Salary of an aerospace engineer in NASA: 2026 quick reference
$58K–$197K
Range
$115K
Typical Mid-Career
Federal
GS Pay Scale
NASA aerospace engineers earn between $58,000 (GS-7 entry) and $197,200 (GS-15 cap). Most mid-career engineers sit at GS-12 or GS-13, earning $100K-$135K with locality pay.
Salary at a glance
| Career Stage | Grade | Salary with Locality |
|---|---|---|
| New grad (BS) | GS-7 | $52K–$58K |
| New grad (MS) | GS-9 | $64K–$71K |
| 3-5 years | GS-11/12 | $77K–$108K |
| 5-10 years | GS-12/13 | $93K–$135K |
| 10-15 years | GS-13/14 | $110K–$155K |
| 15+ years | GS-14/15 | $130K–$197K |
Ranges reflect low-locality centers (Stennis, 18%) to high-locality centers (Ames, 44%).
Top-paying centers for aerospace engineers
- Ames Research Center — Silicon Valley locality (44%), highest raw salary
- JPL — Pasadena locality (37%), managed by Caltech
- Johnson Space Center — Houston locality (35%) + no TX state tax = best take-home
- Goddard Space Flight Center — DC area locality (34%)
Total compensation
Federal benefits add roughly $25K-$40K in value beyond salary:
- FERS pension (~1% × years × high-3 salary)
- TSP with 5% employer match
- FEHB health insurance (government covers ~75%)
- 13-26 days annual leave + 13 days sick leave
- 9/80 work schedule at most centers
For detailed tables, see our NASA engineer salary guide and NASA aerospace engineer salary. Browse NASA positions on Zero G Talent.
