Head-to-head
Viasat 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.
Viasat
SpaceXViasat vs SpaceX, in brief
, the SpaceJobs.Now board shows 259 open Viasat roles at a typical $127k to $285k a year (median $156k) and 2,588 open SpaceX roles at a typical $109k to $245k a year (median $138k).
Viasat pays more on typical work ($127k–$285k/yr typical (live median $156k/yr) vs SpaceX's $109k–$245k/yr typical (live median $138k/yr)), and the rates both boards post make that 85% likely, and its ceiling is higher too.
What we know does not show which of the two hires more of the people who apply. Viasat works in space data and services; SpaceX in launch and propulsion.
Both hire for Avionics and RF & Payloads; Viasat also covers Software & IT, Systems & Test, Flight Software, and Mechanical; SpaceX also covers Propulsion, Technicians, Launch & Ops, and Programs & Business.
Right now SpaceX has more live roles (2,588 vs 259).
Bottom line: Viasat pays more, so pick Viasat for the higher rate, or SpaceX if its specific work fits you better.
| Viasat | SpaceX | |
|---|---|---|
| Typical pay | $127k–$285k/yr typical (live median $156k/yr) | $109k–$245k/yr typical (live median $138k/yr) |
| Type of company | Space data & services · Satellite communications | Launch & propulsion · Launch and satellite broadband |
| Kinds of work | Software & IT, Systems & Test, Flight Software, Avionics, Mechanical, and RF & Payloads | Propulsion, Technicians, Launch & Ops, Avionics, RF & Payloads, and Programs & Business |
| Where it hires | Carlsbad, CA; Tempe, AZ; Duluth, GA; London, UK; remote in the US | Hawthorne, CA; Bastrop and Starbase, TX; Redmond, WA; plus launch and test sites in Florida, California and Texas |
| Open roles now | 259 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.
Viasat 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 | Viasat | SpaceX |
|---|---|---|
| Software Engineer | $181k/yr (50 roles) | $163k/yr (339 roles) |
| Systems Engineer | $169k/yr (23 roles) | $141k/yr (31 roles) |
| Program or Project Manager | $169k/yr (22 roles) | $118k/yr (50 roles) |
| Electrical Engineer | $155k/yr (15 roles) | $140k/yr (206 roles) |
| RF or Communications Engineer | $169k/yr (15 roles) | $173k/yr (73 roles) |
| Test Engineer | $155k/yr (12 roles) | $133k/yr (80 roles) |
Best for people looking for Software & IT and Systems & Test roles, with higher pay.
See 259 open roles →Best for people looking for Propulsion and Technicians roles.
See 2,588 open roles →Viasat 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 | Viasat | SpaceX |
|---|---|---|
| Open roles | 258 | 2,582 |
| Share of all open space roles | 1.4% | 13.8% |
| Posted in the last 30 days | 134 | 563 |
| Posted this week | 36 | 170 |
| Taken down this week | 34 | 176 |
| Open roles with a known posting date | 258 | 2,582 |
| Half of its postings come down within (days) | 35 | 104 |
| Kinds of work hiring | 12 | 14 |
| Open only to US persons or citizens | 41.5% | 100.0% |
| Name a security clearance | 38.4% | 7.7% |
| Take a diploma or an associate's degree | 8.5% | 26.3% |
| Name a master's or PhD | 20.9% | 16.3% |
| Postings that count military experience | 5 | 25 |
| SkillBridge internships | 1 | 0 |
| Postings that state pay | 74.4% | 53.4% |
| Median posted pay a year | $156,000 | $138,000 |
| Starter roles (internships, new graduate, entry level) | 7 | 57 |
| Starter roles' share of its open roles | 2.7% | 2.2% |
| Internships and co-ops | 4 | 12 |
| Ask for weekend work | 0.8% | 90.0% |
| Ask for overtime or extended hours | 1.9% | 88.8% |
| Name an evening, night or rotating shift | 0.0% | 8.4% |
| State a share of time traveling | 49.6% | 25.7% |
| Postings that offer visa sponsorship | 0 | n/a |
| Postings that say the employer does not sponsor work visas | 1 | n/a |
| H-1B visa applications certified (Department of Labor) | 26 | 28 |
| Green card (PERM) certifications (Department of Labor) | 17 | 3 |
| Postings that offer relocation | 3 | 14 |
| Postings that say no relocation is offered | 0 | 0 |
| 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% |
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.
Viasat vs SpaceX: common questions
Which pays more, Viasat or SpaceX?
Viasat pays more on typical work ($127k–$285k/yr typical (live median $156k/yr) vs SpaceX's $109k–$245k/yr typical (live median $138k/yr)), and the rates both boards post make that 85% likely, and its ceiling is higher too.
Is Viasat or SpaceX easier to get hired at?
What we know does not show which of the two hires more of the people who apply. Viasat works in space data and services; 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.