Head-to-head
Stoke Space vs Vast
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.
Stoke Space
VastStoke Space vs Vast, in brief
, the SpaceJobs.Now board shows 74 open Stoke Space roles at a typical $108k to $328k a year (median $152k) and 180 open Vast roles at a typical $117k to $244k a year (median $146k).
Stoke Space pays more on typical work ($108k–$328k/yr typical (live median $152000) vs Vast's $117k–$244k/yr typical (live median $146000)), a 73% 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. Stoke Space is a launch & propulsion; Vast is a spacecraft & stations.
Both hire for Technicians, Mechanical, Avionics, and Launch & Ops; Stoke Space also covers Propulsion; Vast also covers Systems & Test.
Right now Vast has more live roles (180 vs 74).
Bottom line: Stoke Space pays more, so pick Stoke Space for the higher rate, or Vast if its specific work fits you better.
| Stoke Space | Vast | |
|---|---|---|
| Typical pay | $108k–$328k/yr typical (live median $152000) | $117k–$244k/yr typical (live median $146000) |
| Type of company | Launch & propulsion · Launch | Spacecraft & stations · Space stations |
| Kinds of work | Propulsion, Technicians, Mechanical, Avionics, and Launch & Ops | Mechanical, Systems & Test, Technicians, Avionics, and Launch & Ops |
| Where it hires | Kent, WA; Moses Lake, WA; Cape Canaveral, FL | Long Beach, Hawthorne and Mojave, CA |
| Open roles now | 74 live | 180 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, with higher pay.
See 74 open roles →Best for people looking for Mechanical and Systems & Test roles.
See 180 open roles →Stoke Space and Vast 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 | Stoke Space | Vast |
|---|---|---|
| Open roles | 74 | 174 |
| Share of all open space roles | 0.9% | 2.1% |
| Posted in the last 30 days | 17 | 31 |
| Kinds of work hiring | 12 | 12 |
| Open only to US persons or citizens | 100.0% | 2.9% |
| Name a security clearance | 1.4% | 5.2% |
| Take a diploma or an associate's degree | 5.4% | 13.8% |
| Name a master's or PhD | 23.0% | 10.9% |
| Postings that state pay | 93.2% | 97.7% |
| Median posted pay a year | $152,000 | $112,000 |
| Starter roles (internships, new graduate, entry level) | 6 | 3 |
| Starter roles' share of its open roles | 8.1% | 1.7% |
| Internships and co-ops | 3 | 2 |
| Ask for weekend work | 13.5% | 68.4% |
| Ask for overtime or extended hours | 8.1% | 35.1% |
| Name an evening, night or rotating shift | 8.1% | 9.2% |
| State a share of time traveling | 2.7% | 32.8% |
| Postings that offer relocation | 3 | n/a |
| Postings that say no relocation is offered | 0 | n/a |
| Applications asking citizenship or U.S. person status | 18.9% | 97.1% |
| Applications asking about a security clearance | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| Applications asking a GPA | 4.1% | 0.6% |
| Applications asking SAT, ACT or GRE scores | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| Applications asking salary expectations | 95.9% | 0.0% |
| Applications asking about past work or interviews there | 0.0% | 48.9% |
| Postings that count military experience | n/a | 1 |
| SkillBridge internships | n/a | 0 |
Weekly roles email
Space openings, sent to your inbox
The newest roles at every employer we track, with the pay each states, in one weekly email. Free, and unsubscribe anytime.
Only job openings, never promotions. Stop it from any email.
Stoke Space vs Vast: common questions
Which pays more, Stoke Space or Vast?
Stoke Space pays more on typical work ($108k–$328k/yr typical (live median $152000) vs Vast's $117k–$244k/yr typical (live median $146000)), a 73% chance on the rates the two boards state, and its ceiling is higher too.
Is Stoke Space or Vast easier to get hired at?
What we know does not show which of the two hires more of the people who apply. Stoke Space is a launch & propulsion; Vast is a spacecraft & 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.