NASA salary for aerospace engineer in 2026
$58K–$197K
Salary Range
GS-7 to GS-15
Grade Range
0861 Series
OPM Job Series
Aerospace engineers at NASA fall under the 0861 job series. They work on everything from launch vehicles (SLS) to planetary rovers (Mars missions) to aeronautics research (X-59 QueSST).
Salary by grade and experience
| Grade | Experience | Base + Houston Locality | Base + Huntsville Locality |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-7 | 0-1 years | $57,900 | $52,300 |
| GS-9 | 1-3 years | $70,900 | $64,000 |
| GS-11 | 2-4 years | $85,800 | $77,400 |
| GS-12 | 4-8 years | $102,800 | $92,800 |
| GS-13 | 8-15 years | $122,300 | $110,400 |
| GS-14 | 12-20 years | $144,500 | $130,400 |
| GS-15 | 15+ years | $169,900 | $153,400 |
Entry grade depends on education: bachelor's starts at GS-7, master's at GS-9, PhD at GS-11.
Where NASA hires the most aerospace engineers
| Center | Programs | Focus Area |
|---|---|---|
| JSC (Houston) | Artemis, Orion, ISS | Human spaceflight |
| MSFC (Huntsville) | SLS, propulsion | Launch vehicles |
| KSC (Florida) | Launch operations, EGS | Ground systems |
| JPL (Pasadena) | Mars rovers, Europa Clipper | Planetary exploration |
| Langley (Virginia) | X-59, aeronautics | Atmospheric research |
| Glenn (Cleveland) | In-space propulsion, power | Electric propulsion |
Pathways program for new grads
NASA's Pathways Recent Graduates program is the primary hiring pipeline for entry-level engineers. It converts interns and recent graduates into permanent GS positions. Applications typically open in fall for the following year's cohort.
For the full breakdown with all locality adjustments and benefits, see our NASA engineer salary guide. Browse NASA positions on Zero G Talent.
