Head-to-head
Leidos vs Northrop Grumman
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.
Leidos
Northrop GrummanLeidos vs Northrop Grumman, in brief
, the SpaceJobs.Now board shows 56 open Leidos roles at a typical $122k to $278k a year (median $130k) and 767 open Northrop Grumman roles at a typical $107k to $251k a year (median $130k).
Leidos pays more on typical work ($122k–$278k/yr typical (live median $130k/yr) vs Northrop Grumman's $107k–$251k/yr typical (live median $130k/yr)), and the rates both boards post make that 66% likely, and its ceiling is higher too.
What we know does not show which of the two hires more of the people who apply. Leidos works in space data and services; Northrop Grumman in spacecraft and stations.
Both hire for Systems & Test and Launch & Ops; Leidos also covers RF & Payloads, Software & IT, Science & Data, and Programs & Business; Northrop Grumman also covers Technicians, Propulsion, Avionics, and Mechanical.
Right now Northrop Grumman has more live roles (767 vs 56).
Bottom line: Leidos pays more, so pick Leidos for the higher rate, or Northrop Grumman if its specific work fits you better.
| Leidos | Northrop Grumman | |
|---|---|---|
| Typical pay | $122k–$278k/yr typical (live median $130k/yr) | $107k–$251k/yr typical (live median $130k/yr) |
| Type of company | Space data & services · Space systems engineering, satellite payloads and NASA mission support (part of a government contractor) | Spacecraft & stations · Space systems (part of a defense prime) |
| Kinds of work | Systems & Test, RF & Payloads, Software & IT, Science & Data, Launch & Ops, and Programs & Business | Systems & Test, Technicians, Propulsion, Avionics, Mechanical, and Launch & Ops |
| Where it hires | Huntsville, AL; Fort Meade and Odenton, MD; Kennedy Space Center, FL; other US sites per posting | Redondo Beach, CA; Dulles, VA; Gilbert, AZ; Utah; Kennedy Space Center, FL |
| Open roles now | 56 live | 767 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 Systems & Test and RF & Payloads roles, with higher pay.
See 56 open roles →Best for people looking for Systems & Test and Technicians roles.
See 767 open roles →Leidos and Northrop Grumman 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 | Leidos | Northrop Grumman |
|---|---|---|
| Open roles | 55 | 765 |
| Share of all open space roles | 0.3% | 4.1% |
| Posted in the last 30 days | 26 | 508 |
| Posted this week | 10 | 207 |
| Taken down this week | 9 | 192 |
| Open roles with a known posting date | 55 | 765 |
| Kinds of work hiring | 13 | 14 |
| Open only to US persons or citizens | 45.5% | 99.5% |
| Name a security clearance | 92.7% | 84.4% |
| Take a diploma or an associate's degree | 9.1% | 9.5% |
| Name a master's or PhD | 38.2% | 83.1% |
| Postings that state pay | 76.4% | 98.0% |
| Median posted pay a year | $130,000 | $130,000 |
| Ask for weekend work | 5.5% | 6.7% |
| Ask for overtime or extended hours | 1.8% | 97.8% |
| Name an evening, night or rotating shift | 5.5% | 4.1% |
| State a share of time traveling | 3.6% | 88.5% |
| Half of its postings come down within (days) | n/a | 17 |
| Postings that count military experience | n/a | 13 |
| SkillBridge internships | n/a | 8 |
| Starter roles (internships, new graduate, entry level) | n/a | 21 |
| Starter roles' share of its open roles | n/a | 2.7% |
| Internships and co-ops | n/a | 7 |
| Postings that offer relocation | n/a | 494 |
| Postings that say no relocation is offered | n/a | 270 |
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Leidos vs Northrop Grumman: common questions
Which pays more, Leidos or Northrop Grumman?
Leidos pays more on typical work ($122k–$278k/yr typical (live median $130k/yr) vs Northrop Grumman's $107k–$251k/yr typical (live median $130k/yr)), and the rates both boards post make that 66% likely, and its ceiling is higher too.
Is Leidos or Northrop Grumman easier to get hired at?
What we know does not show which of the two hires more of the people who apply. Leidos works in space data and services; Northrop Grumman in spacecraft and stations.
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.