157 OPEN
SALARIES · AVIONICS ENGINEER
Avionics Engineer [YoY +8%]
Median total compensation for avionics engineer roles in space. Open roles by salary, direct from each employer.
[ SENIOR COMPENSATION · ANNUAL · BASE ]
$195,000 – $250,000USD
§ 01Compensation by level
[ MID ]
$145K
[ SENIOR ]
$195K
[ STAFF ]
$250K
[ PRINCIPAL ]
$315K
§ 02Top-paid open roles
- 01RDirector, Avionics Hardware DevelopmentRelativity Space·Long Beach, California$245K–$337K
- 02SMid-Sr Avionics Mechanical EngineerStoke Space·Kent, Washington$110K–$328K
- 03VPrincipal Avionics Hardware Development EngineerVarda Space·El Segundo, California, United States$225K–$275K
- 04
Principal FPGA EngineerRocket Lab·Long Beach, CA$164K–$273K - 05VSenior Mechanical Design Engineer, AvionicsVast·Long Beach, California, United States$138K–$265K
- 06TStaff Electrical Engineer, FPGA DevelopmentTrue Anomaly·Long Beach, CA$175K–$265K
- 07
Senior FPGA Engineer, SpaceAnduril Industries·Costa Mesa, California, United States$191K–$253K - 08Staff Flight Avionics SpecialistAnduril Industries·Costa Mesa, California, United States$191K–$253K
- 09SAvionics Mechanical Engineering ManagerStoke Space·Kent, Washington$129K–$252K
- 10VDirector of Avionics Hardware DevelopmentVarda Space·El Segundo, California, United States$193K–$246K
§ 03Top employers hiring avionics engineers
| Employer | Open roles | Median comp |
|---|---|---|
| SpaceX | 28 | $128K |
| Relativity Space | 21 | $176K |
| Rocket Lab | 20 | $119K |
| Vast | 16 | $165K |
| K2 Space | 11 | $143K |
| Varda Space | 8 | $203K |
| Astranis | 8 | $173K |
| Inversion Space | 8 | $165K |
§ 04Top cities hiring avionics engineers
| Metro | Open roles | Median comp |
|---|---|---|
| Long Beach | 52 | $165K |
| Hawthorne | 16 | $126K |
| Starbase | 11 | — |
| Los Angeles | 10 | $143K |
| Auckland | 9 | — |
| San Francisco | 8 | $173K |
| El Segundo | 8 | $203K |
| Playa Vista | 8 | $165K |
§ 05FAQ
- How much do avionics engineers make in the space industry?
- Senior avionics engineers in the space industry typically earn $195K base salary at top employers. Staff-level roles run $250K and principal-level reach $315K. Numbers are median base salary across 156 data points; total compensation including equity is typically 15-30% higher at private space companies.
- Who is hiring the most avionics engineers right now?
- SpaceX (28 open roles), Relativity Space (21 open roles), and Rocket Lab (20 open roles) lead by open-role volume. Browse all 157 open avionics engineer roles sorted by recency.
- Where are most avionics engineer jobs located?
- The top space industry hubs for avionics engineer roles right now are Long Beach, Hawthorne, and Starbase. Defense space tends to concentrate in DC/Northern Virginia and Colorado Springs (clearance-required roles), while commercial launch is heaviest in LA basin and Florida's Space Coast.
- Do avionics engineer roles in space require security clearance?
- Many do. Defense space programs at Anduril, Lockheed Martin Space, Northrop Grumman, Sierra Space, and the US Space Force require Secret or TS/SCI clearance. Commercial-space roles at SpaceX, Rocket Lab, Vast, and Astranis generally do not, though some specific government contracts may. ITAR registration is more common than clearance — most rocket roles require it.
§ 06See all open roles
Browse every avionics engineer role