Astronauts have to risk their lives in order to do their careers, so it's not surprising that they get good money for the work they do, according to the British "Metro" website.
Astronauts must possess degrees in science, engineering or mathematics and must undergo a rigorous selection process, and any astronaut is required to record a professional experience of three years or 1,000 flying hours in a plane before he can qualify.
NASA astronauts are being paid on a scale called the "Grades" table known as the GS-12 and the GS-13. In each row there are several "steps" that start from 1 to 10 and are based on performance and years of service.
If the astronaut is newly in GS-12 Step 1, his salary is $ 66,167 annually, and if the astronaut goes to Step 10 of GS-12, he receives $ 86021 annually.
If the astronaut has experience and services for many years, he will be in step 10 of the GS-13 class and his salary will reach 102288 annually, according to NASA.
Astronauts may receive more or less depending on the locations in which they work or the tasks in which they participate.