Head-to-head
MDA Space 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.
MDA Space
SpaceXMDA Space vs SpaceX, in brief
, the SpaceJobs.Now board shows 239 open MDA Space roles and 2,588 open SpaceX roles at a typical $109k to $245k a year (median $138k).
MDA Space pays more on typical work (Stated per posting vs SpaceX's $109k–$245k/yr typical (live median $138k/yr)), and the rates both boards post make that 53% 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; SpaceX in launch and propulsion.
Both hire for Avionics, RF & Payloads, and Technicians; MDA Space also covers Systems & Test, Mechanical, and Flight Software; SpaceX also covers Propulsion, Launch & Ops, and Programs & Business.
Right now SpaceX has more live roles (2,588 vs 239).
Bottom line: MDA Space pays more, so pick MDA Space for the higher rate, or SpaceX if its specific work fits you better.
| MDA Space | SpaceX | |
|---|---|---|
| Typical pay | Stated per posting | $109k–$245k/yr typical (live median $138k/yr) |
| Type of company | Spacecraft & stations · Satellites, space robotics and Earth observation | Launch & propulsion · Launch and satellite broadband |
| Kinds of work | Systems & Test, Avionics, RF & Payloads, Mechanical, Flight Software, and Technicians | Propulsion, Technicians, Launch & Ops, Avionics, RF & Payloads, and Programs & Business |
| Where it hires | Sainte-Anne-de-Bellevue (Montreal), QC; Brampton, ON; Richmond, BC; Kanata, ON; Harwell and Stevenage, UK | Hawthorne, CA; Bastrop and Starbase, TX; Redmond, WA; plus launch and test sites in Florida, California and Texas |
| Open roles now | 239 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 Systems & Test and Avionics roles, with higher pay.
See 239 open roles →Best for people looking for Propulsion and Technicians roles.
See 2,588 open roles →MDA Space 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 | MDA Space | SpaceX |
|---|---|---|
| Open roles | 239 | 2,582 |
| Share of all open space roles | 1.3% | 13.8% |
| Posted in the last 30 days | 112 | 563 |
| Posted this week | 56 | 170 |
| Taken down this week | 5 | 176 |
| Open roles with a known posting date | 239 | 2,582 |
| Half of its postings come down within (days) | 22 | 104 |
| Kinds of work hiring | 12 | 14 |
| Open only to US persons or citizens | 32.2% | 100.0% |
| Name a security clearance | 68.2% | 7.7% |
| Take a diploma or an associate's degree | 2.5% | 26.3% |
| Name a master's or PhD | 3.8% | 16.3% |
| Postings that state pay | 0.0% | 53.4% |
| Starter roles (internships, new graduate, entry level) | 21 | 57 |
| Starter roles' share of its open roles | 8.8% | 2.2% |
| Internships and co-ops | 0 | 12 |
| Ask for weekend work | 0.0% | 90.0% |
| Ask for overtime or extended hours | 0.0% | 88.8% |
| Name an evening, night or rotating shift | 0.0% | 8.4% |
| State a share of time traveling | 0.8% | 25.7% |
| Postings that offer relocation | 1 | 14 |
| Postings that say no relocation is offered | 0 | 0 |
| Postings that count military experience | n/a | 25 |
| SkillBridge internships | n/a | 0 |
| Median posted pay a year | n/a | $138,000 |
| H-1B visa applications certified (Department of Labor) | n/a | 28 |
| Green card (PERM) certifications (Department of Labor) | n/a | 3 |
| Applications asking citizenship or U.S. person status | n/a | 99.5% |
| Applications asking about a security clearance | n/a | 99.1% |
| Applications asking a GPA | n/a | 79.1% |
| Applications asking SAT, ACT or GRE scores | n/a | 79.1% |
| Applications asking salary expectations | n/a | 0.0% |
| Applications asking about past work or interviews there | n/a | 99.5% |
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MDA Space vs SpaceX: common questions
Which pays more, MDA Space or SpaceX?
MDA Space pays more on typical work (Stated per posting vs SpaceX's $109k–$245k/yr typical (live median $138k/yr)), and the rates both boards post make that 53% likely.
Is MDA Space or SpaceX 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; 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.