Plus a minimum 14% cost-of-living adjustment, plus benefits associated with a job with the Federal government. Assuming you&#x27;ve got a PhD that immediately puts you in the GS 13&#x2F;14 range, which is about $80-112k plus the above.<p>Nobody applies to be an astronaut to get rich, but for a well-educated person $150k in pay and benefits is absolutely possible, which is a great paycheck, especially in Houston.