Head-to-head
Impulse Space 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.
Impulse Space
Rocket LabImpulse Space vs Rocket Lab, in brief
, the SpaceJobs.Now board shows 214 open Impulse Space roles at a typical $118k to $215k a year (median $150k) and 523 open Rocket Lab roles at a typical $72.8k to $230k a year (median $120k).
Impulse Space pays more on typical work ($118k–$215k/yr typical (live median $150k/yr) vs Rocket Lab's $72.8k–$230k/yr typical (live median $120k/yr)), and the rates both boards post leave little doubt.
What we know does not show which of the two hires more of the people who apply. Impulse Space works in spacecraft and stations; Rocket Lab in launch and propulsion.
Both hire for Propulsion, Technicians, Mechanical, Avionics, and Systems & Test; Impulse Space also covers Flight Software; Rocket Lab also covers Launch & Ops.
Right now Rocket Lab has more live roles (523 vs 214).
Bottom line: Impulse Space pays more, so pick Impulse Space for the higher rate, or Rocket Lab if its specific work fits you better.
| Impulse Space | Rocket Lab | |
|---|---|---|
| Typical pay | $118k–$215k/yr typical (live median $150k/yr) | $72.8k–$230k/yr typical (live median $120k/yr) |
| Type of company | Spacecraft & stations · In-space transfer vehicles | Launch & propulsion · Launch and spacecraft |
| Kinds of work | Propulsion, Technicians, Mechanical, Avionics, Flight Software, and Systems & Test | Propulsion, Technicians, Avionics, Systems & Test, Launch & Ops, and Mechanical |
| Where it hires | Redondo Beach, CA; Mojave, CA; Boulder, CO | Long Beach, CA; Auckland, New Zealand; Middle River, MD; Tucson, AZ; Albuquerque, NM; Wallops Island, VA |
| Open roles now | 214 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.
Impulse Space vs Rocket Lab salary by profession
The median of what each employer's open roles of the same work post, from its own job board. Each figure opens that employer's salary page for the work, by level and by site.
| Profession | Impulse Space | Rocket Lab |
|---|---|---|
| Electrical Engineer | $148k/yr (28 roles) | $121k/yr (35 roles) |
| Test Engineer | $130k/yr (27 roles) | $113k/yr (40 roles) |
| Propulsion Engineer | $153k/yr (24 roles) | $144k/yr (32 roles) |
| Manufacturing Engineer | $151k/yr (22 roles) | $121k/yr (28 roles) |
| Technician | $83.2k/yr (20 roles) | $69.7k/yr (53 roles) |
| Software Engineer | $184k/yr (17 roles) | $165k/yr (32 roles) |
| Mechanical Engineer | $148k/yr (12 roles) | $130k/yr (33 roles) |
| Systems Engineer | $158k/yr (11 roles) | $137k/yr (38 roles) |
Best for people looking for Propulsion and Technicians roles, with higher pay.
See 214 open roles →Best for people looking for Propulsion and Technicians roles.
See 523 open roles →Impulse Space 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 | Impulse Space | Rocket Lab |
|---|---|---|
| Open roles | 214 | 525 |
| Share of all open space roles | 1.1% | 2.8% |
| Posted in the last 30 days | 9 | 216 |
| Posted this week | 9 | 87 |
| Taken down this week | 8 | 80 |
| Open roles with a known posting date | 9 | 525 |
| Kinds of work hiring | 12 | 13 |
| Open only to US persons or citizens | 99.1% | 100.0% |
| Name a security clearance | 7.0% | 28.6% |
| Take a diploma or an associate's degree | 13.1% | 11.0% |
| Name a master's or PhD | 23.8% | 38.3% |
| Postings that state pay | 100.0% | 71.4% |
| Median posted pay a year | $150,000 | $120,000 |
| Starter roles (internships, new graduate, entry level) | 17 | 112 |
| Starter roles' share of its open roles | 7.9% | 21.3% |
| Internships and co-ops | 17 | 82 |
| Ask for weekend work | 3.7% | 10.9% |
| Ask for overtime or extended hours | 11.7% | 9.9% |
| Name an evening, night or rotating shift | 0.5% | 2.1% |
| State a share of time traveling | 4.2% | 6.3% |
| H-1B visa applications certified (Department of Labor) | 0 | 5 |
| Green card (PERM) certifications (Department of Labor) | 0 | 1 |
| Half of its postings come down within (days) | n/a | 30 |
| Postings that count military experience | n/a | 9 |
| SkillBridge internships | n/a | 0 |
| Postings that offer relocation | n/a | 82 |
| Postings that say no relocation is offered | n/a | 0 |
| Applications asking citizenship or U.S. person status | n/a | 97.1% |
| Applications asking about a security clearance | n/a | 79.2% |
| Applications asking a GPA | n/a | 15.0% |
| Applications asking SAT, ACT or GRE scores | n/a | 0.0% |
| Applications asking salary expectations | n/a | 82.3% |
| Applications asking about past work or interviews there | n/a | 82.5% |
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Impulse Space vs Rocket Lab: common questions
Which pays more, Impulse Space or Rocket Lab?
Impulse Space pays more on typical work ($118k–$215k/yr typical (live median $150k/yr) vs Rocket Lab's $72.8k–$230k/yr typical (live median $120k/yr)), and the rates both boards post leave little doubt.
Is Impulse Space 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. Impulse Space works in spacecraft and stations; 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.