Sunita Williams, who will be returning to Earth in February 2025 with SpaceX after being stuck in space for over two months, earns a hefty salary contributing to her net worth of $7 million.
Williams is an astronaut, a retired U.S. Navy officer, and even holds a record for most spacewalks by a woman and most spacewalk time for a woman.
Furthermore, having been selected by NASA as an astronaut in June 1998, she reported for training in August 1998.
With vast experience in her professional venture, she has managed to earn a whopping amount of fortune.
With NASA’s pay range from $104K to $161K, Sunita Williams has definitely earned multi-millions worth of net worth!
Sunita earned her commission as an Ensign in the US Navy from the Academy in May 1987. From 1987 to 2017, Williams took on different military roles before retiring. Side by side, she also had an illustrious career in NASA.
Having started her astronaut candidate training in August 1998 at the Johnson Space Center, she has participated in multiple space missions.
Hoping next time we see Starliner in daylight on earth is after her stay on ISS and she lands in New Mexico! Go Atlas! Go Centaur! Go Starliner! pic.twitter.com/l3EOu6G1Mq
— Sunita Williams (@Astro_Suni) December 19, 2019
She initially ventured into the International Space Station (ISS) on December 9, 2006, during expedition 14/15 that spanned from December 9, 2006 to June 22, 2007.
Sunita took on the role of flight engineer and even set a world record for women by finishing four spacewalks, accumulating a total of 29 hours and 17 minutes.
Likewise, she has had a career total of over 300 days in space, making her one of the most seasoned astronauts in NASA.
Sunita commenced her second space mission on July 14, 2012, as a part of Expedition 32/33. This mission continued until November 18, 2012.
She returned to the Earth on November 18, 2012, landing in Kazakhstan, after spending 127 days in space.
Her third space expedition started on June 5, 2024. It was originally planned to last one week but because helium started leaking in the starliner, they had to leave the spacecraft docked at the International Space Station.
Best week ever! So happy to be back in space and on @Space_Station (ISS). The ride was amazing, and being here with friends is just awesome. Incredible to see three different human-rated spacecraft docked to the ISS. Great to be part of all that! pic.twitter.com/opFGPNsen5
— Sunita Williams (@Astro_Suni) June 11, 2024
Having had an illustrious career spanning over three decades, Sunita Williams must have earned a hefty amount as a salary.
The amount she receives remains a mystery. However, it has been reported that as of March 2022, NASA’s listed salary range of $104,898 to $161,141 annually exceeded that of the general schedule.
Moreover, a new astronaut with a GS-12 grade and Step 1 experience and performance make $66,167 annually. The same astronaut might be eligible to make the GS-12’s Step 10 pay: $86,021 annually, after many years of amazing performance.
On the other hand, more qualified astronauts with a GS-13 pay grade could initially earn $78,681 annually, then leading up to $102,288 per year.
Then, astronauts locked into GS-15 Step 10 can earn more than $142,000 annually. This depends on their responsibilities, position, and performance within the astronaut corp.
So, since she has had more experience, she must be earning well. As a result, Sunita Williams has a net worth of $7 million, thanks to her handsome salary.
Additional Information
- Sunita Williams was born on September 19, 1965, in Euclid, Ohio. She was the youngest of three children of her parents, Deepak Pandya and Ursuline Bonnie Pandya. Her dad was of Indian descent and worked as a neuroanatomist from Mehsana, Gujrat, and her mom was Slovene-American.
- Her sister, Dina Annad, is three years older, and her brother, Jay Thomas, is four years older than her. She practices Hinduism.
- Williams holds a Bachelor of Science in Physical Science degree from the U.S. Naval Academy. Having received her bachelor’s degree in 1987, she earned her Master of Science in Engineering Management degree in 1995 from the Florida Institute of Technology.
- She has been sharing a blissful marital life with her husband, Michael J. Williams, for over two decades. Her hubby is a federal marshal in Texas and they live in Houston, Texas.
