How much does NASA pay?
As of Nov 6, 2026, 102 of the 114 open jobs NASA has on Alion state a salary. The median is $138k a year, and the middle half pays $112k to $181k. The best-paid open role is Group Supervisor I/II - Mechanical Structures & Articulation (352C) at $273k.
NASA pay by level
| Level | Jobs | Median | Typical range |
|---|---|---|---|
| Middle | 46 | $139k | $126k – $159k |
| Senior | 17 | $215k | $158k – $227k |
| Junior | 10 | $114k | $112k – $117k |
| Staff+ | 8 | $185k | $159k – $224k |
| Lead | 4 | $84k | $84k – $197k |
NASA pay by role
| Role | Jobs | Median | Typical range |
|---|---|---|---|
| Industrial Engineering | 18 | $141k | $130k – $173k |
| Science & Research | 15 | $84k | $84k |
| Hardware | 14 | $117k | $114k – $143k |
| Semiconductors | 8 | $124k | $84k – $188k |
| Aerospace | 5 | $183k | $144k – $223k |
| Operations | 5 | $148k | $144k – $162k |
| Legal | 5 | $130k | $126k – $159k |
| HR | 5 | $123k | $123k – $164k |
| Field & Service | 4 | $92k | $77k – $114k |
| Data Science | 3 | $228k | $138k – $228k |
| Communications | 3 | $133k | $107k – $133k |
NASA pay by work format
| Work format | Jobs | Median | Typical range |
|---|---|---|---|
| In office | 99 | $139k | $114k – $181k |
How pay at NASA is spread
101 of 113 vacancies state a salary (89%). The range below is built from those 101 stated figures only, never from an estimate.
Best-paid open roles at NASA
| Group Supervisor I/II - Mechanical Structures & Articulation (352C)Middle | $273k |
| Spacecraft System Safety ManagerStaff+ | $265k |
| Program Area Manager IV/V TS/SCI ( National Programs Office – U.S. Space Force)Staff+ | $264k |
| Senior Communications and Signal Processing EngineerSenior | $251k |
| Data Scientist IVSenior | $228k |
| Data Scientist IV TS/SCISenior | $228k |
| Optical Engineer IVSenior | $227k |
| Optical Engineer IV TS/SCISenior | $227k |
| Project Business Manager V - TS/SCIStaff+ | $224k |
| Guidance and Control Engineer IV - TS/SCISenior | $223k |
Questions about pay at NASA
What is the average salary at NASA?
The median salary stated in NASA job postings is $138k a year, across 101 open jobs with pay; the middle half pays $112k to $181k.
How much does NASA pay for Industrial Engineering roles?
Industrial Engineering roles at NASA state a median of $141k a year (18 postings with pay, middle half $130k – $173k).
How much does NASA pay for Science & Research roles?
Science & Research roles at NASA state a median of $84k a year (15 postings with pay, middle half $84k).
How much does NASA pay for Hardware roles?
Hardware roles at NASA state a median of $117k a year (14 postings with pay, middle half $114k – $143k).
What is the highest-paying open job at NASA?
Right now it is Group Supervisor I/II - Mechanical Structures & Articulation (352C) at NASA, with a stated $273k a year.
Does NASA publish salaries in its job postings?
89% of the open jobs NASA has on Alion state a salary: 102 of 114.
How to cite this page
Only pay an employer wrote in its own job advert is used, converted to US dollars a year; estimates are never mixed in. The figures are rebuilt twice a day from the vacancies open now.
These figures are published under a free licence. You may reuse them, including commercially, as long as you credit Alion and link back to this page.
NASA salaries: median $138k across 101 job postings with pay. Alion, Nov 6, 2026, https://alion.io/company/nasa/salaries