NASA Salary by Job Type in 2026: Engineers, Scientists, and Support Staff
NASA salary by job type in 2026: engineers, scientists, and support staff
Every NASA civil servant — from mechanical engineers to research scientists to IT specialists — is paid on the same General Schedule (GS) pay scale. But the grade you enter at, how fast you advance, and the locality pay you receive vary significantly by job type, series, and location. Here's how salary works across NASA's major job categories.
Salary by engineering discipline
NASA classifies engineering positions by OPM job series. The most common at NASA:
The key insight: at the same GS grade, all engineers earn the same salary regardless of discipline. A GS-13 mechanical engineer earns the same as a GS-13 aerospace engineer at the same location and step. The difference isn't in the salary — it's in the entry grade and promotion speed. Aerospace engineers often enter at GS-7 or GS-9 and can advance to GS-13 within 5-7 years through the "career ladder" mechanism.
From our database of current NASA listings, aerospace engineers at the GS-14/GS-15 level earn $154K-$197K with locality pay.
Scientist vs. engineer pay
NASA research scientists (job series 1301 — Physical Scientist; 1310 — Physics; 1320 — Chemistry; 1340 — Meteorology) are on the same GS scale as engineers:
| Role | Series | Typical Entry Grade | Mid-Career Grade | Senior Grade |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aerospace Engineer | 0861 | GS-7/9 | GS-13 | GS-14/15 |
| Mechanical Engineer | 0830 | GS-7/9 | GS-13 | GS-14/15 |
| Research Scientist | 1301 | GS-9/11 | GS-13 | GS-14/15 |
| IT Specialist | 2210 | GS-7/9 | GS-12/13 | GS-14 |
| Budget Analyst | 0560 | GS-7/9 | GS-12/13 | GS-13/14 |
| Admin Specialist | 0301 | GS-5/7 | GS-9/11 | GS-12/13 |
Scientists with PhDs typically enter at GS-11, giving them a head start on the pay scale. But the GS-15 ceiling ($197,200) applies to everyone equally. Research scientists at NASA centers like Goddard (GSFC) and Ames sometimes reach ST (Scientific and Technical) positions above the GS scale, but these are rare — roughly 10-20 across the entire agency.
Locality pay makes a huge difference
The same GS-13 Step 5 position pays vastly different amounts depending on location:
| NASA Center | Location | GS-13 Step 5 | Locality Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| JPL/Armstrong | Los Angeles area | $132,000 | 35.78% |
| JSC | Houston | $130,000 | 35.09% |
| GSFC | DC Metro | $133,000 | 33.94% |
| KSC | Cape Canaveral | $119,000 | 22.10% |
| MSFC | Huntsville | $119,000 | 24.45% |
| Glenn | Cleveland | $121,000 | 24.07% |
| Stennis | Mississippi | $114,000 | 17.88% |
That's a $19,000 difference between the highest and lowest locality pay for the exact same grade and step. Houston and LA-area centers pay the most; smaller centers in the Southeast pay less but have dramatically lower housing costs.
$197,200. That's the cap for GS-15 Step 10, even in the highest-locality areas. Unlike the private sector, where senior aerospace engineers at SpaceX or Northrop can earn $220K-$300K+, NASA civil servants hit a hard ceiling. The trade-off is federal benefits: FERS pension (1% × years × high-3 salary), TSP with 5% match, health insurance into retirement, and non-expiring sick leave. A NASA engineer who retires after 30 years at the GS-15 level receives a pension of roughly $59,000/year for life, plus TSP savings.
Current NASA hiring
NASA currently lists 19 active positions across multiple centers:
| Center | Roles | Sample Titles |
|---|---|---|
| Houston (JSC) | 4 | Aerospace Engineer, Director Center Ops |
| Huntsville (MSFC) | 4 | Aerospace Engineer, IT Specialist |
| Kennedy Space Center | 2 | General Engineer, Quality Specialist |
| Stennis Space Center | 2 | AST Technical Management, Chief Engineer |
| Hampton (Langley) | 1 | Director Engineering Directorate |
| Edwards AFB (Armstrong) | 2 | Electrical Engineer, Electronics Tech |
| Multiple Locations | 3 | Student Trainee programs |
The Student Trainee positions (Pathways Program) are worth noting — they're the primary pipeline for new graduates into NASA civil servant roles, offering GS-3 through GS-7 entry with a direct conversion path to full-time GS employment upon graduation.
NASA vs. private sector salary comparison
| Experience Level | NASA (GS) | SpaceX | Northrop Grumman |
|---|---|---|---|
| Entry (0-3 years) | $51K-$78K (GS-7/9) | $95K-$130K | $79K-$119K |
| Mid (5-10 years) | $108K-$141K (GS-13) | $133K-$175K | $118K-$176K |
| Senior (10-15 years) | $128K-$170K (GS-14) | $160K-$220K | $144K-$217K |
| Staff/Lead (15+ years) | $152K-$197K (GS-15) | $180K-$270K | $160K-$240K |
NASA consistently pays 15-30% below private sector equivalents at senior levels. The gap widens as you advance because the federal pay cap constrains the top of the range. Engineers who want to maximize earnings leave NASA after 5-10 years; engineers who value stability, benefits, and mission stay.
Browse all NASA positions on Zero G Talent. For GS pay scale details, see our NASA GS pay scale guide. For astronaut pay specifically, see how much does an astronaut make. For private sector comparisons, see our SpaceX salary guide or Northrop Grumman salary breakdown.
