Does NASA pay their employees well?

According to anonymously submitted Glassdoor reviews, NASA employees rate their compensation and benefits as 4.1 out of 5. Find out more about salaries and benefits at NASA. This rating has been stable over the past 12 months.

How satisfied are employees working at NASA?

86% of NASA employees would recommend working there to a friend based on Glassdoor reviews . Employees also rated NASA 4.4 out of 5 for work life balance, 4.4 for culture and values and 4.3 for career opportunities.

What are the top reviewed jobs at NASA?

Intern (290) , Aerospace Engineer (125) , Engineer (101) , Astronaut (95) , Internship (77) , Software Engineer (57) , Systems Engineer (38) , Software Engineer(Internship) (37) , Mechanical Engineer (35) , Engineering Intern (31) , Research Scientist (24) , Summer Intern (23) , Contract Specialist (22) , Astrophysicist (21) , Senior Software Engineer (21)

What are the pros of working at NASA according to real employee reviews?

"Great people and learning experiences" ((in 292 reviews)); "Work life balance is great when you don’t go through management and let HR inform them of any accommodations" ((in 92 reviews)); "This makes it easy to win the best place to work in federal government awards year after year." ((in 80 reviews)); "benefits are good and useful" ((in 68 reviews)); "Good work environment and people" ((in 55 reviews))

What are the cons of working at NASA according to real employee reviews?

"low pay and old buildings" ((in 147 reviews)); "Government salaries are low and therefore it's hard to subsist in CA without a higher salary." ((in 62 reviews)); "Long hours and lots of talking about sending people into space." ((in 31 reviews)); "no management pretty much do what u want" ((in 30 reviews)); "Some non performers and very poor managers." ((in 13 reviews))

What are employees saying about NASA layoffs in 2026?

Explore Glassdoor’s employee reviews to understand what current and former employees are saying about NASA layoffs and their outlook for job security at NASA in 2026.

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NASA

NASA reviews

4.4

86% would recommend to a friend

(1,792 total reviews)

Charles F. Bolden, Jr.

83% approve of CEO

60% positive business outlook

Ratings by category

4.4

Culture & values

4.4

Work/Life balance

4.3

Diversity & inclusion

4.3

Career opportunities

4.2

Senior management

4.1

Compensation and benefits

NASA has an employee rating of 4.4 out of 5 stars, based on 1,792 company reviews on Glassdoor which indicates that most employees have an excellent working experience there. The NASA employee rating is in line with the average (within 1 standard deviation) for employers within the Gobierno y administración pública industry (3.7 stars).

Ratings by demographic groups

Race / Ethnicity

Gender

Sexual orientation

Disability

Parent or family caregiver

Veteran status

Reviews by job title

2K reviews

5.0

Jun 4, 2021

Standout for its leadership and mission-based culture

Program and management analyst

Recommend

CEO approval

Business Outlook

Pros

Brilliant and motivated co-workers from whom you’ll learn a ton High compensation Inspiring science and exploration mission focus Standout collaborative and leadership culture

Cons

Facilities are outdated, and there’s not enough space for everyone

5.0

May 25, 2021

Flexible, accommodating, and out-of-this world

Communications engineer

Recommend

CEO approval

Business Outlook

Pros

Good work life balance, training, and benefits. Awesome cause

Cons

Antiquated practices and technology with a lot of bureaucracy

2.0

May 19, 2021

Relic of a Bygone Era

Project leader

Recommend

CEO approval

Business Outlook

Pros

Flexible schedule Federal holidays Short commute Some people think NASA is cool

Cons

Always at risk of closing Work is dull and often unimportant Pay is not competitive with industry Beaurocratic castles exist solely for employment Multiple unnecessary levels of control Plain political party biases of managers Project work is unreliable, resulting in layoffs Ever present deadly hazardous chemicals Union workers nap on the job Few opportunities to advance Problems often ignored or waived Few real opportunities to have a real impact on space Poor financial management integrity Glass ceilings send experience elsewhere Inexperienced workforce Competition for work with other NASA centers NASA is becoming obsolete

Viewing 208 - 210 of 1,792 Reviews

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Standout for its leadership and mission-based culture

Flexible, accommodating, and out-of-this world

Relic of a Bygone Era

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