SpaceX Employee Salaries 2026: Average Pay & Compensation
SpaceX employee salaries are estimated at $112,587 average pay in 2025-2026, with $101,328 median pay and $168,881 average total compensation. Compare SpaceX employee salaries by role, level, bonus, equity, benefits, and Hawthorne, CA location context before evaluating an offer.
Average Salary
$112,587
$9,382/mo
Total Compensation
$168,881
base + bonus + equity
Employees
13K
large company
Rating
4.2
★★★★☆
Direct answer
SpaceX employee salaries 2025-2026: average pay and compensation
The average salary for SpaceX employees is estimated at $112,587 in 2025-2026, with median pay of $101,328 and average total compensation of $168,881 when bonus, equity, and incentive pay are included. Entry-level roles start around $67,552, senior roles average $157,622, and the highest listed role benchmark is Aerospace Engineer at $113,000.
Reviewed by Harlan Voss · Page reviewed May 26, 2026 · Salary data last updated May 19, 2026. Source basis: modeled Salario role-level estimates, public filings, postings, or salary trackers where cited on this page, and BLS wage baselines for context; this is a planning estimate, not a guaranteed offer or internal HR pay band.
Search intent match
SpaceX average employee salary, compensation and role pay
These are the four compensation questions people usually compare before applying to SpaceX: average employee salary, average compensation per employee, salary by role, and salary range by level.
| Search question | 2026 answer | How to use it |
|---|---|---|
| SpaceX average employee salary 2026 | $112,587 average base salary | Compare against the Aerospace peer average of $124,007. |
| SpaceX average compensation per employee | $168,881 average total compensation | Separate base salary from bonus and equity before comparing offers. |
| SpaceX employee salaries by role | Aerospace Engineer: $113,000 | Systems Engineer: $107,000 | Avionics Engineer: $104,000 | Use role-specific benchmarks instead of negotiating from the company average alone. |
| SpaceX salary range 2025-2026 | $67,552 to $157,622 across listed entry-to-senior levels | Adjust for level, team, location, bonus cycle, and Hawthorne, CA cost context. |
Company-specific pay benchmark
SpaceX Employee Salaries by Role: 2025-2026 Snapshot
SpaceX employee salaries average $112,587 base pay and $168,881 average total compensation in this 2025-2026 benchmark. Within Aerospace, that puts SpaceX below the peer salary average of $124,007 by -9%. Use this snapshot to compare base salary, bonus potential, senior-level upside, and role-specific pay before accepting or negotiating an offer.
Vs. Aerospace peers
-9%
peer avg $124,007
Total comp position
-7%
peer avg $181,066
Role pay spread
$21,000
Quality Assurance Engineer to Aerospace Engineer
Senior premium
+133%
senior vs entry-level salary
| Negotiation area | SpaceX benchmark | What to verify |
|---|---|---|
| Base salary | $112,587 average, $101,328 median | Compare the offer against the Aerospace peer average and your exact role level. |
| Bonus target | 9% target, about $10,133 on average salary | Ask whether the target is guaranteed, discretionary, prorated, or tied to company performance. |
| Equity or incentives | 33% of estimated total comp is above base salary | Check vesting schedule, refresh grants, strike price or RSU value, and liquidity timing. |
| Location economics | Hawthorne, CA headquarters, $9,382 monthly average pay | Adjust for state taxes, local taxes, rent, commute cost, hybrid policy, and relocation support. |
SpaceX Salary by Level
Salary progression from entry-level to director positions at SpaceX.
Entry-level employees at SpaceX earn around $67,552, while directors can earn $244,314 or more.
SpaceX Average Pay by Role
| Role | Base Salary | Est. Total Comp |
|---|---|---|
| Aerospace Engineer | $113,000 | $123,170 |
| Systems Engineer | $107,000 | $116,630 |
| Avionics Engineer | $104,000 | $113,360 |
| Structural Engineer | $101,000 | $110,090 |
| Quality Assurance Engineer | $92,000 | $100,280 |
Total compensation estimates include base salary and an average 9% bonus. Stock options/equity are offered but vary significantly by role and level.
SpaceX Benefits & Perks
SpaceX Salary Calculator
Select a role and experience level to estimate your salary at SpaceX.
Mid Career (5-9 yrs)
Estimated Salary at SpaceX
$119,000
$9,917/month · $57.21/hr
Est. total comp with 9% bonus: $129,710
About SpaceX
SpaceX designs, manufactures, and launches advanced rockets and spacecraft. The company was founded to revolutionize space technology and make humanity a multi-planetary species.
Headquarters
Hawthorne, CA
Founded
2002
Industry
Aerospace
Company Size
large
Employees
13,000
Median Salary
$101,328
Hourly Rate
$54.13/hr
Monthly Pay
$9,382
SpaceX Estimated Workplace Ratings
Directional estimates from Salario's company dataset, not scores published by Glassdoor or another review site. Compensation and Culture are derived from the overall and work-life balance estimates. Check current employee reviews before relying on them.
4.2
★★★★☆
Overall Rating
Similar Aerospace Companies
Methodology & Sources for SpaceX Salary Data
How we estimate SpaceX compensation data: The salary figures on this page are modeled planning estimates stored in Salario's static company dataset. They are not a live feed and are not aggregated from individual employee submissions to Salario. Where this page lists specific sources such as SEC filings, official job postings, or public salary trackers, those sources are named with the date they were checked. BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics are linked as occupation-level baseline context, not as SpaceX-specific data.
- Base salary benchmarks are modeled estimates by role and level. SpaceX (founded 2002, 13K employees, headquartered in Hawthorne, CA) is in the Aerospace sector.
- Total compensation includes base salary, bonus, and where applicable, equity or other long-term incentives. At SpaceX, bonuses vary by role, level, location, performance cycle, and business division.
- Level mapping normalizes role names across companies (Entry/Junior/Mid/Senior/Lead/Principal/Director) for cross-company comparison.
- Cost-of-living context is not built into these figures; use the cost of living calculator to compare SpaceX's Hawthorne, CA pay with other markets.
- Industry comparison on this page compares SpaceX with other Aerospace companies in the same Salario dataset; BLS national occupation wages are linked below for independent context.
Authoritative compensation data sources:
- BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, national salary baselines for Aerospace
- SEC EDGAR, Company Filings, public company executive compensation in DEF 14A proxies
- BLS Industries at a Glance, Aerospace, sector employment, wages, productivity
- BLS Employment Cost Index, quarterly compensation trend data
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW), county-level wage data by industry
- DOL Wage and Hour Division, federal wage compliance and minimum wage
Disclaimer: SpaceX compensation figures are modeled estimates that reflect general patterns, not guaranteed offers. Actual salaries vary based on level, location, negotiation, performance, and equity vesting. For personalized career advice, consult HR professionals or executive coaches. For job offers, always negotiate based on multiple data points and your unique value.
Reviewed by Harlan Voss · Salary data last updated May 19, 2026 · Page reviewed May 26, 2026 · BLS links point to the latest release on bls.gov
SpaceX Salary FAQ
What is the average salary at SpaceX in 2026?
Salario estimates the average salary at SpaceX at $112,587 per year in 2026. Modeled entry-level pay is around $67,552, and the senior professional benchmark is $157,622. Estimated total compensation including bonuses and equity is $168,881. These are planning estimates, not official SpaceX pay bands.
What benefits does SpaceX offer?
SpaceX offers a comprehensive benefits package including Health/dental/vision, Legal assistance, 25 PTO days, and 3 more benefits. The company also offers stock options or equity compensation. Salario models the average bonus at approximately 9% of base salary. Confirm current benefits and bonus eligibility in the written offer.
What are the highest paying roles at SpaceX?
The highest paying roles at SpaceX include Aerospace Engineer ($113,000), Systems Engineer ($107,000), Avionics Engineer ($104,000). Executive-level positions can earn up to $303,985 or more annually.
How does SpaceX compare to other Aerospace companies?
SpaceX has an estimated 4.2/5.0 workplace rating and $112,587 estimated average salary in Salario's company dataset. Compared to peers like Boeing and TransDigm Group, it offers competitive compensation in the Aerospace sector.
Is SpaceX a good company to work for?
SpaceX has an estimated 4.2/5.0 overall workplace rating and 4/5.0 work-life balance score in Salario's company dataset. These are directional editorial estimates, not scores published by a specific employee-review site, so check current employee reviews before deciding. The estimate sits in the upper part of the scale. The company is headquartered in Hawthorne, CA and was founded in 2002, employing 13K people worldwide.
What is the total compensation at SpaceX?
Salario estimates total compensation at SpaceX at $168,881 per year, which includes base salary ($112,587), bonuses (approximately 9% of base), and equity or long-term incentive grants. Senior and executive roles can see significantly higher total compensation packages.
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