Guide · updated October 19, 2026
What space-industry trades actually pay
Built only from pay ranges employers publish in live postings: 431 trades and technician roles with pay, out of 874 open today. Salaried ranges are converted to hourly at 2,080 hours a year.
Pay by trade
| Trade | Median | Middle half | Full posted range | Ranges |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Machinists | $41.50 | $32.50–$47.36 | $23.00–$70.80 | 67 |
| Pipefitters and plumbers | $39.77 | $27.75–$41.50 | $23.00–$49.80 | 4 |
| Electricians | $38.75 | $37.50–$41.50 | $30.00–$50.00 | 5 |
| Quality and NDT inspectors | $37.50 | $30.00–$40.86 | $20.00–$78.00 | 60 |
| Launch and pad technicians | $37.38 | $29.69–$41.50 | $23.00–$51.60 | 10 |
| Avionics and wire-harness technicians | $36.00 | $32.38–$43.25 | $22.00–$77.04 | 45 |
| Fabrication technicians | $35.34 | $26.00–$40.13 | $23.00–$64.02 | 21 |
| Composites technicians | $34.00 | $31.00–$40.00 | $20.00–$55.00 | 9 |
| Test technicians | $34.00 | $27.66–$41.50 | $21.33–$60.30 | 49 |
| Maintenance and HVAC technicians | $34.00 | $27.75–$41.00 | $18.75–$62.50 | 59 |
| Assembly and integration technicians | $32.38 | $26.00–$39.50 | $18.75–$76.16 | 118 |
| Welders | $30.00 | $25.00–$40.00 | $22.80–$64.02 | 33 |
Pay by location
| Hub | Median | Middle half | Ranges |
|---|---|---|---|
| Space Coast, FL | $43.00 | $41.50–$44.00 | 11 |
| San Francisco Bay Area, CA | $40.00 | $39.50–$42.50 | 9 |
| Denver & Colorado Springs, CO | $37.23 | $31.84–$43.27 | 36 |
| Washington, DC area | $36.00 | $28.85–$41.00 | 13 |
| Seattle area, WA | $35.89 | $26.00–$41.50 | 95 |
| Los Angeles South Bay, CA | $35.00 | $27.50–$41.50 | 232 |
| Vandenberg & Central Coast, CA | $26.38 | $26.38–$26.38 | 9 |
Pay by employer
| Company | Median | Middle half | Ranges |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apex | $41.50 | $39.00–$45.00 | 8 |
| Astranis | $41.50 | $38.50–$42.50 | 6 |
| Relativity Space | $41.00 | $34.00–$43.25 | 65 |
| Stoke Space | $40.13 | $32.39–$40.13 | 9 |
| Impulse Space | $40.00 | $40.00–$47.50 | 20 |
| Vast | $40.00 | $35.66–$43.00 | 17 |
| Blue Origin | $38.58 | $33.20–$43.91 | 54 |
| K2 Space | $38.50 | $34.50–$40.50 | 10 |
| True Anomaly | $38.50 | $31.25–$43.25 | 9 |
| Ursa Major | $37.26 | $31.84–$39.77 | 8 |
| Voyager Technologies | $35.75 | $29.00–$39.00 | 8 |
| Sierra Space | $34.99 | $27.09–$39.16 | 12 |
| Rocket Lab | $31.50 | $28.85–$39.00 | 34 |
| SpaceX | $26.00 | $25.00–$30.00 | 143 |
Highest posted ranges right now
- Senior Quality Inspector - Test & Launch · Relativity Space · $52.00–$78.00/hr
- Senior Technical Specialist - Avionics Packaging · Blue Origin · $55.03–$77.04/hr
- Lunar | Shift Leader - Manufacturing, Ops & Assembly | A shift · Blue Origin · $54.40–$76.16/hr
- NDT Level III Inspector · Ursa Major · $59.38–$74.23/hr
- Lead AIT Technician · Loft Orbital · $52.88–$72.12/hr
- Senior Pressure Systems & NDT Specialist · NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory · $58.65–$71.00/hr
- Senior CNC Programmer, Second Shift · Relativity Space · $47.20–$70.80/hr
- Financial Business Partner III - Engines Avionics and Control Products · Blue Origin · $50.01–$70.02/hr
Quick answers
How much do trades workers make at space companies?
Across 431 live space-industry trades and technician postings that list pay, the median posted midpoint is $35.66 an hour, and the middle half runs $27.75–$41.50 an hour (as of October 19, 2026).
Which space-industry trade pays the most?
Among trades with enough posted ranges, machinists have the highest median at $41.50/hr, followed by pipefitters and plumbers ($39.77/hr) and electricians ($38.75/hr).
Does SpaceX post pay for trades jobs?
In our data, many SpaceX postings in California and Washington list pay ranges (both states require them in job ads), while its Starbase, Texas postings generally don't. Figures here therefore lean on ranges from other sites and employers.
Are these real offers?
They are the ranges employers publish in live job postings. Actual offers depend on level, shift differentials, overtime and experience; overtime around launch campaigns can add substantially to take-home pay.
Method: each figure is the midpoint of an employer-posted range; medians need at least 3 ranges (5 for locations and employers). Recalculated every day from live postings.