Salary of a NASA engineer in 2026
NASA employs approximately 8,000 engineers across 10 centers. All are paid on the federal General Schedule with locality adjustments.
By the numbers
| What You Want to Know | Answer |
|---|---|
| Entry salary (bachelor's) | $52,000–$58,000 |
| Entry salary (master's) | $64,000–$71,000 |
| Mid-career (GS-12) | $93,000–$116,000 |
| Senior (GS-13/14) | $110,000–$155,000 |
| Maximum possible | $197,200 (GS-15 cap) |
| Median engineer salary | ~$108,000 |
What makes NASA engineer pay different
Predictable raises — Step increases are automatic (Step 1→2 after 1 year, 2→3 after 1 year, then every 2-3 years). You don't negotiate raises.
Locality pay is fixed — You can't negotiate your locality adjustment. Moving from Huntsville (+22%) to Houston (+35%) gives you an instant 10%+ raise for the same grade/step.
Grade promotions matter most — Each grade jump is approximately 15-20% more pay. Switching from GS-12 to GS-13 in Houston takes you from ~$103K to ~$122K.
The GS-15 ceiling — No matter which center you're at, GS-15 salary with locality caps at $197,200. This is the same whether you're at Ames (44% locality) or Stennis (18% locality) — the cap compresses high-locality pay.
NASA contractors (Jacobs, KBR, SAIC, Leidos) often offer 10-20% higher base salary for equivalent work, but without the FERS pension, federal job security, or the same leave benefits. Many mid-career engineers switch between NASA and contractor roles depending on their career priorities.
For the complete pay tables, see our NASA engineer salary guide. Browse NASA positions on Zero G Talent.
