Aerospace engineer salary at NASA: 2026 pay breakdown

Aerospace engineers are NASA's core technical workforce — they design spacecraft, analyze launch vehicles, develop mission trajectories, and build the systems that explore the solar system. NASA classifies all aerospace engineers (both aeronautical and astronautical) under the 0861 series on the federal General Schedule.

This guide breaks down exact salary numbers by grade, center, and career stage for aerospace engineers at NASA in 2026.

Salary by grade and step

The General Schedule has 15 grades (GS-1 through GS-15) with 10 steps each. Aerospace engineers typically enter at GS-7 (BS) or GS-9 (MS) and can progress to GS-15 over a 15-20 year career.

Entry through senior levels

Grade	Step 1 Base	Step 10 Base	With DC Locality (Step 5)	Typical Role
GS-5	$33,906	$44,078	$47,831	Student trainee/co-op
GS-7	$39,576	$51,454	$52,912	New grad (BS), Pathways
GS-9	$48,440	$62,972	$64,764	New grad (MS), early career
GS-11	$58,686	$76,290	$78,459	Early career engineer
GS-12	$70,312	$91,406	$93,996	Journey-level engineer
GS-13	$83,622	$108,710	$111,792	Senior engineer, technical lead
GS-14	$98,820	$128,466	$132,103	Branch head, chief engineer
GS-15	$116,200	$151,060	$155,332	Division chief, senior technical fellow

The GS-15 Step 10 salary cannot exceed the Executive Schedule Level IV cap, which is $197,200 in 2026. This cap affects high-locality areas where the calculated pay would otherwise exceed this limit.

Step progression

Within each grade, employees advance one step roughly every 1-3 years:

• Steps 1→4: 1 year between each step
• Steps 4→7: 2 years between each step
• Steps 7→10: 3 years between each step

Grade progression

Standard aerospace engineer career ladder at NASA:

• GS-7 → GS-11: Automatic progression (ladder position), happens over 2-3 years without competition
• GS-11 → GS-12: Usually automatic (full performance level for most positions)
• GS-12 → GS-13: May require competitive application depending on the center and organization
• GS-13 → GS-14: Always competitive — requires supervisory/leadership role or equivalent technical distinction
• GS-14 → GS-15: Senior leadership or NASA Technical Fellow designation

Locality pay by NASA center

Locality adjustments are the biggest variable in NASA pay. The same GS-13 Step 5 position pays very differently depending on where you work:

NASA Center	Location	Locality %	GS-13 Step 5	Cost of Living
Ames	Moffett Field, CA	44.15%	$128,911	Very high
JPL*	Pasadena, CA	35.15%	$120,854	Very high
Goddard	Greenbelt, MD	33.94%	$119,773	High
Johnson	Houston, TX	35.00%	$120,720	Moderate
Armstrong	Edwards, CA	35.15%	$120,854	Low-moderate
Kennedy	Cape Canaveral, FL	23.89%	$110,798	Moderate
Marshall	Huntsville, AL	21.91%	$109,027	Low
Glenn	Cleveland, OH	22.90%	$109,913	Low-moderate
Langley	Hampton, VA	26.03%	$112,709	Moderate
Stennis	Bay St. Louis, MS	20.15%	$107,454	Low

*JPL employees are Caltech employees, not civil servants. Their pay is separate from the GS system.

Best purchasing power

Paradoxically, the highest salary doesn't give the best purchasing power. NASA Armstrong (Edwards, CA) offers a high locality adjustment in an area with Antelope Valley cost of living — significantly lower than the Bay Area or DC. Similarly, Johnson Space Center in Houston offers strong locality pay in a moderate-cost metro.

The worst purchasing power is typically Ames (high locality but extreme Bay Area housing costs) and Goddard (DC-area housing).

Aerospace engineering specialties at NASA

NASA's aerospace engineers span diverse technical areas:

Specialty	Centers	Typical Work
Structures & materials	Langley, GSFC, Marshall	Spacecraft structures, composites, thermal protection
Propulsion	Glenn, Marshall, Stennis	Rocket engines, in-space propulsion, green propellants
GN&C	JSC, GSFC, JPL*	Guidance algorithms, attitude control, trajectory design
Aerodynamics/aerothermodynamics	Langley, Ames, Armstrong	CFD, wind tunnels, entry heating
Systems engineering	All centers	Mission architecture, requirements, integration
Flight operations	JSC, GSFC	Mission control, flight dynamics, real-time ops
Thermal	GSFC, JPL*, JSC	Spacecraft thermal control, heat pipes, radiators
Avionics/C&DH	GSFC, JSC	Flight computers, command & data handling

NASA vs private sector compensation

Direct salary comparison (mid-career, ~8 years)

Employer	Base Salary	Bonus/Stock	Total Comp	Hours/Week
NASA (GS-13, Houston)	$105K–$125K	N/A	$105K–$125K + pension	40
SpaceX	$130K–$170K	RSU equity	$200K–$300K	50-60
Boeing	$110K–$145K	5-10% bonus	$120K–$160K	40-45
Lockheed Martin	$105K–$140K	5-10% bonus	$115K–$155K	40-45
Blue Origin	$120K–$160K	RSU equity	$160K–$220K	45-50

Why NASA wins on total lifetime value

Despite lower annual salary, NASA's benefits create compelling long-term value:

• FERS pension: After 30 years at an average high-3 salary of $140K, the annual pension is approximately $42,000/year for life (with COLA)
• TSP: With 5% match and 30 years of investing, a TSP balance of $800K-$1.5M is realistic
• Job security: Federal employees have strong protections; layoffs are rare outside RIF events
• Work-life balance: 40-hour weeks are the genuine norm at most centers
• Healthcare in retirement: FEHB coverage continues into retirement at the same cost share

When you model total lifetime compensation (salary + pension + TSP + healthcare + job security), NASA is competitive with private sector employers for engineers who value stability and work-life balance over maximum current income.

Browse NASA positions on Zero G Talent, or see our aeronautical engineer salary at NASA and NASA salary overview.