What is the salary and career path for a flight test engineer?
Flight test engineer falls under the broad Aerospace Engineers code (SOC 17-2011), which BLS does not subdivide by specialty, so the OEWS May 2025 median is $134,960 a year ($64.89 an hour), from $86,700 at the 10th percentile to $205,890 at the 90th. Flight-test roles cluster higher because they demand instrumentation, envelope-expansion and safety expertise. BLS projects 6.1% growth over 2024–2034, faster than average, with roughly 4,500 openings a year across the code. The role requires an ABET aerospace engineering degree, and most defense flight-test jobs require a U.S. security clearance.
- Flight Test Engineers earn a national median $134,960/yr ($64.89/hr) (BLS OEWS May 2025, SOC 17-2011); the top 10% clear $205,890.
- The role requires an ABET aerospace engineering degree, and most defense flight-test jobs require a U.S. security clearance.
- BLS projects 6.1% growth for 2024–34 across the aerospace-engineer code, faster than average, with roughly 4,500 openings a year.
- The ladder runs from junior FTE through flight test engineer and lead to flight-test director near $205,890.
Career Path
How do you become a flight test engineer?
Junior Flight Test Engineer
Supports instrumentation and data reduction under supervision; pay near the BLS 10th percentile.
Flight Test Engineer
Plans test points and runs flight-test cards — around the $134,960 median.
Senior / Lead Flight Test Engineer
Leads envelope-expansion programs and safety review; earnings near the 75th percentile.
Flight Test Director / Chief Engineer
Owns a flight-test organization or program; top-decile pay near the 90th percentile.
BLS Salary Data
Which state pays flight test engineers the most in 2026?
Source: BLS OEWS May 2025, SOC 17-2011. National median: $134,960. Full salary guide →
Pay Comparison
How does flight test engineer pay compare to related roles?
Head-to-head against the roles flight test engineers most often weigh against. BLS OEWS May 2025 medians.
Takeaway: flight test engineers rank 1 of 4 on median pay among the comparable roles above, with a projected +6.1% employment change 2024–34 (BLS Employment Projections). Pay position and projected demand together are what determine how quickly flight test engineers clear offers across the GlobalCybers placement network.
Methodology & Sources
How this guide is sourced and reviewed
Wages (BLS): All median and percentile figures are BLS OEWS May 2025, SOC 17-2011 (flight test engineers) and the matching SOC codes for each comparison role. OEWS is sampled on a rolling 3-year basis and published ~10 months after collection, so treat it as a firm anchor rather than a spot rate.
Job growth: Projected 2024–34 employment change, and the average annual openings figure, are from the BLS Employment Projections program, by occupation. Openings are a per-year average over the projection decade, not a decade total.
Licensing & credentials:Requirements are drawn from the issuing state licensing boards and the certifying body behind each credential — not from third-party aggregators.
Demand signal:Any statement about how quickly this role clears offers reflects GlobalCybers placement request volume across the trailing 12 months — our own network data, offered as a directional real-world indicator alongside BLS, not a market-wide survey.
Credentials
What licences and certifications do flight test engineers need?
The accredited engineering degree underpinning flight-test analysis and safety work. See all state licences →
Formal training from a test-pilot school (USAF TPS, USNTPS or NTPS) for developmental test.
Required for most defense flight-test programs; issued after a federal background investigation.
Tools & Software
What tools and software do flight test engineers use on the job?
⚙️ Core Tools & Equipment
📊 BLS Employment Data, SOC 17-2011
Salary Levers
How do flight test engineers earn above the $134,960 BLS median?
Clearance and program criticality
A security clearance and critical defense programs move pay from the $134,960 median toward the $205,890 top decile.
Test-pilot-school training
Formal flight-test-engineering credentials lift earnings above early-career roles near the $86,700 p10.
Lead and director advancement
Leading test campaigns and flight-test organizations reaches the top of the range.
This Route vs. College
Is becoming a flight test engineer worth it vs. a 4-year degree?
The entry route into this role, set against a four-year degree. Same starting line, side by side.
Entry-level (10th percentile) and all-level median wages: BLS OEWS May 2025, SOC 17-2011. Student-debt figure: median federal borrower balance for bachelor's-degree completers. Starting-salary comparison is illustrative and varies by field and region.
FAQ
Flight Test Engineer Career, Frequently Asked Questions
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