# Lockheed Martin Starting Pay: E1 & Intern Rates

**Author:** Zero G Talent
**Published:** 2026-02-28
**Category:** salary-guides
**Tags:** lockheed-martin, salary, entry-level, internship, career-guide

[Read on Zero G Talent](https://zerogtalent.com/blog/lockheed-martin-starting-pay-2026)

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# Lockheed Martin starting pay in 2026

<div class="blog-stats">
  <div class="blog-stat">
    <div class="blog-stat-value">$65K–$90K</div>
    <div class="blog-stat-label">Entry Engineer (E1)</div>
  </div>
  <div class="blog-stat">
    <div class="blog-stat-value">$23–$35/hr</div>
    <div class="blog-stat-label">Intern Pay</div>
  </div>
  <div class="blog-stat">
    <div class="blog-stat-value">10% 401(k)</div>
    <div class="blog-stat-label">From Day One</div>
  </div>
</div>

Starting pay at Lockheed Martin depends on your role type, degree level, and location. Here's what new hires can expect.

## Starting salary by education

| Education | Typical Level | Starting Salary |
|-----------|--------------|----------------|
| High school diploma | Technician | $40,000–$55,000 |
| Associate's degree | Technician / E1 | $45,000–$65,000 |
| Bachelor's (engineering) | E1 | $65,000–$85,000 |
| Master's (engineering) | E1–E2 | $75,000–$95,000 |
| PhD | E2–E3 | $90,000–$115,000 |

## Starting pay by location

The same E1 role pays differently depending on cost of living:

| Location | E1 Engineer Starting | Cost of Living |
|----------|---------------------|----------------|
| Fort Worth, TX | $68,000–$80,000 | Low (no state tax) |
| Orlando, FL | $65,000–$78,000 | Low-moderate (no state tax) |
| Denver, CO | $72,000–$85,000 | Moderate |
| Sunnyvale, CA | $82,000–$95,000 | High |
| DC Metro (Bethesda) | $78,000–$90,000 | High |

## Intern pay

LM interns are paid hourly, well above federal minimum:

| Intern Level | Hourly Rate | Monthly (~160 hrs) |
|-------------|-------------|-------------------|
| Undergraduate | $23–$28/hr | $3,680–$4,480 |
| Graduate | $28–$35/hr | $4,480–$5,600 |

Interns also receive some benefits: housing stipend (varies by location), and access to the intern program network.

<div class="blog-callout blog-callout-info">
  <div class="blog-callout-title">The 10% 401(k) starts immediately</div>
  <p>LM's 6% match + 4% automatic contribution kicks in from your first day. On a $75K starting salary, that's $7,500/year in free retirement money — one of the best starting benefits in the defense industry.</p>
</div>

## How fast does pay grow?

Most E1 engineers reach E2 within 2-3 years and E3 within 4-6 years. Each level jump is roughly 15-20% more pay. An E1 starting at $75K can expect $90K+ at E2 and $105K+ at E3.

See our [LM engineer salary guide](/blog/lockheed-martin-engineer-salary-2026) and [LM careers overview](/blog/lockheed-martin-careers-2026). Browse [Lockheed Martin positions on Zero G Talent](/space-jobs-at-lockheed-martin).


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*Source: [Zero G Talent](https://zerogtalent.com), the job board for space, defense, AI, robotics and frontier-tech companies.*