Head-to-head
AST SpaceMobile vs SpaceX
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
SpaceXAST SpaceMobile vs SpaceX, in brief
, the SpaceJobs.Now board shows 266 open AST SpaceMobile roles and 2,588 open SpaceX roles at a typical $109k to $245k a year (median $138k).
SpaceX pays more on typical work ($109k–$245k/yr typical (live median $138k/yr) vs AST SpaceMobile's Stated per posting), and the rates both boards post make that 59% 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; SpaceX in launch and propulsion.
Both hire for RF & Payloads, Technicians, Avionics, and Launch & Ops; AST SpaceMobile also covers Systems & Test; SpaceX also covers Propulsion and Programs & Business.
Right now SpaceX has more live roles (2,588 vs 266).
Bottom line: SpaceX pays more, so pick SpaceX for the higher rate, or AST SpaceMobile if its specific work fits you better.
| AST SpaceMobile | SpaceX | |
|---|---|---|
| Typical pay | Stated per posting | $109k–$245k/yr typical (live median $138k/yr) |
| Type of company | Space data & services · Satellite-to-phone broadband | Launch & propulsion · Launch and satellite broadband |
| Kinds of work | RF & Payloads, Technicians, Avionics, Systems & Test, and Launch & Ops | Propulsion, Technicians, Launch & Ops, Avionics, RF & Payloads, and Programs & Business |
| Where it hires | Midland and Dallas, TX; Lanham, MD; Barcelona, Spain | Hawthorne, CA; Bastrop and Starbase, TX; Redmond, WA; plus launch and test sites in Florida, California and Texas |
| Open roles now | 266 live | 2,588 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.
See 266 open roles →Best for people looking for Propulsion and Technicians roles, with higher pay.
See 2,588 open roles →AST SpaceMobile and SpaceX 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 | SpaceX |
|---|---|---|
| Open roles | 266 | 2,582 |
| Share of all open space roles | 1.4% | 13.8% |
| Posted in the last 30 days | 84 | 563 |
| Posted this week | 27 | 170 |
| Taken down this week | 27 | 176 |
| Open roles with a known posting date | 266 | 2,582 |
| Half of its postings come down within (days) | 32 | 104 |
| Kinds of work hiring | 12 | 14 |
| Open only to US persons or citizens | 11.3% | 100.0% |
| Name a security clearance | 3.8% | 7.7% |
| Take a diploma or an associate's degree | 32.0% | 26.3% |
| Name a master's or PhD | 18.4% | 16.3% |
| Postings that count military experience | 1 | 25 |
| SkillBridge internships | 0 | 0 |
| Postings that state pay | 8.3% | 53.4% |
| Median posted pay a year | $43,700 | $138,000 |
| Starter roles (internships, new graduate, entry level) | 7 | 57 |
| Starter roles' share of its open roles | 2.6% | 2.2% |
| Internships and co-ops | 1 | 12 |
| Ask for weekend work | 13.9% | 90.0% |
| Ask for overtime or extended hours | 11.3% | 88.8% |
| Name an evening, night or rotating shift | 14.3% | 8.4% |
| State a share of time traveling | 5.3% | 25.7% |
| H-1B visa applications certified (Department of Labor) | 11 | 28 |
| Green card (PERM) certifications (Department of Labor) | 2 | 3 |
| Postings that offer relocation | 11 | 14 |
| Postings that say no relocation is offered | 0 | 0 |
| Applications asking citizenship or U.S. person status | 3.8% | 99.5% |
| Applications asking about a security clearance | 2.3% | 99.1% |
| Applications asking a GPA | 0.0% | 79.1% |
| Applications asking SAT, ACT or GRE scores | 0.0% | 79.1% |
| Applications asking salary expectations | 94.4% | 0.0% |
| Applications asking about past work or interviews there | 0.0% | 99.5% |
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AST SpaceMobile vs SpaceX: common questions
Which pays more, AST SpaceMobile or SpaceX?
SpaceX pays more on typical work ($109k–$245k/yr typical (live median $138k/yr) vs AST SpaceMobile's Stated per posting), and the rates both boards post make that 59% likely.
Is AST SpaceMobile or SpaceX 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; SpaceX 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.