Rocket Scientist Salary in the United States

How much does a Rocket Scientist make in the United States?

As of January 01, 2026, the average salary for a Rocket Scientist in the United States is $108,039 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $52.

However, a Rocket Scientist's salary can vary significantly. Here’s a look at the typical salary range:

  • Top Earners (90th percentile): $119,500
  • Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $96,672 to $114,038
  • Entry-Level (10th percentile): $86,324
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View as table View as graph 25% $96,672 10% $86,324 90% $119,500 75% $114,038 $108,039 50%(Median) Didn’t find job title? Click

Rocket Scientist Salaries by Percentile

Annual
Salary		 Monthly
Pay		 Weekly
Pay		 Hourly
Wage
75th Percentile $114,038 $9,503 $2,193 $55
Average $108,039 $9,003 $2,078 $52
25th Percentile $96,672 $8,056 $1,859 $46
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Key Factors That Influence Rocket Scientist Salaries

A Rocket Scientist's salary isn't a fixed number. It's shaped by several important factors. Below, we'll explore how your years of experience, geographic location, education and company size can directly affect your earning potential.

Top Paying Cities for Rocket Scientists

Salaries can also vary between different cities. Major metropolitan areas or cities with a high demand for technicians often offer more competitive pay. Here are a few examples of average annual salaries in different U.S. cities:

  • San Jose: $136,270
  • San Francisco: $134,930
  • Oakland: $131,937

What Skills Can Increase a Rocket Scientist's Salary?

Demanded Skills for the Role:

  • Troubleshooting (Mentioned in 7.94% Job Postings): Troubleshooting is a form of problem solving, often applied to repair failed products or processes on a machine or a system. It is a logical, systematic search for the source of a problem in order to solve it, and make the product or process operational again. Troubleshooting is needed to identify the symptoms. Determining the most likely cause is a process of elimination—eliminating potential causes of a problem. Finally, troubleshooting requires confirmation that the solution restores the product or process to its working state. In general, troubleshooting is the identification or diagnosis of "trouble" in the management flow of a system caused by a failure of some kind. The problem is initially described as symptoms of malfunction, and troubleshooting is the process of determining and remedying the causes of these symptoms. A system can be described in terms of its expected, desired or intended behavior (usually, for artificial systems, its purpose). Events or inputs to the system are expected to generate specific results or outputs. (For example, selecting the "print" option from various computer applications is intended to result in a hardcopy emerging from some specific device). Any unexpected or undesirable behavior is a symptom. Troubleshooting is the process of isolating the specific cause or causes of the symptom. Frequently the symptom is a failure of the product or process to produce any results. (Nothing was printed, for example). Corrective action can then be taken to prevent further failures of a similar kind.
  • Azure (Mentioned in 3.39% Job Postings): Microsoft Azure, often referred to as Azure, is a cloud computing service operated by Microsoft for application management via Microsoft-managed data centers.
  • Help Desk (Mentioned in 2.14% Job Postings): The activities involved in handling and resolving customer grievances and issues faster and efficient by a ticketing system.
See More Skills
Skills Demand Percentage
Troubleshooting 7.94%
Azure 3.39%
Help Desk 2.14%
What skills can make your compensation higher?
Mastering certain specialized skills can lead to a significant increase in pay. Here are examples of skills and the potential impact they can have on a Rocket Scientist's salary.
  • Integrity: Can increase your salary by up to 5%.
  • Commitment: Can increase your salary by up to 5%.
  • Virtualization: Can increase your salary by up to 4%.
Skill Salary Salary % Increase
Integrity
 $113,441
5%
Commitment
 $113,441
5%
Virtualization
 $112,361
4%
Leadership
 $112,361
4%
Innovation
 $112,361
4%
Project Management
 $112,361
4%
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How Education impacts a Rocket Scientist's Salary?

Your level of education can impact your salary potential. While many Rocket Scientists enter the field with a Associate's Degree degree, higher education can lead to more specialized and higher-paying roles.

According to our 100% employer-reported salary data, the median salary for a Rocket Scientist with a Associate's Degree is between $105,158 and $112,679).

Rocket Scientist Salaries by Degree Level

Typical Education for Rocket Scientist
Degree Level % of user with this level of education
No Diploma 1.4%
High School 16.6%
Associates 13.2%
Bachelors 53.4%
Masters 14.8%
Doctorate 0.6%
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Rocket Scientist Salary: Hourly Rate, Weekly Pay, and Monthly Pay

Understanding how a Rocket Scientist's annual salary breaks down can help with budgeting. Below, you can see the average hourly rate, weekly pay, and monthly pay for this role. Use the buttons to switch between different pay periods.

  • Hourly
  • Monthly
  • Weekly
  • Yearly
  • Table View
Last Updated on January 01, 2026
$96,672
Average $108,039/year
$114,038
$8,056
Average $9,003/month
$9,503
$1,859
Average $2,078/week
$2,193
$46
Average $52/hour
$55
Annual Salary Monthly Pay Weekly Pay Hourly Wage
75th Percentile $114,038 $9,503 $2,193 $55
Average $108,039 $9,003 $2,078 $52
25th Percentile $96,672 $8,056 $1,859 $46

Salaries of jobs related to Rocket Scientist

Salary Trends for Rocket Scientist

Salaries for a Rocket Scientist can change over time, reflecting shifts in market demand and the overall economy. The median salary decreased from $81,287 in 2023 to around $80,606 in 2025, reflecting changes in demand, location, experience, and the wider economy. For a detailed analysis of Rocket Scientist salary trends, .

Average Annual Salary of Rocket Scientist Over Time

2022
$???
2023
$81,287
2024
$81,083
2025
$80,606
2026
$???
2027
$???
Year Average Annual Salary
2022
View More
2023 $81,287
2024 $81,083
2025 $80,606
2026
View More
2027
View More

Most common benefits for Rocket Scientist

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401(k)
Disability
Healthcare
Pension
Time Off (days)
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Common company salaries for Rocket Scientist

Here are companies hiring for Rocket Scientist and their salaries, click below for more details.

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Where Does Our Salary Data Come From?

Salary.com provides salary estimates, histograms, trends, and comparisons using data from employer job postings and third-party sources.

We offer detailed salary information across multiple percentiles for your reference. (Click here to learn Why the Salary Midpoint Formula Is Crucial for Achieving Pay Equity.)

With the most extensive online, real-time compensation data available, Salary.com helps you pinpoint your exact pay target.

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