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Lockheed Martin aerospace engineer salary in 2026: pay by program and location
By Zero G Talent•
Lockheed Martin aerospace engineer salary in 2026: pay by program and location
$80K–$185K+
Aerospace Eng Range
$113K
Median TC
E1–E6
Engineering Levels
Lockheed Martin aerospace engineers — working on Orion, GPS III, missile defense, and the F-35 — earn $80,000–$185,000+ in base salary with a median total compensation around $113,000. Here's how pay varies by program, level, and location.
Salary by level (aerospace discipline)
| Level | Title | Base Salary | With Bonus + 401(k) |
|---|---|---|---|
| E1 | Associate Aerospace Eng | $80,000–$102,000 | $91K–$118K |
| E2 | Aerospace Engineer | $92,000–$118,000 | $105K–$136K |
| E3 | Senior Aerospace Eng | $108,000–$135,000 | $124K–$157K |
| E4 | Staff Aerospace Eng | $125,000–$155,000 | $143K–$179K |
| E5 | Senior Staff | $140,000–$175,000 | $160K–$202K |
| E6 | Principal | $155,000–$185,000+ | $178K–$215K+ |
Aerospace engineers average ~$7K annual bonus — the highest among LM engineering disciplines.
Pay by major program
| Program | Division | Key Location | Typical Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| F-35 Lightning II | Aeronautics | Fort Worth, TX | E2–E5 |
| Orion Spacecraft | Space | Denver, CO | E2–E5 |
| GPS III/IIIF | Space | Denver, CO | E3–E5 |
| THAAD Missile Defense | MFC | Huntsville, AL | E3–E5 |
| LM 400 Satellite Bus | Space | Sunnyvale, CA | E2–E4 |
| Sikorsky Helicopters | RMS | Stratford, CT | E2–E5 |
Location impact
| Location | State Tax | Cost of Living | Advantage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fort Worth, TX | 0% | Moderate | Best take-home |
| Huntsville, AL | 5% | Low | Highest purchasing power |
| Denver, CO | 4.4% | Moderate-high | Space HQ, most opportunities |
| Orlando, FL | 0% | Moderate | Good balance |
| Sunnyvale, CA | 9.3%+ | Very high | Highest base, lowest net |
An E3 earning $120K in Huntsville has roughly equivalent purchasing power to $165K in Sunnyvale due to cost of living and tax differences.
For the full discipline comparison (software vs aerospace vs mechanical vs systems), see our LM engineer salary guide. For total compensation analysis, see our LM total comp breakdown.
Browse Lockheed Martin positions on Zero G Talent, or see our LM careers guide.
