Northrop Grumman Salary in 2026: What They Pay Across 854 Open Roles
Northrop Grumman salary in 2026: what they pay across 854 open roles
Northrop Grumman is the second-largest defense contractor in the U.S. by revenue and one of the biggest employers in the space industry. With 854 active job listings and 780 of them reporting salary data, there's enough information to break down exactly what Northrop Grumman pays — by role, location, and experience level.
The average Northrop Grumman salary across all current listings falls between $107,000 and $162,000. That range reflects a company that hires everyone from entry-level technicians to F-35 program directors pulling $377,000. Here's how it breaks down.
Salary by role category
From our database of active Northrop Grumman job listings with salary data:
The highest-paid current listing is an F-35 Program Director position in Palmdale, California at $251,500-$377,300. The consulting engineer and director-level roles in El Segundo and Palmdale regularly clear $300,000. Test pilots at Edwards AFB and Baltimore earn $204,500-$321,200.
For engineers earlier in their careers, Northrop Grumman's entry-level positions start around $70,000-$85,000, with mid-career engineers (5-10 years) typically falling in the $110,000-$160,000 range. These numbers generally track with or slightly above other defense primes like Lockheed Martin and Boeing, though commercial space companies like SpaceX may pay higher at the senior individual contributor level when equity is included.
Where Northrop Grumman hires
Northrop Grumman's job distribution reveals which locations dominate:
| Location | Active Roles | Key Programs |
|---|---|---|
| Melbourne, FL | 108 | Space sector HQ, satellites, James Webb heritage |
| Roy, UT | 84 | Sentinel ICBM, strategic deterrence |
| Rocket Center, WV | 48 | Propulsion, solid rocket motors |
| Aurora, CO | 28 | Classified space programs |
| Redondo Beach, CA | 26 | Space systems, satellites |
| Chandler, AZ | 24 | Missile defense, hypersonics |
| Baltimore, MD | 23 | Mission systems, autonomous |
| El Segundo, CA | 20 | Space, missile defense |
| Huntsville, AL | 20 | SLS, missile defense |
| Woodland Hills, CA | 20 | Navigation, sensors |
Melbourne, Florida is the clear leader with 108 open roles. That's Northrop's Space sector headquarters, where they build satellites, sensors, and space systems. If you want to work on Northrop Grumman's space programs specifically, Melbourne is the primary location to target.
Roy, Utah comes in second with 84 positions, heavily concentrated on the Sentinel ICBM replacement program — the largest ICBM modernization effort in decades, worth over $96 billion.
Location significantly affects your Northrop Grumman salary due to locality adjustments. The same role in Redondo Beach, CA pays 15-25% more than in Roy, UT or Melbourne, FL — but California's cost of living and state income tax often eat the difference. For take-home pay, Huntsville, AL and Melbourne, FL are among the best value locations.
What Northrop Grumman hires for
The top hiring categories across all 854 active listings:
| Category | Open Roles | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Business & Finance | 205 | 24% |
| Aerospace Engineering | 200 | 23% |
| Software | 145 | 17% |
| Mechanical | 70 | 8% |
| Technician | 51 | 6% |
| Electrical | 51 | 6% |
| Supply Chain | 43 | 5% |
| Manufacturing | 41 | 5% |
| Avionics | 27 | 3% |
| Operations | 11 | 1% |
Aerospace engineering and business/finance roles are nearly tied at the top. The software category is strong at 17%, reflecting Northrop Grumman's growing need for embedded systems, mission software, and autonomy engineers. The company's JADC2 (Joint All-Domain Command and Control) and autonomous systems work in Baltimore drives much of the software demand.
Employment types skew heavily toward full-time permanent positions (658 roles, 77%), with 165 contract positions (19%) and 29 internships (3%).
Benefits and compensation beyond salary
Northrop Grumman's total compensation package includes several notable components:
Retirement: 401(k) with company match up to 6% of salary. They also offer a defined-contribution pension plan (DCPP) for eligible employees, which adds an additional company contribution — making the total retirement contribution competitive with the best in the defense industry.
Bonus: Annual performance bonuses ranging from 5-15% of base salary depending on level and company performance. Directors and above can see larger percentages.
Education: Tuition reimbursement up to $10,000 per year for graduate programs. The company runs the Pathways program for early-career hires and has partnerships with several universities.
Clearance premium: The majority of Northrop Grumman roles require or prefer a security clearance. Employees with active TS/SCI clearance can command $10,000-$25,000 more than equivalent non-cleared positions across the defense industry. Northrop sponsors clearances for qualifying candidates.
Health and PTO: Comprehensive medical/dental/vision, 15-25 days PTO depending on tenure, 9/80 schedule available at many sites (every other Friday off).
How Northrop Grumman salary compares
Here's how Northrop Grumman stacks up against other major defense and space employers:
| Company | Active Jobs | Avg Salary Range | Top End |
|---|---|---|---|
| Northrop Grumman | 854 | $107K–$162K | $377K |
| SpaceX | 1,569 | $89K–$114K | $280K |
| Boeing | 284 | $82K–$115K | $222K |
| Sierra Space | 134 | $107K–$147K | $329K |
Northrop Grumman's average is among the highest in the industry, though this is partly because a larger share of their roles are senior-level engineering positions requiring clearances. SpaceX's lower average reflects their high volume of technician and entry-level positions. When comparing equivalent senior engineering roles, the companies are closer.
Security clearance and what it means for pay
A security clearance is effectively a salary multiplier at Northrop Grumman. The company is one of the largest cleared employers in the United States, and clearance holders are in persistent short supply across the defense industry.
Clearance levels relevant to Northrop Grumman positions:
- Secret — Required for most engineering roles. Processing takes 3-6 months.
- Top Secret — Required for sensitive programs (satellites, missile defense). Processing takes 6-12 months.
- TS/SCI — Required for signals intelligence and classified space work. Most competitive salary premiums.
If you're a U.S. citizen with a clean background, Northrop Grumman will sponsor your clearance. But they won't start the process for candidates who seem likely to leave before it completes. Demonstrating commitment to defense work and a multi-year career plan matters during the interview.
Interview process
Northrop Grumman's hiring timeline averages 3-5 weeks for positions that don't require a clearance investigation, extending to several months if clearance processing is needed.
The typical process:
- Online application — Apply through northropgrumman.com/careers. Resume keyword matching matters; the ATS filters aggressively
- Recruiter phone screen — 30 minutes, basic qualifications and interest assessment
- Technical interview — Phone or video, 1-2 rounds depending on role. Expect domain-specific questions (orbital mechanics for space roles, signal processing for sensors, etc.)
- Behavioral panel — STAR format questions about teamwork, problem-solving, and handling classified information
- Offer and clearance — Conditional offer, then clearance investigation begins if applicable
The company uses a structured interview rubric similar to other large defense contractors. Prepare concrete examples of project work, especially anything involving systems engineering, cross-functional teamwork, or working within strict requirements.
Frequently asked questions
What is the starting salary at Northrop Grumman? Entry-level engineers typically start between $70,000 and $85,000 depending on discipline, location, and degree level. Software engineers tend to start slightly higher than mechanical or aerospace engineers at the same experience level.
Does Northrop Grumman pay well compared to tech companies? For equivalent software engineering roles, Northrop Grumman pays below major tech companies (Amazon, Google, Microsoft) by 20-40%. However, work-life balance is generally better, job security is higher, and the benefits package (pension contributions, 9/80 schedule) compensates partially. The gap is smaller for hardware engineering roles.
Is the 9/80 schedule available at all Northrop Grumman locations? Most Northrop Grumman sites offer a 9/80 schedule (every other Friday off), though it depends on the program and manager. Some classified programs have stricter schedule requirements. Ask about schedule flexibility during the interview.
Start your search
Browse all 854 active Northrop Grumman positions on Zero G Talent, or filter by location — Florida, Utah, or California. For salary comparisons across the industry, see our aerospace engineer salary guide or space engineering salary guide.
