# NASA jobs pay in 2026: what every position earns

**Author:** Zero G Talent
**Published:** 2026-02-28
**Category:** salary-guides
**Tags:** nasa, salary, aerospace, space, career-guide

[Read on Zero G Talent](https://zerogtalent.com/blog/nasa-jobs-pay-2026)

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# NASA jobs pay in 2026: what every position earns

<div class="blog-stats">
  <div class="blog-stat">
    <div class="blog-stat-value">$38K–$222K</div>
    <div class="blog-stat-label">Full Range</div>
  </div>
  <div class="blog-stat">
    <div class="blog-stat-value">~18,000</div>
    <div class="blog-stat-label">Civil Servants</div>
  </div>
  <div class="blog-stat">
    <div class="blog-stat-value">GS + SES</div>
    <div class="blog-stat-label">Pay Systems</div>
  </div>
</div>

NASA employs approximately 18,000 civil servants across 10 centers. Pay varies widely by job type, grade, and location.

## Pay by job type

| Position | Typical Grade | Salary Range (with locality) |
|----------|--------------|------------------------------|
| Administrative support | GS-5 to GS-9 | $38,000–$72,000 |
| Technician | GS-7 to GS-11 | $50,000–$90,000 |
| Engineer | GS-7 to GS-15 | $58,000–$197,000 |
| Scientist | GS-9 to GS-15 | $65,000–$197,000 |
| Astronaut | GS-13 to GS-14 | $116,000–$155,000 |
| Flight director | GS-14 to GS-15 | $135,000–$197,000 |
| Center director | SES | $147,000–$222,000 |

## Highest-paying NASA centers

Due to locality pay adjustments, the same grade pays differently depending on where you work:

| Center | Locality % | Best For |
|--------|-----------|----------|
| Ames Research Center (CA) | 44.15% | Highest raw pay |
| JPL (Pasadena, CA) | 37.08% | Robotics, planetary science |
| JSC (Houston, TX) | 35.00% | Best take-home (no state tax) |
| GSFC (Greenbelt, MD) | 33.94% | Earth science, satellites |

For engineers specifically, JSC in Houston offers the best purchasing power: high locality pay (35%) combined with zero Texas state income tax.

## Contractor vs. civil servant

About 60,000 contractors support NASA alongside the 18,000 civil servants. Contractors (through companies like Jacobs, KBR, SAIC) often earn 10-20% more in base salary but receive weaker benefits — no FERS pension, no federal job security.

See our [complete NASA salary guide](/blog/salary-for-nasa-2026) and [NASA engineer salary breakdown](/blog/nasa-engineer-salary-2026). Browse [NASA positions on Zero G Talent](/space-jobs-at-nasa).


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