234 OPEN
SALARIES · STRUCTURAL ENGINEER
Structural Engineer [YoY +8%]
Median total compensation for structural engineer roles in space. Open roles by salary, direct from each employer.
[ SENIOR COMPENSATION · ANNUAL · BASE ]
$180,000 – $230,000USD
§ 01Compensation by level
[ MID ]
$135K
[ SENIOR ]
$180K
[ STAFF ]
$230K
[ PRINCIPAL ]
$290K
§ 02Top-paid open roles
- 01SSenior Structures Design EngineerStoke Space·Kent, Washington$151K–$328K
- 02RPrincipal Mechanical Design & Analysis Engineer, ToolingRelativity Space·Long Beach, California$185K–$277K
- 03VSenior Mechanical Design Engineer, AvionicsVast·Long Beach, California, United States$138K–$265K
- 04VStructures Design Reliability EngineerVast·Long Beach, California, United States$162K–$265K
- 05
Sr Manager Structural Analysis - Lunar PermanenceBlue Origin·Greater Seattle Area$184K–$257K - 06Senior Manager, Deployable Structures and Separation Systems – Lunar Core Components Mechanical TeamBlue Origin·Greater Seattle Area$169K–$257K
- 07Senior Manager, Structures & Mechanisms – Solar Center of ExcellenceBlue Origin·Greater Seattle Area$184K–$257K
- 08TStructural Integrity Lead, Space Based InterceptorTrue Anomaly·Denver, CO or Long Beach, CA$150K–$255K
- 09SMechanical Design ManagerStoke Space·Kent, Washington$129K–$252K
- 10RStaff Structures Engineer (Terran-R Vehicle)Relativity Space·Long Beach, California$164K–$246K
§ 03Top employers hiring structural engineers
| Employer | Open roles | Median comp |
|---|---|---|
| Blue Origin | 99 | $145K |
| SpaceX | 45 | $130K |
| Relativity Space | 25 | $164K |
| Vast | 10 | $175K |
| Rocket Lab | 9 | $104K |
| Sierra Space | 5 | $131K |
| Stoke Space | 4 | $191K |
| K2 Space | 4 | $158K |
§ 04Top cities hiring structural engineers
| Metro | Open roles | Median comp |
|---|---|---|
| Greater Seattle Area | 48 | $145K |
| Space Coast | 45 | $145K |
| Long Beach | 36 | $165K |
| Starbase | 18 | — |
| Hawthorne | 16 | $130K |
| Bastrop | 6 | — |
| Los Angeles | 5 | $158K |
| Kent | 5 | $171K |
§ 05FAQ
- How much do structural engineers make in the space industry?
- Senior structural engineers in the space industry typically earn $180K base salary at top employers. Staff-level roles run $230K and principal-level reach $290K. Numbers are median base salary across 108 data points; total compensation including equity is typically 15-30% higher at private space companies.
- Who is hiring the most structural engineers right now?
- Blue Origin (99 open roles), SpaceX (45 open roles), and Relativity Space (25 open roles) lead by open-role volume. Browse all 234 open structural engineer roles sorted by recency.
- Where are most structural engineer jobs located?
- The top space industry hubs for structural engineer roles right now are Greater Seattle Area, Space Coast, and Long Beach. 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 structural 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 structural engineer role