🚀 go-pugleaf

I think that comparing salary averages at NASA centers
to other environments could be a little misleading in the
current environment.  Looking at my own branch (at LaRC), we
have 18 members -- 7 (50 years+), 4(40-50), 7 (30-40),
and 0 (<30).  We have few young engineers (have not
been able to hire at replacement levels since about '88), and
this skews the salary average-- average experience is 20 years.

I remember the AIAA published a salary survey in 1990--
average salary versus time since completing a BS,
everyone was about 10% below average--of course,
the landscape has sure changed since then.

The nature of NASA's work requires very intelligent
and enthusiastic people--in a research environment it is very
difficult to meaningfully measure someone's output over short
periods of time.  Personally, I'd like to see below average pay
combined with above average research opportunities,
this would tend to attract the right people.

KG