How much does NASA astronaut (civil servant, GS-13) make?
Answer: NASA astronauts are paid on the federal pay scale; at GS-13 Step 1, that's about $122,749 a year with Houston pay added.
Official statistics Set by the federal pay scale for civil servants, including extra pay for living in Houston.
About 2.4× the Typical person in the US.
Per month, day, hour and second
Based on pay of about $122,749 in 2026| Per month | $10K |
|---|---|
| Per day | $336 |
| Per hour | $14.01 |
Calculated This spreads the year evenly over every hour, including sleep and days off. It is not pay per hour worked.
Compared with others
One day of pay (about $336) is about 2.4 days of pay for the typical person in the US. Calculated
| Name | Year | Amount | NASA astronaut (civil servant, GS-13) earns |
|---|---|---|---|
| 📊 NASA astronaut (senior, GS-15 pay grade) | 2026 | $170,618 Yearly salary | 0.7× |
Ratios compare the same kind of figure (estimated total earnings with estimates, salary with salary), both in dollars (¥150 = $1). When years differ, each row shows its own year.
Sources and data
Sources: opm.gov. “Estimated” figures come from news or magazines, not from the person.