NASA engineer salary in 2026: GS pay scale by grade and location
NASA engineers are paid on the federal General Schedule (GS) scale with locality adjustments that vary significantly by center. The 2026 tables include a 1% across-the-board increase from January 2026. Here are exact salaries by grade and NASA center location.
2026 GS salary table — Houston (Johnson Space Center)
Houston-The Woodlands locality pay: 35.00%
| Grade | Step 1 | Step 10 | Typical NASA Role |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-7 | $58,193 | $75,653 | Entry (BS degree) |
| GS-9 | $71,181 | $92,541 | Entry (MS) or 1yr at GS-7 |
| GS-11 | $86,123 | $111,966 | Mid-level engineer |
| GS-12 | $103,225 | $134,195 | Journey-level engineer |
| GS-13 | $122,749 | $159,575 | Senior/lead engineer |
| GS-14 | $145,052 | $188,573 | Branch chief / senior technical |
| GS-15 | $170,618 | $197,200 | Division chief (capped at Exec Level IV) |
2026 GS salary — Huntsville (Marshall Space Flight Center)
Huntsville-Decatur locality pay: 21.91%
| Grade | Step 1 | Step 10 |
|---|---|---|
| GS-7 | $52,551 | $68,317 |
| GS-9 | $64,279 | $83,568 |
| GS-11 | $77,772 | $101,110 |
| GS-12 | $93,216 | $121,183 |
| GS-13 | $110,847 | $144,102 |
| GS-14 | $130,987 | $170,289 |
| GS-15 | $154,075 | $197,200 |
2026 GS salary — Washington DC (Headquarters / Goddard)
Washington-Baltimore locality pay: 33.94%
| Grade | Step 1 | Step 10 |
|---|---|---|
| GS-7 | $57,736 | $75,059 |
| GS-9 | $70,623 | $91,815 |
| GS-11 | $85,447 | $111,087 |
| GS-12 | $102,415 | $133,142 |
| GS-13 | $121,785 | $158,322 |
| GS-14 | $143,913 | $187,093 |
| GS-15 | $169,279 | $197,200 |
Career progression
Entry: BS graduates enter at GS-7; MS at GS-9; PhD at GS-11.
Automatic ladder: Positions below GS-13 generally have promotion potential to GS-13 without recompeting. After 1 year in grade at each level, engineers advance: GS-7 → GS-9 → GS-11 → GS-12 → GS-13. The GS-7 to GS-13 climb takes approximately 4–5 years.
Competitive promotions: GS-14 and GS-15 require applying to specific vacancy announcements.
Step increases within grade: Steps 1→3 (1 year each), Steps 4→6 (2 years each), Steps 7→9 (3 years each). Full progression from Step 1 to Step 10 takes approximately 18 years.
A GS-13 Step 5 at Houston earns ~$140K. A comparable engineer at SpaceX earns $150K–$180K base plus significant equity. NASA has publicly acknowledged difficulty competing on salary with companies like SpaceX and Blue Origin. The compensation advantage is in benefits: FERS pension, TSP with 5% match, federal job security, work-life balance (4.0/5 Glassdoor), and mission access that doesn't exist in the private sector.
Benefits that offset lower base pay
- FERS pension: ~1% of high-3 average salary per year of service (30 years = 30% of final salary, annually, for life)
- TSP (401k equivalent): 5% automatic match + additional contributions
- Health insurance: FEHB with employer covering ~70% of premiums
- Paid leave: 13–26 days annual leave (increasing with tenure) + 13 sick days
- Student loan repayment: Up to $10K/year for qualifying positions
- Work-life balance: NASA Glassdoor WLB rating is 4.0/5, compared to SpaceX's 2.4/5
Over a 30-year career, a NASA engineer's total compensation (salary + pension + TSP + health) can exceed private sector equivalents despite lower base pay, especially when accounting for job security during industry downturns.
Browse NASA positions on Zero G Talent, or see our NASA careers guide, NASA jobs guide, and astronaut salary guide. For private sector comparison, check our aerospace engineer salary guide, Lockheed Martin engineer salary, or SpaceX careers.
