Many, but not all, SpaceX employees have the potential to become millionaires, particularly those who joined in the company's earlier years, due to the high value of their stock options. While SpaceX is a private company and not publicly traded, it has become the most valuable private startup in the world (valued at over $350 billion by late 2025) and offers regular "tender offers" that allow employees to sell their shares for cash.
If they've been around for a while and have had time for their shares to vest, they're probably millionaires. SpaceX is worth a ton of money, and even tho SpaceX is private, they do regular private sales so employees can sell their shares. The early employees in particular have made a LOT of money.
How much does a Crew Member make at SpaceX in the United States? The estimated average pay for Crew Member at this company in the United States is $26.16 per hour, which is 81% above the national average.
Tesla shareholders recently approved a pay package for Elon Musk worth up to $1 Trillion. That means Musk could make $11.4 million AN HOUR while the average Tesla factory worker earns just $41K–$48K per year — less than a living wage. Make it make sense. Most of the pay package is in deferred stock options.
For Elon Musk, 42 primarily signifies a nod to Douglas Adams' The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, representing the "Answer to the Ultimate Question of Life, the Universe, and Everything," but also serves as a reminder to keep asking better questions about humanity's future, with SpaceX Starship's design incorporating it as a philosophical Easter egg. He uses it to link deep space exploration with existential inquiry, urging consciousness expansion to understand life's true meaning, beyond just the number.
Yes, Elon Musk's foundation gave $55 million to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital in 2021, following his public pledge of $50 million during the Inspiration4 space mission to help the hospital reach its fundraising goals, contributing to a total of over $200 million raised by the mission.
Any insights on SpaceX work life? Free (or cheap) food at work with a full kitchen. Lunch is $7 for food truck, $2 for grab-and-go. Decent free snack and drink selection and coffee bar.
Three wealthy entrepreneurs—Larry Connor, Mark Pathy, and Eytan Stibbe—paid approximately $55 million each for a trip to the International Space Station (ISS) on SpaceX's Axiom-1 mission in April 2022, making them the first all-private crew to visit the ISS. They flew with retired NASA astronaut Michael López-Alegría for about 10 days, conducting experiments and commercial activities.
SpaceX has an overall rating of 3.7 out of 5, based on over 3,601 reviews left anonymously by employees. This rating has decreased by 1% over the last 12 months. 65% of employees would recommend working at SpaceX to a friend and 77% have a positive outlook for the business.
Exciting mission and high profile work. Extremely high stress and workload at times. Pay is less competitive.
How are the working hours at SpaceX? 40-60 hours a week.
Elon Musk's SpaceX Paid Almost No Federal Income Tax Since 2002 Despite Billions In Government Contracts: Report. SpaceX, the space exploration company founded by Elon Musk, has reportedly paid minimal to no federal income taxes since its establishment in 2002, despite receiving billions in federal contracts.
With an $800 billion valuation, SpaceX would be worth more than half of Tesla, which has a market capitalization of around $1.43 trillion.
Elon Musk donated over $288 million to support Donald Trump and other Republicans in the 2024 election cycle, primarily through his own super PAC, America PAC, making him a major political financier. While he gave millions directly to Trump-aligned super PACs like MAGA Inc. and party committees, most funds went to America PAC for get-out-the-vote efforts in swing states, with significant contributions coming in late 2024.
Taylor Swift has donated millions to various causes, including a recent $5 million to Feeding America for hurricane relief (2024) and $1 million to Feeding America, the American Heart Association, and MusiCares, plus a significant contribution to Operation Breakthrough, while also giving directly to fans and disaster victims, with her total public giving exceeding tens of millions over the years, including large bonuses for her Eras Tour staff.