Head-to-head
Northrop Grumman vs Lockheed Martin
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
Lockheed MartinNorthrop Grumman vs Lockheed Martin, in brief
, the SpaceJobs.Now board shows 767 open Northrop Grumman roles at a typical $107k to $251k a year (median $130k) and 1,700 open Lockheed Martin roles at a typical $104k to $270k a year (median $137k).
Lockheed Martin pays more on typical work ($104k–$270k/yr typical (live median $137k/yr) vs Northrop Grumman's $107k–$251k/yr typical (live median $130k/yr)), and the rates both boards post leave little doubt, and its ceiling is higher too.
What we know does not show which of the two hires more of the people who apply. Both work in spacecraft and stations.
Both hire for Systems & Test, Technicians, Avionics, Mechanical, and Launch & Ops; Northrop Grumman also covers Propulsion; Lockheed Martin also covers Flight Software, Software & IT, and Programs & Business.
Right now Lockheed Martin has more live roles (1,700 vs 767).
Bottom line: Lockheed Martin pays more, so pick Lockheed Martin for the higher rate, or Northrop Grumman if its specific work fits you better.
| Northrop Grumman | Lockheed Martin | |
|---|---|---|
| Typical pay | $107k–$251k/yr typical (live median $130k/yr) | $104k–$270k/yr typical (live median $137k/yr) |
| Type of company | Spacecraft & stations · Space systems (part of a defense prime) | Spacecraft & stations · Satellites, the Orion spacecraft and missile warning systems (part of a defense prime) |
| Kinds of work | Systems & Test, Technicians, Propulsion, Avionics, Mechanical, and Launch & Ops | Systems & Test, Mechanical, Avionics, Flight Software, Software & IT, Launch & Ops, Technicians, and Programs & Business |
| Where it hires | Redondo Beach, CA; Dulles, VA; Gilbert, AZ; Utah; Kennedy Space Center, FL | Littleton, Aurora and Longmont, CO; Kennedy Space Center and Cape Canaveral, FL; Stennis Space Center, MS |
| Open roles now | 767 live | 1,700 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 Lockheed Martin 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 | Lockheed Martin |
|---|---|---|
| Systems Engineer | $143k/yr (105 roles) | $150k/yr (323 roles) |
| Software Engineer | $137k/yr (84 roles) | $158k/yr (237 roles) |
| Electrical Engineer | $136k/yr (79 roles) | $158k/yr (143 roles) |
| Quality Engineer or Inspector | $99.5k/yr (65 roles) | $102k/yr (86 roles) |
| Mechanical Engineer | $136k/yr (56 roles) | $137k/yr (98 roles) |
| Program or Project Manager | $174k/yr (37 roles) | $150k/yr (175 roles) |
| Test Engineer | $132k/yr (33 roles) | $137k/yr (99 roles) |
| Technician | $68.5k/yr (29 roles) | $71.8k/yr (61 roles) |
| Cybersecurity Expert | $127k/yr (27 roles) | $169k/yr (33 roles) |
| Manufacturing Engineer | $112k/yr (26 roles) | $126k/yr (45 roles) |
| Supply Chain Professional | $94.8k/yr (25 roles) | $116k/yr (141 roles) |
| GNC Engineer | $143k/yr (19 roles) | $158k/yr (35 roles) |
| Finance or Accounting Professional | $118k/yr (10 roles) | $116k/yr (41 roles) |
| RF or Communications Engineer | $143k/yr (10 roles) | $194k/yr (26 roles) |
Best for people looking for Systems & Test and Technicians roles.
See 767 open roles →Best for people looking for Systems & Test and Mechanical roles, with higher pay.
See 1,700 open roles →Northrop Grumman and Lockheed Martin 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 | Lockheed Martin |
|---|---|---|
| Open roles | 765 | 1,722 |
| Share of all open space roles | 4.1% | 9.2% |
| Posted in the last 30 days | 508 | 875 |
| Posted this week | 207 | 235 |
| Taken down this week | 192 | 137 |
| Open roles with a known posting date | 765 | 1,722 |
| Half of its postings come down within (days) | 17 | 43 |
| Kinds of work hiring | 14 | 14 |
| Open only to US persons or citizens | 99.5% | 47.1% |
| Name a security clearance | 84.4% | 76.8% |
| Take a diploma or an associate's degree | 9.5% | 2.7% |
| Name a master's or PhD | 83.1% | 12.3% |
| Postings that count military experience | 13 | 19 |
| SkillBridge internships | 8 | 0 |
| Postings that state pay | 98.0% | 98.3% |
| Median posted pay a year | $130,000 | $137,000 |
| Starter roles (internships, new graduate, entry level) | 21 | 105 |
| Starter roles' share of its open roles | 2.7% | 6.1% |
| Internships and co-ops | 7 | 34 |
| Ask for weekend work | 6.7% | 5.2% |
| Ask for overtime or extended hours | 97.8% | 3.6% |
| Name an evening, night or rotating shift | 4.1% | 2.6% |
| State a share of time traveling | 88.5% | 4.5% |
| Postings that offer relocation | 494 | 0 |
| Postings that say no relocation is offered | 270 | 6 |
| Postings that offer visa sponsorship | n/a | 0 |
| Postings that say the employer does not sponsor work visas | n/a | 1 |
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Northrop Grumman vs Lockheed Martin: common questions
Which pays more, Northrop Grumman or Lockheed Martin?
Lockheed Martin pays more on typical work ($104k–$270k/yr typical (live median $137k/yr) vs Northrop Grumman's $107k–$251k/yr typical (live median $130k/yr)), and the rates both boards post leave little doubt, and its ceiling is higher too.
Is Northrop Grumman or Lockheed Martin easier to get hired at?
What we know does not show which of the two hires more of the people who apply. Both work 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.