Designs and operates the radio links, ground stations and payloads that let satellites carry internet, TV, navigation and military communications. BLS does not publish separate figures for electronics engineers, except computer; it counts them within electronics engineer, except computer (SOC 17-2072), whose median pay is $130,220 a year (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Typical entry-level education: Bachelor's degree.
- SOC 17-2072
- Architecture and Engineering
- Last updated October 9, 2026
At a glance
Satellite Communications Engineer in four numbers
- Median pay
- $130,220a year, or $62.60/hrBLS OEWS, May 2025Lowest 10% $82KTop 10% $207K
US median, all jobs: $50,980
- Projected growth
- +3.7%About as fast as averageBLS EP, 2025–2035This career+3.7%All jobs+3.5%
Projected employment change, 2025–2035 Item Value This career +3.7% All jobs +3.5% - Openings a year
- 4,90098,200 jobs todayBLS EP, 2025–2035
- Jobs in 202598.2K
- Projected 2035101.8K
Employment, 2025–2035 Item Value Jobs in 2025 98.2K Projected 2035 101.8K - Typical education
- Bachelor'sneeded to enterBLS EP, 2025–2035; mix: O*NET
- Associate's13.8%
- Bachelor's83.3%
- Master's2.9%
Highest education held by electronics engineers, except computer Segment Value Associate's 13.8% Bachelor's 83.3% Master's 2.9%
Also advertised as: SATCOM Engineer, Satellite Systems Engineer, Satellite Ground Systems Engineer, Space Communications Engineer, Link Engineer.
Pay
How much do Electronics Engineers, Except Computer make?
Every satellite communications engineer in the US, by percentile of annual wage
Median
$130,220
Middle half earn $101,680 to $167,670
- 10th
- $81,840
- 25th
- $101,680
- 75th
- $167,670
- 90th
- $206,960
All US occupations: $50,980
| Percentile | Value |
|---|---|
| 10th | $81,840 |
| 25th | $101,680 |
| Median | $130,220 |
| 75th | $167,670 |
| 90th | $206,960 |
| All US occupations | $50,980 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025
- Median annual wage
- $130,220
- Median hourly wage
- $62.60/hr
- Mean annual wage
- $137,280
- People employed
- 96,900
Versus all US occupations
At $130,220, Electronics Engineers, Except Computer earn 155% above the $50,980 median across all US occupations, a difference of $79,240 a year.
Versus architecture and engineering occupations
Inside the Architecture and Engineering group, where the middle occupation pays $104,110, this is 25% above the group median.
Pay range
The top 10% earn $206,960 or more while the bottom 10% earn $81,840, a gap of 2.5×. That is a typical spread for a US occupation.
Rank in the bank
This median pays more than 88% of the 1,741 occupations in the NueCareer career bank.
Cost of living
California posts the highest raw median ($160,520), but once local prices are taken into account New Mexico leads at $148,560 in national-average dollars.
Pay by state
Which states pay Electronics Engineers, Except Computer the most?
State medians come from the same OEWS release as the national figures. The cost-of-living column divides each state median by that state's BEA Regional Price Parity, restating pay in national-average dollars so a high-cost state and a low-cost one can be compared directly.
| State | Median | COL-adjusted | Employed |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1California | $160,520 | $144,978 | 20,830 |
| 2New Jersey | $158,730 | $145,885 | 1,820 |
| 3District of Columbia | $157,040 | $142,892 | 400 |
| 4Maryland | $155,650 | $148,296 | 3,390 |
| 5Massachusetts | $138,230 | $130,705 | 5,910 |
| 6New Mexico | $136,990 | $148,560 | 1,110 |
| 7Rhode Island | $136,360 | $133,320 | 970 |
| 8Texas | $132,220 | $136,229 | 9,520 |
| 9Washington | $130,270 | $121,733 | 1,950 |
| 10Illinois | $129,390 | $129,444 | 960 |
Job outlook
Is Satellite Communications Engineer a growing career?
Employment change over 2025–2035, against every US occupation
About as fast as average. +3.7% projected growth vs 3.5% for all occupations.
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Electronics Engineers, Except Computer | +3.7% |
| All US occupations | +3.5% |
Source: BLS EP, 2025–2035
About as fast as average
BLS projects employment of Electronics Engineers, Except Computer to change 3.7% over 2025–2035, against 3.5% projected for all occupations. That is 3,600 more jobs.
Annual openings
About 4,900 openings are projected each year, 5.0% of the 98,200 jobs that existed in 2025. Most come from workers leaving the occupation, not from growth alone.
Getting in
How to become a Satellite Communications Engineer
A bachelor's degree in electrical, aerospace or communications engineering is the standard entry point, and many engineers earn a master's focused on RF systems, signal processing or space systems. Defense roles often require a security clearance.
IEEE and its Communications and Aerospace and Electronic Systems societies publish the core research, and the Society of Satellite Professionals International supports careers in the industry. Frequency coordination follows rules from the Federal Communications Commission and the International Telecommunication Union. Graduates usually join satellite operators, constellation companies, defense contractors or government labs as junior RF or systems engineers and specialize from there.
- 1
Typical entry-level education
Bachelor's degree
- 2
Work experience in a related occupation
None
- 3
Typical on-the-job training
None
- 4
Preparation needed (O*NET job zone)
Medium preparation
BLS Employment Projections, 2025–2035; job zone from O*NET 31.0 Database.
What education people in the job have
O*NET incumbent survey: the highest level of education reported by people already working as electronics engineers, except computer.
- Bachelor's Degree83.3%
- Associate's Degree or other 2-year degree13.8%
- Master's Degree2.9%
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Bachelor's Degree | 83.3% |
| Associate's Degree or other 2-year degree | 13.8% |
| Master's Degree | 2.9% |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
The work
What does a Satellite Communications Engineer do?
Satellite communications engineers make signals travel reliably between the ground and space. They calculate link budgets that show whether a signal will survive the trip given distance, rain, antenna size and power. They design ground station antennas and modems, plan frequency use, and work through interference with other satellites.
The field is broad. Some engineers work on payloads, the transponders and phased array antennas inside satellites. Others build ground networks, user terminals for ships, aircraft and homes, or the control systems that keep large low-earth-orbit constellations talking to each other. Military satellite communication engineers design secure, jam-resistant links for defense users. After launch, engineers monitor performance and troubleshoot problems from network operations centers.
Day-to-day tasks
- Calculate link budgets for satellite uplinks and downlinks
- Design ground station antennas and RF chains
- Plan frequency and bandwidth use for satellite networks
- Analyze and resolve interference between systems
- Test payload and terminal hardware before launch or deployment
- Integrate modems, terminals and network equipment
- Monitor satellite network performance from operations centers
- Prepare frequency coordination and licensing filings
Typical tasks, researched by NueCareer from the sources below.
Working conditions and hours
Engineers work in offices, labs and network operations centers, with travel to ground station sites and launch or test facilities. Operations roles can involve shift work, since satellite networks run around the clock. Defense work often takes place in secure facilities.
Where the work happens
Indoors, climate-controlled
NeverEvery dayOutdoors in all weather
NeverEvery dayAlmost never works outdoors.
Physical demands
Sitting
NeverAlmost all the timeSeated for more than half the working day.
Standing
NeverAlmost all the timeBending or twisting
NeverAlmost all the time
Working with people
Contact with other people
NoneConstantFace-to-face discussions
NeverEvery dayFace-to-face discussions every day.
Dealing with the public
Not importantExtremely important
Pressure and stakes
Strict deadlines
NeverEvery dayConflict situations
NeverEvery dayCost of a mistake
Not seriousExtremely serious
Autonomy
Freedom to decide
NoneA lotA lot of freedom to make decisions without checking first.
Conditions: O*NET Work Context survey. Each item has its own scale, so each dot is read against the two answers that end its own line.
Core skills
O*NET importance, 1 to 5
- Reading Comprehension4.0
- Critical Thinking4.0
- Speaking3.9
- Active Listening3.8
- Writing3.5
- Mathematics3.5
- Monitoring3.4
- Active Learning3.1
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Reading Comprehension | 4.0 |
| Critical Thinking | 4.0 |
| Speaking | 3.9 |
| Active Listening | 3.8 |
| Writing | 3.5 |
| Mathematics | 3.5 |
| Monitoring | 3.4 |
| Active Learning | 3.1 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
Transferable skills
O*NET importance, 1 to 5
- Complex Problem Solving4.0
- Judgment and Decision Making3.8
- Systems Analysis3.8
- Systems Evaluation3.4
- Operations Analysis3.3
- Quality Control Analysis3.1
- Coordination3.0
- Instructing3.0
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Complex Problem Solving | 4.0 |
| Judgment and Decision Making | 3.8 |
| Systems Analysis | 3.8 |
| Systems Evaluation | 3.4 |
| Operations Analysis | 3.3 |
| Quality Control Analysis | 3.1 |
| Coordination | 3.0 |
| Instructing | 3.0 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
Tools and software
- Analytical or scientific software · in demand
- Computer aided design CAD software · in demand
- Data base user interface and query software · in demand
- Development environment software · in demand
- Enterprise application integration software · in demand
- File versioning software · in demand
- Geographic information system · in demand
- Graphics or photo imaging software · in demand
- Object or component oriented development software · in demand
- Office suite software · in demand
- Operating system software · in demand
- Presentation software · in demand
“In demand” marks an O*NET Employer-Based Hot Technology, software named in real job postings for this occupation.
Personality fit
What personality type suits a Satellite Communications Engineer?
NueCareer estimate (Holland code IRC) built on O*NET's Electronics Engineer, Except Computer profile, scored 1 to 7
| Axis | Satellite Communications Engineer |
|---|---|
| Realistic | 6 |
| Investigative | 6 |
| Artistic | 2 |
| Social | 2 |
| Enterprising | 2 |
| Conventional | 5 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
What the work is built around
Day to day this is work built around hands-on, practical work with tools, machines or the outdoors, combined with investigating, analysing and solving problems with ideas and data.
- Realistic6.2
- Investigative5.9
- Conventional4.8
- Artistic2.0
- Enterprising1.6
- Social1.6
Closest MBTI types
NueCareer fit scores: cosine similarity between each MBTI type's interest vector and this occupation's O*NET interest profile. Not a BLS or O*NET figure; the method is documented on our methodology page.
Explore further
Careers related to Satellite Communications Engineer
O*NET related occupations
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Most earn $50K to $116K
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More architecture and engineering careers
Median annual pay, with electronics engineers, except computer highlighted
- Aerospace Engineer$134,960
- Satellite Communications Engineer$130,220
- Electrical Engineer$120,630
- Environmental Engineer$107,110
- Mechanical Engineer$104,110
- Automotive Engineer$104,110
- Industrial Engineer$102,440
- Civil Engineer$100,840
- Architect$99,280
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Aerospace Engineer | $134,960 |
| Satellite Communications Engineer | $130,220 |
| Electrical Engineer | $120,630 |
| Environmental Engineer | $107,110 |
| Mechanical Engineer | $104,110 |
| Automotive Engineer | $104,110 |
| Industrial Engineer | $102,440 |
| Civil Engineer | $100,840 |
| Architect | $99,280 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025
Lists Satellite Communications Engineer appears on
Questions
Satellite Communications Engineer: frequently asked questions
How much do Electronics Engineers, Except Computer make?
BLS does not publish a separate wage for electronics engineers, except computer. It counts them within electronics engineer, except computer, whose median pay is $130,220 a year (BLS OEWS, May 2025). The middle half of that occupation earn between $101,680 and $167,670, and the top 10% earn $206,960 or more.
Do you need a degree to become a Satellite Communications Engineer?
Yes. BLS reports a bachelor's degree as the typical entry-level education for Electronics Engineers, Except Computer, and O*NET rates the preparation needed as medium preparation. In O*NET's survey of people already doing the job, 83.3% hold bachelor's degree.
Is Satellite Communications Engineer a growing career?
It is stable rather than fast-growing: employment is projected to change 3.7% over 2025–2035, about the same as the 3.5% projected across all occupations (BLS EP, 2025–2035). BLS still projects about 4,900 openings a year, mostly from workers retiring or moving to other work.
What does a Satellite Communications Engineer do?
Satellite communications engineers make signals travel reliably between the ground and space. A typical task: calculate link budgets for satellite uplinks and downlinks. Employers most often ask for Analytical or scientific software, Computer aided design CAD software, Data base user interface and query software.
Which states pay Electronics Engineers, Except Computer the most?
The highest state medians for Electronics Engineers, Except Computer are California ($160,520), New Jersey ($158,730), District of Columbia ($157,040) (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Adjusted for local prices using BEA Regional Price Parities, New Mexico moves to the top at $148,560.
What personality type suits a Satellite Communications Engineer?
O*NET scores Electronics Engineers, Except Computer highest on the Realistic, Investigative and Conventional interest areas, so the work mixes hands-on, practical work with tools, machines or the outdoors with investigating, analysing and solving problems with ideas and data. On NueCareer's MBTI-to-interest mapping the closest types are ISTJ, ISTP. Personality is a fit signal, not a gate. The free NueCareer quiz scores your own profile against all 1,731 careers in the bank.