Head-to-head
Rocket Lab vs Stoke Space
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.
Rocket Lab
Stoke SpaceRocket Lab vs Stoke Space, in brief
, the SpaceJobs.Now board shows 488 open Rocket Lab roles at a typical $58.2k to $153k a year (median $100k) and 74 open Stoke Space roles at a typical $108k to $328k a year (median $152k).
Stoke Space pays more on typical work ($108k–$328k/yr typical (live median $152000) vs Rocket Lab's $58.2k–$153k/yr typical (live median $100000)), a 100% chance on the rates the two boards state, and its ceiling is higher too.
What we know does not show which of the two hires more of the people who apply. Both are launch & propulsions.
Both hire for Propulsion, Technicians, Avionics, Launch & Ops, and Mechanical; Rocket Lab also covers Systems & Test.
Right now Rocket Lab has more live roles (488 vs 74).
Bottom line: Stoke Space pays more, so pick Stoke Space for the higher rate, or Rocket Lab if its specific work fits you better.
| Rocket Lab | Stoke Space | |
|---|---|---|
| Typical pay | $58.2k–$153k/yr typical (live median $100000) | $108k–$328k/yr typical (live median $152000) |
| Type of company | Launch & propulsion · Launch and spacecraft | Launch & propulsion · Launch |
| Kinds of work | Propulsion, Technicians, Avionics, Systems & Test, Launch & Ops, and Mechanical | Propulsion, Technicians, Mechanical, Avionics, and Launch & Ops |
| Where it hires | Long Beach, CA; Auckland, New Zealand; Middle River, MD; Tucson, AZ; Albuquerque, NM; Wallops Island, VA | Kent, WA; Moses Lake, WA; Cape Canaveral, FL |
| Open roles now | 488 live | 74 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 Propulsion and Technicians roles.
See 488 open roles →Best for people looking for Propulsion and Technicians roles, with higher pay.
See 74 open roles →Rocket Lab and Stoke Space in our research
What the two employers' open postings on 2026-10-29 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 | Rocket Lab | Stoke Space |
|---|---|---|
| Open roles | 487 | 74 |
| Share of all open space roles | 6.0% | 0.9% |
| Posted in the last 30 days | 195 | 17 |
| Kinds of work hiring | 13 | 12 |
| Open only to US persons or citizens | 100.0% | 100.0% |
| Name a security clearance | 27.7% | 1.4% |
| Take a diploma or an associate's degree | 10.9% | 5.4% |
| Name a master's or PhD | 37.2% | 23.0% |
| Postings that state pay | 71.3% | 93.2% |
| Median posted pay a year | $100,000 | $152,000 |
| Starter roles (internships, new graduate, entry level) | 98 | 6 |
| Starter roles' share of its open roles | 20.1% | 8.1% |
| Internships and co-ops | 69 | 3 |
| Ask for weekend work | 11.3% | 13.5% |
| Ask for overtime or extended hours | 10.3% | 8.1% |
| Name an evening, night or rotating shift | 2.1% | 8.1% |
| State a share of time traveling | 5.5% | 2.7% |
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Rocket Lab vs Stoke Space: common questions
Which pays more, Rocket Lab or Stoke Space?
Stoke Space pays more on typical work ($108k–$328k/yr typical (live median $152000) vs Rocket Lab's $58.2k–$153k/yr typical (live median $100000)), a 100% chance on the rates the two boards state, and its ceiling is higher too.
Is Rocket Lab or Stoke Space easier to get hired at?
What we know does not show which of the two hires more of the people who apply. Both are launch & propulsions.
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.