Satellite Network Engineer

Also called: Satellite Communications Engineer, Ground Station Engineer

Runs the networks that beam internet and data through satellites like Starlink.

A day in the life

You monitor ground stations that talk to thousands of satellites racing overhead, and debug why one region's internet slowed at sunset. It's networking, but in space.

Pay over a career

Starting
$70k
Typical
$108k
High
$160k

Estimate.

Approximate: anchored on Bureau of Labor Statistics data for a broader job group.

Training

Bachelor's degree (4-year), about 4 years after high school. Bachelor's in electrical engineering or CS; military satcom experience valued.

Ways in: 4-year college, Military. Training cost: $15k – $60k.

Majors to look at: Electrical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, Computer Science.

Outlook

Growing much faster than average. Fast-growing with low-Earth-orbit satellite internet.

Will it last? Our AI estimate

Low risk for 10 years. Satellite internet is booming; automation runs the constellation, but engineers design and troubleshoot it.

Start now, in high school

Classes: AP Physics, AP Calculus, AP Computer Science A.

Official data: O*NET occupation 17-2071.

More Cloud, Networks & IT Infrastructure careers

Career Universe is an early version. Pay, training and AI-risk figures are estimates to start your own research, not verified facts. The research was written with AI research assistants, checked by validation scripts and spot-checked by hand. Check anything important with schools, employers and official sources. How the numbers work.