Head-to-head
MDA 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.
MDA Space
Rocket LabMDA Space vs Rocket Lab, in brief
, the SpaceJobs.Now board shows 239 open MDA Space roles and 523 open Rocket Lab roles at a typical $72.8k to $230k a year (median $120k).
MDA Space 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 73% likely.
What we know does not show which of the two hires more of the people who apply. MDA Space works in spacecraft and stations; Rocket Lab in launch and propulsion.
Both hire for Systems & Test, Avionics, Mechanical, and Technicians; MDA Space also covers RF & Payloads and Flight Software; Rocket Lab also covers Propulsion and Launch & Ops.
Right now Rocket Lab has more live roles (523 vs 239).
Bottom line: MDA Space pays more, so pick MDA Space for the higher rate, or Rocket Lab if its specific work fits you better.
| MDA Space | Rocket Lab | |
|---|---|---|
| Typical pay | Stated per posting | $72.8k–$230k/yr typical (live median $120k/yr) |
| Type of company | Spacecraft & stations · Satellites, space robotics and Earth observation | Launch & propulsion · Launch and spacecraft |
| Kinds of work | Systems & Test, Avionics, RF & Payloads, Mechanical, Flight Software, and Technicians | Propulsion, Technicians, Avionics, Systems & Test, Launch & Ops, and Mechanical |
| Where it hires | Sainte-Anne-de-Bellevue (Montreal), QC; Brampton, ON; Richmond, BC; Kanata, ON; Harwell and Stevenage, UK | Long Beach, CA; Auckland, New Zealand; Middle River, MD; Tucson, AZ; Albuquerque, NM; Wallops Island, VA |
| Open roles now | 239 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 Systems & Test and Avionics roles, with higher pay.
See 239 open roles →Best for people looking for Propulsion and Technicians roles.
See 523 open roles →MDA 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 | MDA Space | Rocket Lab |
|---|---|---|
| Open roles | 239 | 525 |
| Share of all open space roles | 1.3% | 2.8% |
| Posted in the last 30 days | 112 | 216 |
| Posted this week | 56 | 87 |
| Taken down this week | 5 | 80 |
| Open roles with a known posting date | 239 | 525 |
| Half of its postings come down within (days) | 22 | 30 |
| Kinds of work hiring | 12 | 13 |
| Open only to US persons or citizens | 32.2% | 100.0% |
| Name a security clearance | 68.2% | 28.6% |
| Take a diploma or an associate's degree | 2.5% | 11.0% |
| Name a master's or PhD | 3.8% | 38.3% |
| Postings that state pay | 0.0% | 71.4% |
| Starter roles (internships, new graduate, entry level) | 21 | 112 |
| Starter roles' share of its open roles | 8.8% | 21.3% |
| Internships and co-ops | 0 | 82 |
| Ask for weekend work | 0.0% | 10.9% |
| Ask for overtime or extended hours | 0.0% | 9.9% |
| Name an evening, night or rotating shift | 0.0% | 2.1% |
| State a share of time traveling | 0.8% | 6.3% |
| Postings that offer relocation | 1 | 82 |
| Postings that say no relocation is offered | 0 | 0 |
| Postings that count military experience | n/a | 9 |
| SkillBridge internships | n/a | 0 |
| Median posted pay a year | n/a | $120,000 |
| H-1B visa applications certified (Department of Labor) | n/a | 5 |
| Green card (PERM) certifications (Department of Labor) | n/a | 1 |
| 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% |
Weekly roles email
Space openings, sent to your inbox
The newest roles at every employer we track, with the pay each states, in one weekly email. Free, and unsubscribe anytime.
Only job openings, never promotions. Stop it from any email.
MDA Space vs Rocket Lab: common questions
Which pays more, MDA Space or Rocket Lab?
MDA Space 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 73% likely.
Is MDA 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. MDA 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.