Head-to-head
Blue Origin vs Virgin Galactic
Which posts more pay, which has more jobs open and of which kinds, and where each one hires, read from both employers' own job boards.
Blue Origin vs Virgin Galactic: the short answer
, SpaceJobs.Now lists 1,582 open jobs at Blue Origin (typical pay $129k to $277k a year, median $157k) and 75 open jobs at Virgin Galactic (typical pay $83.2k to $245k a year, median $126k).
For the same job, median posted pay: mechanical, structures & thermal: Blue Origin $145k/yr, Virgin Galactic $172k/yr; systems, integration & test: Blue Origin $157k/yr, Virgin Galactic $181k/yr; programs & business: Blue Origin $149k/yr, Virgin Galactic $154k/yr. Virgin Galactic posts more in 3 of the 5 kinds of job both have measured.
Both hire in California; Blue Origin also hires in 7 other states, Virgin Galactic in 2 others.
Both hire most for manufacturing & technicians: Blue Origin has 345 of those jobs open, Virgin Galactic 22.
Right now Blue Origin has more open jobs (1,582 vs 75).
Bottom line: Virgin Galactic for higher posted pay, Blue Origin for more openings to choose from. Many people apply to both.
| Blue Origin | Virgin Galactic | |
|---|---|---|
| Mechanical, Structures & Thermal pay | $119k–$220k/yr | $136k–$257k/yr |
| Systems, Integration & Test pay | $129k–$237k/yr | $164k–$269k/yr |
| Programs & Business pay | $134k–$237k/yr | $136k–$297k/yr |
| Ground Software & IT pay | $162k–$323k/yr | $153k–$202k/yr |
| Typical posted pay, every kind of job | $129k–$277k/yr typical (live median $157k/yr) | $83.2k–$245k/yr typical (live median $126k/yr) |
| Open jobs now | 1,582 open | 75 open |
| Most open jobs in | Technicians 345, Mechanical 260, Systems & Test 169 and Avionics 167 | Technicians 22, Mechanical 17, Systems & Test 7 and Launch & Ops 5 |
| Kind of employer | Launch & propulsion · Launch and lunar landers | Launch & propulsion · Suborbital spaceflight |
| Headquarters | Not listed | Not listed |
| Where it hires | Florida, Alabama, Colorado, California, Texas, Missouri, Virginia and Washington | New Mexico, California and Arizona |
| Pay on listings | 65.5% of its open roles state a salary | 100% of its open roles state a salary |
| How you apply | On its own careers site | On its own careers site |
Pay shows each employer's live measured band where its open jobs post enough hourly rates; it mixes every kind of job the employer has open, before shift differentials and bonuses. Where our pay data comes from.
Best for the widest choice of openings, above all for technicians.
1,582 open jobs now →Best for people who want the higher posted pay, especially in mechanical.
75 open jobs now →Job alerts
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Blue Origin vs Virgin Galactic: common questions
Which pays more, Blue Origin or Virgin Galactic?
For the same job, median posted pay: mechanical, structures & thermal: Blue Origin $145k/yr, Virgin Galactic $172k/yr; systems, integration & test: Blue Origin $157k/yr, Virgin Galactic $181k/yr; programs & business: Blue Origin $149k/yr, Virgin Galactic $154k/yr. Virgin Galactic posts more in 3 of the 5 kinds of job both have measured.
Which has more open jobs, Blue Origin or Virgin Galactic?
Right now Blue Origin has more open jobs (1,582 vs 75).
Where do Blue Origin and Virgin Galactic hire?
Blue Origin hires in Florida, Alabama, Colorado, California, Texas, Missouri, Virginia and Washington; Virgin Galactic in New Mexico, California and Arizona. Both hire in California; Blue Origin also hires in 7 other states, Virgin Galactic in 2 others.
What jobs are Blue Origin and Virgin Galactic hiring for?
Both hire most for manufacturing & technicians: Blue Origin has 345 of those jobs open, Virgin Galactic 22.
Can you apply to both Blue Origin and Virgin Galactic?
Yes. They are separate launch & propulsion, each with its own careers site, so applying to one does not affect an application at the other.