230 OPEN
SALARIES · SPACECRAFT SYSTEMS ENGINEER
Spacecraft Systems Engineer [YoY +8%]
Median total compensation for spacecraft systems engineer roles in space. Open roles by salary, direct from each employer.
[ SENIOR COMPENSATION · ANNUAL · BASE ]
$200,000 – $260,000USD
§ 01Compensation by level
[ MID ]
$150K
[ SENIOR ]
$200K
[ STAFF ]
$260K
[ PRINCIPAL ]
$325K
§ 02Top-paid open roles
- 01TLead Systems EngineerTrue Anomaly·Denver, CO$160K–$285K
- 02TLead Systems Engineer, Ground SystemsTrue Anomaly·Denver, CO; Long Beach, CA$160K–$285K
- 03
Sr. DSP Systems Engineer (Silicon Engineering)SpaceX·Palo Alto, CA$175K–$280K - 04KOptical Systems EngineerK2 Space·Los Angeles, CA$140K–$280K
- 05VSystems Engineer VI - PE - Team ManagerVoyager Technologies·Folsom, CA; Reno, NV; Huntsville, AL; Long Beach, CA; Remote - United States$161K–$279K
- 06
Senior Spacecraft Propulsion Systems Engineer IIRocket Lab·Long Beach, CA$132K–$277K - 07Senior Spacecraft Propulsion Systems Engineer II - Secret ClearanceRocket Lab·Long Beach, CA$132K–$277K
- 08Sr. HPC Systems Engineer (High Performance Computing)SpaceX·Hawthorne, CA$165K–$265K
- 09Sr. High Performance Computing (HPC) Systems EngineerSpaceX·Hawthorne, CA$165K–$265K
- 10Sr. DSP Systems Engineer (Silicon Engineering)SpaceX·Irvine, CA$165K–$265K
§ 03Top employers hiring spacecraft systems engineers
| Employer | Open roles | Median comp |
|---|---|---|
| Rocket Lab | 42 | $165K |
| Sierra Space | 26 | $141K |
| SpaceX | 25 | $161K |
| Voyager Technologies | 21 | $154K |
| Anduril Industries | 21 | $170K |
| Relativity Space | 12 | $164K |
| Muon Space | 9 | $210K |
| Axiom Space | 7 | — |
§ 04Top cities hiring spacecraft systems engineers
| Metro | Open roles | Median comp |
|---|---|---|
| Long Beach | 35 | $165K |
| Centennial | 14 | $156K |
| Folsom | 12 | $154K |
| Louisville | 12 | $141K |
| Costa Mesa | 11 | $193K |
| Auckland | 9 | — |
| Denver | 7 | $163K |
| Hawthorne | 7 | $163K |
§ 05FAQ
- How much do spacecraft systems engineers make in the space industry?
- Senior spacecraft systems engineers in the space industry typically earn $200K base salary at top employers. Staff-level roles run $260K and principal-level reach $325K. Numbers are median base salary across 174 data points; total compensation including equity is typically 15-30% higher at private space companies.
- Who is hiring the most spacecraft systems engineers right now?
- Rocket Lab (42 open roles), Sierra Space (26 open roles), and SpaceX (25 open roles) lead by open-role volume. Browse all 230 open spacecraft systems engineer roles sorted by recency.
- Where are most spacecraft systems engineer jobs located?
- The top space industry hubs for spacecraft systems engineer roles right now are Long Beach, Centennial, and Folsom. 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 spacecraft systems 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 spacecraft systems engineer role