Head-to-head
Telesat vs Viasat
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.
Telesat
ViasatTelesat vs Viasat, in brief
, the SpaceJobs.Now board shows 57 open Telesat roles and 259 open Viasat roles at a typical $127k to $285k a year (median $156k).
Viasat pays more on typical work ($127k–$285k/yr typical (live median $156k/yr) vs Telesat's Stated per posting), and the rates both boards post make that 69% likely.
What we know does not show which of the two hires more of the people who apply. Both work in space data and services.
Both hire for RF & Payloads, Software & IT, and Systems & Test; Telesat also covers Launch & Ops, Programs & Business, and Supply Chain; Viasat also covers Flight Software, Avionics, and Mechanical.
Right now Viasat has more live roles (259 vs 57).
Bottom line: Viasat pays more, so pick Viasat for the higher rate, or Telesat if its specific work fits you better.
| Telesat | Viasat | |
|---|---|---|
| Typical pay | Stated per posting | $127k–$285k/yr typical (live median $156k/yr) |
| Type of company | Space data & services · Satellite operator | Space data & services · Satellite communications |
| Kinds of work | RF & Payloads, Software & IT, Systems & Test, Launch & Ops, Programs & Business, and Supply Chain | Software & IT, Systems & Test, Flight Software, Avionics, Mechanical, and RF & Payloads |
| Where it hires | Ottawa, Ontario; Quebec; United States | Carlsbad, CA; Tempe, AZ; Duluth, GA; London, UK; remote in the US |
| Open roles now | 57 live | 259 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 RF & Payloads and Software & IT roles.
See 57 open roles →Best for people looking for Software & IT and Systems & Test roles, with higher pay.
See 259 open roles →Telesat and Viasat 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 | Telesat | Viasat |
|---|---|---|
| Open roles | 57 | 258 |
| Share of all open space roles | 0.3% | 1.4% |
| Posted in the last 30 days | 12 | 134 |
| Posted this week | 1 | 36 |
| Taken down this week | 4 | 34 |
| Open roles with a known posting date | 57 | 258 |
| Half of its postings come down within (days) | 20 | 35 |
| Kinds of work hiring | 8 | 12 |
| Open only to US persons or citizens | 3.5% | 41.5% |
| Name a security clearance | 17.5% | 38.4% |
| Take a diploma or an associate's degree | 0.0% | 8.5% |
| Name a master's or PhD | 29.8% | 20.9% |
| Postings that state pay | 0.0% | 74.4% |
| Ask for weekend work | 0.0% | 0.8% |
| Ask for overtime or extended hours | 3.5% | 1.9% |
| Name an evening, night or rotating shift | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| State a share of time traveling | 0.0% | 49.6% |
| Postings that offer relocation | 1 | 3 |
| Postings that say no relocation is offered | 0 | 0 |
| Applications asking citizenship or U.S. person status | 0.0% | n/a |
| Applications asking about a security clearance | 0.0% | n/a |
| Applications asking a GPA | 0.0% | n/a |
| Applications asking SAT, ACT or GRE scores | 0.0% | n/a |
| Applications asking salary expectations | 0.0% | n/a |
| Applications asking about past work or interviews there | 0.0% | n/a |
| Postings that count military experience | n/a | 5 |
| SkillBridge internships | n/a | 1 |
| Median posted pay a year | n/a | $156,000 |
| Starter roles (internships, new graduate, entry level) | n/a | 7 |
| Starter roles' share of its open roles | n/a | 2.7% |
| Internships and co-ops | n/a | 4 |
| Postings that offer visa sponsorship | n/a | 0 |
| Postings that say the employer does not sponsor work visas | n/a | 1 |
| H-1B visa applications certified (Department of Labor) | n/a | 26 |
| Green card (PERM) certifications (Department of Labor) | n/a | 17 |
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Telesat vs Viasat: common questions
Which pays more, Telesat or Viasat?
Viasat pays more on typical work ($127k–$285k/yr typical (live median $156k/yr) vs Telesat's Stated per posting), and the rates both boards post make that 69% likely.
Is Telesat or Viasat 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 space data and services.
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.