179 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$155K–$315K
- 02KOptical Systems EngineerK2 Space·Los Angeles, CA$110K–$280K
- 03TStaff Spacecraft Systems EngineerTurion Space·Irvine, CA$190K–$260K
- 04
Staff Open Architecture Systems Engineer, Ground SystemsAnduril Industries·Costa Mesa, California, United States; Washington, District of Columbia, United States$191K–$253K - 05VSenior RF Systems EngineerVast·Long Beach, California, United States$148K–$249K
- 06RStaff Avionics Systems EngineerRelativity Space·Long Beach, California$179K–$241K
- 07SInformation Security Systems EngineerStoke Space·Kent, Washington$134K–$240K
- 08VSystems Engineer – Project Engineer VIVoyager Technologies·Folsom, CA, Remote Colorado$180K–$240K
- 09KPrincipal Avionics Systems EngineerK2 Space·Los Angeles, CA$180K–$240K
- 10SPrincipal Systems EngineerSierra Space·Centennial, CO$174K–$239K
§ 03Top employers hiring spacecraft systems engineers
| Employer | Open roles | Median comp |
|---|---|---|
| Rocket Lab | 32 | $128K |
| SpaceX | 25 | $120K |
| Sierra Space | 16 | $171K |
| Relativity Space | 15 | $154K |
| Anduril Industries | 12 | $182K |
| Voyager Technologies | 10 | $176K |
| Vast | 9 | $171K |
| Loft Orbital | 8 | $170K |
§ 04Top cities hiring spacecraft systems engineers
| Metro | Open roles | Median comp |
|---|---|---|
| Long Beach | 37 | $156K |
| Hawthorne | 11 | $145K |
| Costa Mesa | 11 | $170K |
| Centennial | 9 | $171K |
| Bastrop | 6 | — |
| Folsom | 6 | $145K |
| El Segundo | 6 | $160K |
| Louisville | 6 | $156K |
§ 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 (32 open roles), SpaceX (25 open roles), and Sierra Space (16 open roles) lead by open-role volume. Browse all 179 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, Hawthorne, and Costa Mesa. 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