1 Answer

Although an extraordinary amount of children want to do this job when they grow up, there are only around 500 people out of the 6 billion on Earth that are privileged enough to call themselves astronauts.

That number changes ever so slightly depending on what we define as 'professional spaceflight', but the salary for astronauts does not. Classed as civil servants, they get paid exactly the same as any other Federal Government worker and are placed on a fixed pay scale based on experience. GS-12 grade astronauts begin on about £40,000 per annum, while those in the GS-13 grade can earn up to £62,000. A handful of astronauts make the GS-14 grade, topping out at around £86,000.

Some astronauts, such as Jerry Linenger, worked under Navy or other military contracts and so their pay is arranged on an individual basis. Of course, many high-profile astronauts have made tidy sums in the lecture circuit and through book sales.
The averages for European Space Agency astronauts work out roughly the same as the NASA pay scale.

What about our Russian space-farers? At least up until the late nineties, cosmonauts were paid on a 'performance basis' – that is, if a job went well they would be handsomely rewarded. Any failed targets while on a space mission would be docked from their pay.

Pros: You get to fly a space shuttle
Cons: Famously hard to catch a career break and the work is mentally and physically grueling.

Average Salary £40,000 to £86,000 a year
Career Advancement Excellent for science, research and engineering
Job Requirements Incredible fitness and academic credentials
Danger Factor Surprisingly not too bad – only 22 have died in the history of spaceflight