Head-to-head
Northrop Grumman vs Boeing
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.
Northrop Grumman
BoeingNorthrop Grumman vs Boeing, in brief
, the SpaceJobs.Now board shows 767 open Northrop Grumman roles at a typical $107k to $251k a year (median $130k) and 160 open Boeing roles at a typical $116k to $239k a year (median $144k).
Boeing pays more on typical work ($116k–$239k/yr typical (live median $144k/yr) vs Northrop Grumman's $107k–$251k/yr typical (live median $130k/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. Northrop Grumman works in spacecraft and stations; Boeing in launch and propulsion.
Both hire for Systems & Test, Technicians, Avionics, and Launch & Ops; Northrop Grumman also covers Propulsion and Mechanical; Boeing also covers Quality.
Right now Northrop Grumman has more live roles (767 vs 160).
Bottom line: Boeing pays more, so pick Boeing for the higher rate, or Northrop Grumman if its specific work fits you better.
| Northrop Grumman | Boeing | |
|---|---|---|
| Typical pay | $107k–$251k/yr typical (live median $130k/yr) | $116k–$239k/yr typical (live median $144k/yr) |
| Type of company | Spacecraft & stations · Space systems (part of a defense prime) | Launch & propulsion · Space and launch (part of an aerospace prime) |
| Kinds of work | Systems & Test, Technicians, Propulsion, Avionics, Mechanical, and Launch & Ops | Systems & Test, Launch & Ops, Technicians, Quality, and Avionics |
| Where it hires | Redondo Beach, CA; Dulles, VA; Gilbert, AZ; Utah; Kennedy Space Center, FL | Kennedy Space Center, FL; Houston, TX; Huntsville, AL; El Segundo, CA |
| Open roles now | 767 live | 160 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.
Northrop Grumman vs Boeing 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 | Northrop Grumman | Boeing |
|---|---|---|
| Systems Engineer | $143k/yr (105 roles) | $159k/yr (27 roles) |
| Software Engineer | $137k/yr (84 roles) | $146k/yr (29 roles) |
| Electrical Engineer | $136k/yr (79 roles) | $159k/yr (18 roles) |
| GNC Engineer | $143k/yr (19 roles) | $171k/yr (10 roles) |
| RF or Communications Engineer | $143k/yr (10 roles) | $137k/yr (12 roles) |
Best for people looking for Systems & Test and Technicians roles.
See 767 open roles →Best for people looking for Systems & Test and Launch & Ops roles, with higher pay.
See 160 open roles →Northrop Grumman and Boeing 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 | Northrop Grumman | Boeing |
|---|---|---|
| Open roles | 765 | 160 |
| Share of all open space roles | 4.1% | 0.9% |
| Posted in the last 30 days | 508 | 155 |
| Posted this week | 207 | 89 |
| Taken down this week | 192 | 93 |
| Open roles with a known posting date | 765 | 160 |
| Half of its postings come down within (days) | 17 | 14 |
| Kinds of work hiring | 14 | 14 |
| Open only to US persons or citizens | 99.5% | 95.6% |
| Name a security clearance | 84.4% | 99.4% |
| Take a diploma or an associate's degree | 9.5% | 3.8% |
| Name a master's or PhD | 83.1% | 16.3% |
| Postings that count military experience | 13 | 5 |
| SkillBridge internships | 8 | 0 |
| Postings that state pay | 98.0% | 95.0% |
| Median posted pay a year | $130,000 | $144,000 |
| Starter roles (internships, new graduate, entry level) | 21 | 5 |
| Starter roles' share of its open roles | 2.7% | 3.1% |
| Internships and co-ops | 7 | 1 |
| Ask for weekend work | 6.7% | 6.3% |
| Ask for overtime or extended hours | 97.8% | 0.6% |
| Name an evening, night or rotating shift | 4.1% | 3.8% |
| State a share of time traveling | 88.5% | 29.4% |
| Postings that offer relocation | 494 | 101 |
| Postings that say no relocation is offered | 270 | 59 |
| Postings that offer visa sponsorship | n/a | 0 |
| Postings that say the employer does not sponsor work visas | n/a | 157 |
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Northrop Grumman vs Boeing: common questions
Which pays more, Northrop Grumman or Boeing?
Boeing pays more on typical work ($116k–$239k/yr typical (live median $144k/yr) vs Northrop Grumman's $107k–$251k/yr typical (live median $130k/yr)), and the rates both boards post leave little doubt.
Is Northrop Grumman or Boeing easier to get hired at?
What we know does not show which of the two hires more of the people who apply. Northrop Grumman works in spacecraft and stations; Boeing 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.