimed food scene, walkable downtown districts, and public spaces like Scissortail Park, and you’ve got jet fuel for an exceptional quality of life.
For anyone plotting their next move, aerospace in Oklahoma is proof you don’t need the coasts to build a career that’s secure, well-paid, and future-facing. The jobs are here. The pay is strong, and the lifestyle is already cruising at altitude.
