Head-to-head
Viasat vs Iridium
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.
Viasat
IridiumViasat vs Iridium, in brief
, the SpaceJobs.Now board shows 259 open Viasat roles at a typical $127k to $285k a year (median $156k) and 53 open Iridium roles at a typical $105k to $243k a year (median $123k).
Viasat pays more on typical work ($127k–$285k/yr typical (live median $156k/yr) vs Iridium's $105k–$243k/yr typical (live median $123k/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 space data and services.
Both hire for Software & IT, Systems & Test, and Flight Software; Viasat also covers Avionics, Mechanical, and RF & Payloads; Iridium also covers Launch & Ops, Technicians, and Programs & Business.
Right now Viasat has more live roles (259 vs 53).
Bottom line: Viasat pays more, so pick Viasat for the higher rate, or Iridium if its specific work fits you better.
| Viasat | Iridium | |
|---|---|---|
| Typical pay | $127k–$285k/yr typical (live median $156k/yr) | $105k–$243k/yr typical (live median $123k/yr) |
| Type of company | Space data & services · Satellite communications | Space data & services · Satellite communications operator |
| Kinds of work | Software & IT, Systems & Test, Flight Software, Avionics, Mechanical, and RF & Payloads | Software & IT, Systems & Test, Flight Software, Launch & Ops, Technicians, and Programs & Business |
| Where it hires | Carlsbad, CA; Tempe, AZ; Duluth, GA; London, UK; remote in the US | McLean and Reston, VA; Tempe and Chandler, AZ; Huntsville, AL; Grand Forks, ND |
| Open roles now | 259 live | 53 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 Software & IT and Systems & Test roles, with higher pay.
See 259 open roles →Best for people looking for Software & IT and Systems & Test roles.
See 53 open roles →Viasat and Iridium 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 | Viasat | Iridium |
|---|---|---|
| Open roles | 258 | 54 |
| Share of all open space roles | 1.4% | 0.3% |
| Posted in the last 30 days | 134 | 2 |
| Posted this week | 36 | 3 |
| Taken down this week | 34 | 3 |
| Open roles with a known posting date | 258 | 2 |
| Half of its postings come down within (days) | 35 | n/a |
| Kinds of work hiring | 12 | 7 |
| Open only to US persons or citizens | 41.5% | 40.7% |
| Name a security clearance | 38.4% | 27.8% |
| Take a diploma or an associate's degree | 8.5% | 5.6% |
| Name a master's or PhD | 20.9% | 11.1% |
| Postings that count military experience | 5 | 3 |
| SkillBridge internships | 1 | 0 |
| Postings that state pay | 74.4% | 92.6% |
| Median posted pay a year | $156,000 | $123,000 |
| Starter roles (internships, new graduate, entry level) | 7 | 6 |
| Starter roles' share of its open roles | 2.7% | 11.1% |
| Internships and co-ops | 4 | 2 |
| Ask for weekend work | 0.8% | 0.0% |
| Ask for overtime or extended hours | 1.9% | 0.0% |
| Name an evening, night or rotating shift | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| State a share of time traveling | 49.6% | 48.1% |
| Postings that offer visa sponsorship | 0 | 0 |
| Postings that say the employer does not sponsor work visas | 1 | 1 |
| H-1B visa applications certified (Department of Labor) | 26 | 5 |
| Green card (PERM) certifications (Department of Labor) | 17 | 1 |
| Postings that offer relocation | 3 | n/a |
| Postings that say no relocation is offered | 0 | n/a |
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Viasat vs Iridium: common questions
Which pays more, Viasat or Iridium?
Viasat pays more on typical work ($127k–$285k/yr typical (live median $156k/yr) vs Iridium's $105k–$243k/yr typical (live median $123k/yr)), and the rates both boards post leave little doubt, and its ceiling is higher too.
Is Viasat or Iridium 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.