How much do JPL directors make?
The estimated average salary for a Director at JPL is $219,963 per year or $106 per hour, but some professionals have reported earning up to roughly $383,159 per year (90th percentile). The typical pay range is between $165,774 (25th percentile) and $296,241 (75th percentile) annually. The estimated total pay range for a Director at NASA is $183K–$255K per year, which includes base salary and additional pay. The average Director base salary at NASA is $205K per year. The average additional pay is $11K per year, which could include cash bonus, stock, commission, profit sharing or tips.
Did the director of JPL step down?
Laurie Leshin has decided to step down as director of NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory on Sunday, June 1. David Gallagher, who has been serving as the Lab’s associate director for Strategic Integration, has been selected by Caltech to lead the federally funded research and development center. And we’ve driven the forefront of technology on Earth and in space. I know those achievements will continue under Dave’s capable leadership. Leshin, who has also served as Caltech vice president, is stepping down for personal reasons and will remain a Bren Professor of Geochemistry and Planetary Science at Caltech.
Is the director of JPL stepping down?
Laurie Leshin has decided to step down as director of NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory on Sunday, June 1. David Gallagher, who has been serving as the Lab’s associate director for Strategic Integration, has been selected by Caltech to lead the federally funded research and development center. Michael Watkins serves as the CEO / President of NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory. Matthew Clausen serves as the Lead UI UX Designer / Creative Director of NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory. Richard Why serves as the Deputy Chief Information Security Officer of NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory.
Does JPL pay well?
How much does a Nasa Jpl make in Pasadena, California? As of Oct 28, 2025, the average annual pay for a Nasa Jpl in Pasadena is $108,784 a year. Just in case you need a simple salary calculator, that works out to be approximately $52. This is the equivalent of $2,092/week or $9,065/month. In 2023 the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) reported 12,147 employees making more than $100,000 per year; the average salary was $114,651. The highest reported pay for the federal agency was $272,100 for Casey Swails, Miscellaneous Administration and Program.They have a 40-hour workweek, and they don’t receive overtime pay, weekend pay, or holiday pay. NASA says astronauts made more than $152,000 last year. Despite being in space, astronauts continue to draw regular pay because they are treated as on official travel orders as federal workers.Aerospace engineer positions at SpaceX begin at $95,000 per year, dwarfing NASA’s offering which must adhere to the federal government’s General Schedule pay scales. Here, salaries begin at around $55,000 for engineers with bachelor’s degrees working at the Kennedy Space Center, based in Florida.
How much does a director at JPL make?
The estimated total pay range for a Director at NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory is $238K–$338K per year, which includes base salary and additional pay. The average Director base salary at NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory is $248K per year. The average NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory salary in United States can vary greatly by role. Annual salaries typically range from $52,626 (or $25) for a Research Intern to $212,717 (or $102) for a Principal Engineer.