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The differences between aerospace engineers and flight test engineers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 2-4 years to become both an aerospace engineer and a flight test engineer. Additionally, an aerospace engineer has an average salary of $100,401, which is higher than the $90,538 average annual salary of a flight test engineer.
The top three skills for an aerospace engineer include C++, DOD and FAA. The most important skills for a flight test engineer are control room, data analysis, and test procedures.
| Aerospace Engineer | Flight Test Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $100,401 | $90,538 |
| Hourly rate | $48.27 | $43.53 |
| Growth rate | 6% | 6% |
| Number of jobs | 42,086 | 26,384 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 72% | Bachelor's Degree, 74% |
| Average age | 44 | 44 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 4 |
An aerospace engineer specializes in designing, maintaining, and repairing aircraft and spacecraft. Their responsibilities revolve around conducting tests and procedures to identify faults and inconsistencies, lead production processes, performing repairs and improvements, designing systems, and ensuring that all equipment complies with the safety regulations and standards. They are also responsible for producing technical materials such as reports, proposals, and manuals. Furthermore, there are instances where they must set the policies and standards on the equipment they are developing while utilizing their expertise in mathematics, engineering, and sciences.
A flight test engineer is primarily in charge of testing and overseeing aircraft performances, ensuring every aspect aligns with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and other governing agencies' policies and regulations. Their responsibilities revolve around planning and developing efficient test structures and criteria, examining mechanical and electrical systems, coordinating with other staff to gather necessary documentation, assessing risks, and identifying an aircraft's strengths and weaknesses. Furthermore, as a flight test engineer, it is essential to analyze data and produce extensive reports that explain all test procedures and observations in detail.
Aerospace engineers and flight test engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Aerospace Engineer | Flight Test Engineer | |
| Average salary | $100,401 | $90,538 |
| Salary range | Between $71,000 And $140,000 | Between $66,000 And $123,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | Palo Alto, CA |
| Highest paying state | Arizona | Illinois |
| Best paying company | Thrush Aircraft | Amazon |
| Best paying industry | Manufacturing | Transportation |
There are a few differences between an aerospace engineer and a flight test engineer in terms of educational background:
| Aerospace Engineer | Flight Test Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 72% | Bachelor's Degree, 74% |
| Most common major | Aerospace Engineering | Aerospace Engineering |
| Most common college | Georgia Institute of Technology | Georgia Institute of Technology |
Here are the differences between aerospace engineers' and flight test engineers' demographics:
| Aerospace Engineer | Flight Test Engineer | |
| Average age | 44 | 44 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 88.8% Female, 11.2% | Male, 89.6% Female, 10.4% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 4.1% Unknown, 4.4% Hispanic or Latino, 10.8% Asian, 11.0% White, 69.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3% | Black or African American, 4.2% Unknown, 4.5% Hispanic or Latino, 11.4% Asian, 10.9% White, 68.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3% |
| LGBT Percentage | 8% | 8% |