Aerospace engineering salary at NASA in 2026
$58K–$197K
GS Pay Range
GS-7 to GS-15
Engineer Grades
+16–44%
Locality Adjustment
NASA aerospace engineers are paid on the federal General Schedule (GS). Salary depends on your grade, step, and which of NASA's 10 centers you work at.
Pay by grade
| Grade | Base Salary | With Houston Locality (+35%) | Typical Role |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-7 | $42,898 | $57,912 | Entry (bachelor's) |
| GS-9 | $52,490 | $70,862 | Entry (master's) |
| GS-11 | $63,526 | $85,760 | Early career |
| GS-12 | $76,148 | $102,800 | Mid-career |
| GS-13 | $90,568 | $122,258 | Senior engineer |
| GS-14 | $107,015 | $144,470 | Lead / branch head |
| GS-15 | $125,874 | $169,914 | Division chief (capped at $197,200) |
Each grade has 10 steps with ~3% increases between steps. You advance one step roughly every 1-3 years.
Locality pay by center
NASA centers in higher cost-of-living areas pay more through locality adjustments:
| Center | Locality % | GS-12 Step 5 |
|---|---|---|
| Ames (Silicon Valley) | +44.15% | $115,800 |
| JPL (Pasadena) | +37.08% | $110,100 |
| JSC (Houston) | +35.00% | $108,400 |
| GSFC (DC area) | +33.94% | $107,600 |
| MSFC (Huntsville) | +21.91% | $97,900 |
| Stennis (Mississippi) | +18.41% | $95,100 |
| KSC (Florida) | +19.75% | $96,200 |
Key programs hiring aerospace engineers
- Artemis — Human landing system, SLS, Orion (JSC, KSC, MSFC)
- X-59 QueSST — Supersonic research aircraft (Armstrong)
- Mars Sample Return — Robotic missions (JPL)
- Aeronautics research — Advanced Air Mobility, supersonic flight (Langley, Glenn)
How this compares to private sector
NASA GS-12/13 engineers earn $100K-$125K in Houston. SpaceX pays $120K-$180K+ for similar experience, but with 60-80 hour weeks vs NASA's standard 40-hour weeks and federal benefits (FERS pension, TSP with 5% match, FEHB health insurance).
See our NASA engineer salary guide for a full breakdown, or browse NASA positions on Zero G Talent.
