Head-to-head
Northrop Grumman 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.
Northrop Grumman
SpaceXNorthrop Grumman vs SpaceX, in brief
, the SpaceJobs.Now board shows 767 open Northrop Grumman roles at a typical $107k to $251k a year (median $130k) and 2,588 open SpaceX roles at a typical $109k to $245k a year (median $138k).
SpaceX pays more on typical work ($109k–$245k/yr typical (live median $138k/yr) vs Northrop Grumman's $107k–$251k/yr typical (live median $130k/yr)), and the rates both boards post make that 80% likely.
What we know does not show which of the two hires more of the people who apply. Northrop Grumman works in spacecraft and stations; SpaceX in launch and propulsion.
Both hire for Technicians, Propulsion, Avionics, and Launch & Ops; Northrop Grumman also covers Systems & Test and Mechanical; SpaceX also covers RF & Payloads and Programs & Business.
Right now SpaceX has more live roles (2,588 vs 767).
Bottom line: SpaceX pays more, so pick SpaceX for the higher rate, or Northrop Grumman if its specific work fits you better.
| Northrop Grumman | SpaceX | |
|---|---|---|
| Typical pay | $107k–$251k/yr typical (live median $130k/yr) | $109k–$245k/yr typical (live median $138k/yr) |
| Type of company | Spacecraft & stations · Space systems (part of a defense prime) | Launch & propulsion · Launch and satellite broadband |
| Kinds of work | Systems & Test, Technicians, Propulsion, Avionics, Mechanical, and Launch & Ops | Propulsion, Technicians, Launch & Ops, Avionics, RF & Payloads, and Programs & Business |
| Where it hires | Redondo Beach, CA; Dulles, VA; Gilbert, AZ; Utah; Kennedy Space Center, FL | Hawthorne, CA; Bastrop and Starbase, TX; Redmond, WA; plus launch and test sites in Florida, California and Texas |
| Open roles now | 767 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.
Northrop Grumman vs SpaceX 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 | SpaceX |
|---|---|---|
| Systems Engineer | $143k/yr (105 roles) | $141k/yr (31 roles) |
| Software Engineer | $137k/yr (84 roles) | $163k/yr (339 roles) |
| Electrical Engineer | $136k/yr (79 roles) | $140k/yr (206 roles) |
| Quality Engineer or Inspector | $99.5k/yr (65 roles) | $130k/yr (193 roles) |
| Mechanical Engineer | $136k/yr (56 roles) | $130k/yr (132 roles) |
| Program or Project Manager | $174k/yr (37 roles) | $118k/yr (50 roles) |
| Test Engineer | $132k/yr (33 roles) | $133k/yr (80 roles) |
| Technician | $68.5k/yr (29 roles) | $62.4k/yr (228 roles) |
| Cybersecurity Expert | $127k/yr (27 roles) | $163k/yr (67 roles) |
| Manufacturing Engineer | $112k/yr (26 roles) | $130k/yr (138 roles) |
| Supply Chain Professional | $94.8k/yr (25 roles) | $124k/yr (222 roles) |
| Security Professional | $114k/yr (21 roles) | $110k/yr (28 roles) |
| GNC Engineer | $143k/yr (19 roles) | $160k/yr (21 roles) |
| Lawyer, Contracts Manager or Regulatory Professional | $118k/yr (16 roles) | $223k/yr (29 roles) |
| Mission or Launch Operations Engineer | $130k/yr (15 roles) | $130k/yr (72 roles) |
| Sales or Business Development Professional | $158k/yr (14 roles) | $150k/yr (109 roles) |
| Finance or Accounting Professional | $118k/yr (10 roles) | $148k/yr (23 roles) |
| RF or Communications Engineer | $143k/yr (10 roles) | $173k/yr (73 roles) |
Best for people looking for Systems & Test and Technicians roles.
See 767 open roles →Best for people looking for Propulsion and Technicians roles, with higher pay.
See 2,588 open roles →Northrop Grumman 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 | Northrop Grumman | SpaceX |
|---|---|---|
| Open roles | 765 | 2,582 |
| Share of all open space roles | 4.1% | 13.8% |
| Posted in the last 30 days | 508 | 563 |
| Posted this week | 207 | 170 |
| Taken down this week | 192 | 176 |
| Open roles with a known posting date | 765 | 2,582 |
| Half of its postings come down within (days) | 17 | 104 |
| Kinds of work hiring | 14 | 14 |
| Open only to US persons or citizens | 99.5% | 100.0% |
| Name a security clearance | 84.4% | 7.7% |
| Take a diploma or an associate's degree | 9.5% | 26.3% |
| Name a master's or PhD | 83.1% | 16.3% |
| Postings that count military experience | 13 | 25 |
| SkillBridge internships | 8 | 0 |
| Postings that state pay | 98.0% | 53.4% |
| Median posted pay a year | $130,000 | $138,000 |
| Starter roles (internships, new graduate, entry level) | 21 | 57 |
| Starter roles' share of its open roles | 2.7% | 2.2% |
| Internships and co-ops | 7 | 12 |
| Ask for weekend work | 6.7% | 90.0% |
| Ask for overtime or extended hours | 97.8% | 88.8% |
| Name an evening, night or rotating shift | 4.1% | 8.4% |
| State a share of time traveling | 88.5% | 25.7% |
| Postings that offer relocation | 494 | 14 |
| Postings that say no relocation is offered | 270 | 0 |
| 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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Northrop Grumman vs SpaceX: common questions
Which pays more, Northrop Grumman or SpaceX?
SpaceX pays more on typical work ($109k–$245k/yr typical (live median $138k/yr) vs Northrop Grumman's $107k–$251k/yr typical (live median $130k/yr)), and the rates both boards post make that 80% likely.
Is Northrop Grumman or SpaceX 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; 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.