Head-to-head
AST SpaceMobile vs Rocket Lab
Which pays more, which is easier to get into, and which fits the work you want. Compared on the pay each states, the kind of company, where each hires, and the roles open right now.
AST SpaceMobile
Rocket LabAST SpaceMobile vs Rocket Lab, in brief
, the SpaceJobs.Now board shows 266 open AST SpaceMobile roles and 523 open Rocket Lab roles at a typical $72.8k to $230k a year (median $120k).
AST SpaceMobile pays more on typical work (Stated per posting vs Rocket Lab's $72.8k–$230k/yr typical (live median $120k/yr)), and the rates both boards post make that 64% likely.
What we know does not show which of the two hires more of the people who apply. AST SpaceMobile works in space data and services; Rocket Lab in launch and propulsion.
Both hire for Technicians, Avionics, Systems & Test, and Launch & Ops; AST SpaceMobile also covers RF & Payloads; Rocket Lab also covers Propulsion and Mechanical.
Right now Rocket Lab has more live roles (523 vs 266).
Bottom line: AST SpaceMobile pays more, so pick AST SpaceMobile for the higher rate, or Rocket Lab if its specific work fits you better.
| AST SpaceMobile | Rocket Lab | |
|---|---|---|
| Typical pay | Stated per posting | $72.8k–$230k/yr typical (live median $120k/yr) |
| Type of company | Space data & services · Satellite-to-phone broadband | Launch & propulsion · Launch and spacecraft |
| Kinds of work | RF & Payloads, Technicians, Avionics, Systems & Test, and Launch & Ops | Propulsion, Technicians, Avionics, Systems & Test, Launch & Ops, and Mechanical |
| Where it hires | Midland and Dallas, TX; Lanham, MD; Barcelona, Spain | Long Beach, CA; Auckland, New Zealand; Middle River, MD; Tucson, AZ; Albuquerque, NM; Wallops Island, VA |
| Open roles now | 266 live | 523 live |
| Employee ratings | See its review | See its review |
Pay shows each employer's live measured band where its board has enough roles that state pay, otherwise our compiled benchmark. How we compile pay.
Best for people looking for RF & Payloads and Technicians roles, with higher pay.
See 266 open roles →Best for people looking for Propulsion and Technicians roles.
See 523 open roles →AST SpaceMobile and Rocket Lab in our research
What the two employers' open postings on 4 Nov 2026 show, measured the same way for both by our space industry research, rebuilt every day. Every figure opens the row of the report it comes from.
| Measure | AST SpaceMobile | Rocket Lab |
|---|---|---|
| Open roles | 266 | 525 |
| Share of all open space roles | 1.4% | 2.8% |
| Posted in the last 30 days | 84 | 216 |
| Posted this week | 27 | 87 |
| Taken down this week | 27 | 80 |
| Open roles with a known posting date | 266 | 525 |
| Half of its postings come down within (days) | 32 | 30 |
| Kinds of work hiring | 12 | 13 |
| Open only to US persons or citizens | 11.3% | 100.0% |
| Name a security clearance | 3.8% | 28.6% |
| Take a diploma or an associate's degree | 32.0% | 11.0% |
| Name a master's or PhD | 18.4% | 38.3% |
| Postings that count military experience | 1 | 9 |
| SkillBridge internships | 0 | 0 |
| Postings that state pay | 8.3% | 71.4% |
| Median posted pay a year | $43,700 | $120,000 |
| Starter roles (internships, new graduate, entry level) | 7 | 112 |
| Starter roles' share of its open roles | 2.6% | 21.3% |
| Internships and co-ops | 1 | 82 |
| Ask for weekend work | 13.9% | 10.9% |
| Ask for overtime or extended hours | 11.3% | 9.9% |
| Name an evening, night or rotating shift | 14.3% | 2.1% |
| State a share of time traveling | 5.3% | 6.3% |
| H-1B visa applications certified (Department of Labor) | 11 | 5 |
| Green card (PERM) certifications (Department of Labor) | 2 | 1 |
| Postings that offer relocation | 11 | 82 |
| Postings that say no relocation is offered | 0 | 0 |
| Applications asking citizenship or U.S. person status | 3.8% | 97.1% |
| Applications asking about a security clearance | 2.3% | 79.2% |
| Applications asking a GPA | 0.0% | 15.0% |
| Applications asking SAT, ACT or GRE scores | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| Applications asking salary expectations | 94.4% | 82.3% |
| Applications asking about past work or interviews there | 0.0% | 82.5% |
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AST SpaceMobile vs Rocket Lab: common questions
Which pays more, AST SpaceMobile or Rocket Lab?
AST SpaceMobile pays more on typical work (Stated per posting vs Rocket Lab's $72.8k–$230k/yr typical (live median $120k/yr)), and the rates both boards post make that 64% likely.
Is AST SpaceMobile or Rocket Lab easier to get hired at?
What we know does not show which of the two hires more of the people who apply. AST SpaceMobile works in space data and services; Rocket Lab in launch and propulsion.
More comparisons
Sorted by the expected value of applying to the stronger employer in each pair. A referral agreement, if an employer has one, can raise it here but never changes its salary.