Vietnam state aerospace engineers earn $305 salary

This has led many engineers to move to the private sector in search of higher salaries.

Aerospace is one of 11 technology industries designated by the government as strategic, but its development faces major challenges.

At a space technology forum in Hanoi on July 24, Associate Professor Pham Anh Tuan, general director of the Vietnam Space Center, said sending an engineers to do a master's degree overseas costs VND5–6 billion, but they earn just VND5–8 million a month on returning to work at the center.

"Due to the low wages, these experts gradually leave, lured away by private companies."

Le Thanh Huong, CEO of technology firm Sao Vega, told VnExpress that aerospace engineers could earn 10 times more in the domestic private sector or annual salaries in the hundreds of thousands of dollars at organizations like the U.S. space agency NASA.

"Still, many choose to stay out of personal ambition, not money. They work day and night, driven by the desire to achieve what no one else has done."

Nguyen Luong Quang, a Vietnamese scientist at France’s Alternative Energies and Atomic Energy Commission, said engineers working on private aerospace projects in Taiwan or France can earn up to VND120 million.

"Compensation directly affects the quality of talent. If we cannot ensure a livable income, we cannot attract top professionals."

A group of young engineers at the Vietnam Space Center with their MicroDragon satellite. Photo courtesy of Vietnam Space Center

Though in its early stages Vietnam's aerospace sector has made some progress. The country launched its first telecommunications satellite, Vinasat-1, in 2008, followed by Vinasat-2 in 2012 and the Earth observation satellite VNREDSat-1 in 2013. All were fabricated abroad but operated domestically.

Since 2013 Vietnam has started designing and manufacturing its own microsatellites, including PicoDragon, MicroDragon, NanoDragon, and most recently LOTUSat-1, developed by the Vietnam Space Center.

These projects mark key steps toward building local expertise.

In recent years a few Vietnamese private firms have also entered the space sector, focusing on satellite imaging, unmanned aerial vehicles development and low-orbit satellite research.

Huong said the aerospace industry comprises two main areas: ground data processing and space engineering. The former requires geomatics engineers skilled in remote sensing and data science, while the latter involves the design, production and operation of satellites, aircraft and UAVs.

She said the work demands a wide range of expertise across disciplines such as thermodynamics, dynamics, orbital mechanics, software, precision mechanics, and materials science. Strong English skills are also essential since they often have to collaborate with foreign specialists.

Aerospace is a niche field, and Vietnam has few trained professionals, she noted.

"Most countries do not train foreigners in this field, and so the talent pool is extremely limited. In Vietnam, only a few institutions offer aerospace programs, with around 60 graduates a year. We can barely find qualified candidates."

Globally, aerospace engineers often come from related fields like astronomy and physics, but transitioning requires mentorship by senior experts, something Vietnam still lacks, another reason for the talent shortage, she added.

Speaking at the space technology forum, Pham said another obstacle is the lack of long-term investment, which affects the morale of researchers. He called for a long-term national development strategy extending to 2040–2050, supported by a stable funding mechanism.

Besides increasing salaries, he said Vietnam should establish a national-level aerospace agency to coordinate development rather than rely on the current committee-level body. He also urged the government to treat the space economy as one of Vietnam's five key development areas, alongside land, sea, air, and cyberspace.

"The global space economy is expected to be worth $1.4 trillion by 2030," he said. "Top tech billionaires are investing heavily in the field. It is time to view aerospace not just as a strategic technology, but as a potential economic driver."