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National Radio Astronomy Observatory salary estimate

$69,689yearly

$33.50 hourly rate

Entry-level salary
$44,000 yearly salary
Updated December 15, 2025

Understanding Salaries at National Radio Astronomy Observatory

The National Radio Astronomy Observatory offers competitive salaries, averaging $69,689 annually. This compensation can vary based on roles, experience, and location. For instance, engineering positions typically see higher pay scales. Explore specific salary distributions within departments and uncover the highest-paying jobs at the observatory.

Additionally, geographic location plays a key role in salary variations. Certain areas may offer higher average salaries due to local cost of living adjustments. Visit this page to find detailed insights concerning salaries by department, job role, and location to help you gauge your potential earnings in this esteemed institution.

Highest paying jobs at National Radio Astronomy Observatory

The highest paying jobs at National Radio Astronomy Observatory are group leader, senior mechanical designer, manager, security and safety, and project director. Group leader jobs at National Radio Astronomy Observatory earn an average yearly salary of $98,925, National Radio Astronomy Observatory senior mechanical designer jobs average $91,875, and National Radio Astronomy Observatory manager, security and safety jobs average $88,214.

The lowest paying National Radio Astronomy Observatory roles include student worker and engineering internship. National Radio Astronomy Observatory student worker average salary is $27,442 per year. So while the average National Radio Astronomy Observatory salary is $69,689 there is a big variation in pay depending on the role.

Highest paying jobs at National Radio Astronomy Observatory

RankJob titleAverage National Radio Astronomy Observatory salaryHourly rate
1Group Leader$98,925$47.56
2Senior Mechanical Designer$91,875$44.17
3Manager, Security And Safety$88,214$42.41
4Project Director$85,198$40.96
5Researcher$83,924$40.35
6Software Engineer$82,598$39.71
7Assistant Scientist$82,353$39.59
8Scientific Programmer$81,952$39.40
9Associate Scientist$80,675$38.79
10Project Manager$78,998$37.98
11Electronics Engineer$78,244$37.62
12Engineering Aide$78,224$37.61
13Human Resources Manager$77,087$37.06
14Web Developer$76,028$36.55
15Web Application Developer$73,687$35.43
16Windows System Administrator$72,479$34.85
17Systems Administrator$72,245$34.73
18Technical Specialist$71,774$34.51
19Data Analyst$69,690$33.50
20Human Resources Generalist$67,255$32.33

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How much does National Radio Astronomy Observatory pay by location?

The average National Radio Astronomy Observatory salary varies by location. National Radio Astronomy Observatory salaries are the highest in Berkeley, CA, at $83,756 per year. National Radio Astronomy Observatory pays the second highest average salary in Charlottesville, VA, at $65,667 per year. It's important to factor in the cost of living when negotiating a salary or choosing a place to work.

Highest paying National Radio Astronomy Observatory locations

RankLocationAverage National Radio Astronomy Observatory salaryHourly rate
1Berkeley, CA$83,756$40.27
2Charlottesville, VA$65,667$31.57
3Socorro, NM$63,046$30.31
4Green Bank, WV$59,917$28.81

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National Radio Astronomy Observatory salaries by department

Salaries at National Radio Astronomy Observatory vary depending on the department you work in. National Radio Astronomy Observatory salaries in the non profit/government department are the highest with an average salary of $81,649. Employees in the engineering department at National Radio Astronomy Observatory receive relatively high salaries as well, with an average salary of $78,828 per year. Departments that don't pay as well at National Radio Astronomy Observatory include the administrative and the facilities organizational functions, with employees earning average salaries of $39,349 and $53,301, respectively.

Average National Radio Astronomy Observatory salary by department

RankDepartmentAverage National Radio Astronomy Observatory salaryHourly rate
1Non Profit/Government$81,649$39.25
2Engineering$78,828$37.90
3IT$72,646$34.93
4Research & Development$67,866$32.63
5Human Resources$66,359$31.90
6Plant/Manufacturing$61,826$29.72
7Facilities$53,301$25.63
8Administrative$39,349$18.92

How much does National Radio Astronomy Observatory pay by department?

Best paying National Radio Astronomy Observatory engineering salaries

RankPositionAverage National Radio Astronomy Observatory salaryHourly rate
1Senior Mechanical Designer$91,875$44.17
2Project Leader$85,919$41.31
3Project Director$85,198$40.96
4Software Engineer$82,598$39.71
5Scientific Programmer$81,952$39.40
6Electronics Engineer$78,244$37.62
7Engineering Aide$78,224$37.61
8Web Developer$76,028$36.55
9Web Application Developer$73,687$35.43
10Engineering Assistant$72,602$34.90
11Technical Specialist$71,774$34.51
12Data Analyst$69,690$33.50
13Senior Electronics Technician$67,208$32.31
14Autocad Technician$47,458$22.82

Best paying National Radio Astronomy Observatory research & development salaries

RankPositionAverage National Radio Astronomy Observatory salaryHourly rate
1Researcher$83,924$40.35
2Associate Research Engineer$83,691$40.24
3Assistant Scientist$82,353$39.59
4Associate Scientist$80,675$38.79
5Fellow$52,337$25.16
6Research Assistant$43,254$20.80
7Laboratory Internship$39,457$18.97

Best paying National Radio Astronomy Observatory IT salaries

RankPositionAverage National Radio Astronomy Observatory salaryHourly rate
1Manager, Security And Safety$88,214$42.41
2Project Leader$85,919$41.31
3Information Manager$85,205$40.96
4Manager, Project Management$82,350$39.59
5Web Designer$77,954$37.48
6Windows System Administrator$72,479$34.85
7Systems Administrator$72,245$34.73
8Technical Specialist$71,774$34.51
9Technical Support Specialist$58,528$28.14
10Information Technology/Support Technician$55,301$26.59

Recently added National Radio Astronomy Observatory salaries

JobLocationDate addedSalary
Scientist/Research EngineerCharlottesville, VA03/17/2025$131,123
Software Engineer IIIAlbuquerque, NM02/13/2025$79,290
Software Engineer IIICharlottesville, VA02/13/2025$80,579
Scientist/Research EngineerCharlottesville, VA02/05/2025$131,123
Assistant Scientist/AstronomySocorro, NM01/22/2025$68,991

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Zippia gives an in-depth look into the details of National Radio Astronomy Observatory, including salaries, political affiliations, employee data, and more, in order to inform job seekers about National Radio Astronomy Observatory. The employee data is based on information from people who have self-reported their past or current employments at National Radio Astronomy Observatory. The data on this page is also based on data sources collected from public and open data sources on the Internet and other locations, as well as proprietary data we licensed from other companies. Sources of data may include, but are not limited to, the BLS, company filings, estimates based on those filings, H1B filings, and other public and private datasets. While we have made attempts to ensure that the information displayed are correct, Zippia is not responsible for any errors or omissions or for the results obtained from the use of this information. None of the information on this page has been provided or approved by National Radio Astronomy Observatory. The data presented on this page does not represent the view of National Radio Astronomy Observatory and its employees or that of Zippia.