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Aviation consultants provide critical expertise to airlines, airports, and aviation authorities, focusing on improving safety, compliance, and operational efficiency. As of October 2025, the average salary for an aviation consultant is $75,065 annually. This figure can vary based on several factors, including experience, education, and geographical location.
Entry-level aviation consultants typically earn lower salaries, while those with extensive experience can command significantly higher compensation. For instance, professionals with over ten years of experience may earn upwards of $100,000 annually.
States such as California, Texas, and Florida offer some of the highest salaries for aviation consultants due to their robust aviation markets. Understanding the regional salary differences can help job seekers target their applications effectively.
In addition to traditional consulting roles, aviation consultants can find opportunities in regulatory agencies, airlines, and aerospace firms. Networking within industry groups can also open doors to potential job offers.
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| Experience level | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|
| Entry-level aviation consultant | $49,700 | $23.90 |
| Mid-level aviation consultant | $68,300 | $32.85 |
| Senior-level aviation consultant | $108,000 | $51.99 |
The highest-paying states for aviation consultants are Alaska, Rhode Island, and California. The lowest average aviation consultant salary states are Kansas, Kentucky, and Oklahoma.
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Rhode Island | $90,238 | $43.38 |
| 2 | Vermont | $79,783 | $38.36 |
| 3 | Massachusetts | $81,817 | $39.34 |
| 4 | District of Columbia | $86,130 | $41.41 |
| 5 | California | $84,768 | $40.75 |
| 6 | Maine | $74,605 | $35.87 |
| 7 | Arizona | $79,152 | $38.05 |
| 8 | Montana | $74,516 | $35.83 |
| 9 | New Hampshire | $75,145 | $36.13 |
| 10 | New Jersey | $76,738 | $36.89 |
| 11 | Michigan | $77,072 | $37.05 |
| 12 | Alaska | $93,751 | $45.07 |
| 13 | Delaware | $77,726 | $37.37 |
| 14 | Pennsylvania | $70,863 | $34.07 |
| 15 | South Dakota | $68,625 | $32.99 |
| 16 | Nebraska | $74,261 | $35.70 |
| 17 | Washington | $79,229 | $38.09 |
| 18 | Minnesota | $73,680 | $35.42 |
| 19 | Idaho | $71,802 | $34.52 |
| 20 | Ohio | $71,803 | $34.52 |
| 21 | North Dakota | $74,033 | $35.59 |
| 22 | Nevada | $71,782 | $34.51 |
| 23 | Maryland | $79,701 | $38.32 |
| 24 | Illinois | $70,997 | $34.13 |
| 25 | Virginia | $72,609 | $34.91 |
| 26 | Oregon | $67,682 | $32.54 |
| 27 | Wisconsin | $69,984 | $33.65 |
| 28 | Connecticut | $70,852 | $34.06 |
| 29 | New York | $70,493 | $33.89 |
| 30 | Alabama | $58,659 | $28.20 |
| 31 | New Mexico | $66,223 | $31.84 |
| 32 | Utah | $59,379 | $28.55 |
| 33 | Wyoming | $66,156 | $31.81 |
| 34 | North Carolina | $59,477 | $28.59 |
| 35 | Texas | $62,702 | $30.15 |
| 36 | West Virginia | $62,159 | $29.88 |
| 37 | Indiana | $61,416 | $29.53 |
| 38 | Oklahoma | $53,706 | $25.82 |
| 39 | Colorado | $62,495 | $30.05 |
| 40 | Missouri | $58,704 | $28.22 |
| 41 | Mississippi | $50,498 | $24.28 |
| 42 | Florida | $57,692 | $27.74 |
| 43 | Kansas | $56,353 | $27.09 |
| 44 | Arkansas | $57,729 | $27.75 |
| 45 | Kentucky | $56,050 | $26.95 |
| 46 | Tennessee | $56,559 | $27.19 |
| 47 | South Carolina | $58,138 | $27.95 |
| 48 | Hawaii | $49,850 | $23.97 |
| 49 | Iowa | $56,710 | $27.26 |
| 50 | Georgia | $56,508 | $27.17 |
| 51 | Louisiana | $47,876 | $23.02 |
The highest-paying cities for aviation consultants are San Francisco, CA, Juneau, AK, and Providence, RI.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | San Francisco, CA | $90,910 | $43.71 |
| 2 | Juneau, AK | $90,755 | $43.63 |
| 3 | Providence, RI | $90,308 | $43.42 |
| 4 | Boston, MA | $81,720 | $39.29 |
| 5 | Annapolis, MD | $79,692 | $38.31 |
| 6 | Phoenix, AZ | $79,356 | $38.15 |
| 7 | Olympia, WA | $79,054 | $38.01 |
| 8 | Dover, DE | $77,249 | $37.14 |
| 9 | Lansing, MI | $76,799 | $36.92 |
| 10 | Helena, MT | $74,964 | $36.04 |
| 11 | Concord, NH | $74,800 | $35.96 |
| 12 | Carson City, NV | $74,748 | $35.94 |
| 13 | Lincoln, NE | $73,732 | $35.45 |
| 14 | Saint Paul, MN | $73,705 | $35.44 |
| 15 | Bismarck, ND | $73,531 | $35.35 |
| 16 | Richmond, VA | $72,247 | $34.73 |
| 17 | Chicago, IL | $71,577 | $34.41 |
| 18 | Albany, NY | $71,122 | $34.19 |
| 19 | Hartford, CT | $71,064 | $34.17 |
| 20 | Columbus, OH | $70,496 | $33.89 |
An aviation consultant's salary ranges from $46,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $120,000 at the 90th percentile.

| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $120,000 | $10,000 | $58 |
| 75th Percentile | $96,000 | $8,000 | $46 |
| Average | $75,065 | $6,255 | $36 |
| 25th Percentile | $58,000 | $4,833 | $28 |
| 10th Percentile | $46,000 | $3,833 | $22 |
The highest paying types of aviation consultants are executive consultant, master lay out specialist, and senior engineer/scientist.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stress Engineer | $107,036 | $8,920 | $51.46 | 36,117 |
| Aerospace Engineer | $100,401 | $8,367 | $48.27 | 42,086 |
| Structural Analysis Engineer | $98,208 | $8,184 | $47.22 | 26,462 |
| Stress Analyst | $85,194 | $7,100 | $40.96 | 8,437 |
| Aerodynamics Engineer | $99,629 | $8,302 | $47.90 | 20,152 |
| Flight Test Engineer | $90,538 | $7,545 | $43.53 | 26,384 |
Top companies hiring aviation consultants now:
Aviation consultant salaries at ICF and HMMH are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average aviation consultant salary at companies like Ricondo & Associates, Inc. and The Landrum Company, Inc. are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | ICF | $81,306 | $39.09 |
| 2 | HMMH | $69,036 | $33.19 |
| 3 | Ricondo & Associates, Inc. | $66,511 | $31.98 |
| 4 | The Landrum Company, Inc. | $34,588 | $16.63 |
The average aviation consultant salary varies across industries:
| Rank | Industry | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Manufacturing | $75,453 | $36.28 |
| 2 | Technology | $67,500 | $32.45 |
| 3 | Retail | $66,658 | $32.05 |
| 4 | Start-up | $65,478 | $31.48 |
| 5 | Transportation | $64,380 | $30.95 |
| 6 | Professional | $57,604 | $27.69 |
The average aviation consultant salary has risen by $10,246 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average aviation consultant earned $64,819 annually, but today, they earn $75,065 a year. That works out to a 8% change in pay for aviation consultants over the last decade.
Compare aviation consultant salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Compare aviation consultant salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | $75,100 | $36.09 | +1.8% |
| 2025 | $73,700 | $35.45 | +1.1% |
| 2024 | $72,900 | $35.06 | +1.9% |
| 2023 | $71,500 | $34.39 | +3.0% |
| 2022 | $69,400 | $33.36 | +1.7% |
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ricondo & Associates | Aviation Consultant | Orlando, FL | 03/09/2025 | $55,631 |
| Woolpert | BIM Consultant, Aviation | Fort Lauderdale, FL | 02/19/2025 | $110,000 |
| Ricondo & Associates | Senior Aviation Consultant | Miami, FL | 02/04/2025 | $74,786 |
| Woolpert | BIM Consultant, Aviation | Fort Lauderdale, FL | 01/27/2025 | $110,000 |
| Nv5 | Aviation ICT Consultant | Washington, DC | 12/11/2024 | $100,000 |
| Nv5 | Aviation ICT Consultant | New York, NY | 12/11/2024 | $100,000 |
| Nv5 Global, Inc. | Aviation ICT Consultant | New York, NY | 12/06/2024 | $100,000 |
| Nv5 Global, Inc. | Aviation ICT Consultant | Washington, DC | 12/06/2024 | $100,000 |
| Ricondo & Associates, Inc. | Aviation Consultant | Chicago, IL | 05/23/2024 | $90,000 |
| Rs&H | Aviation Planner/Consultant III | Los Angeles, CA | 05/19/2024 | $119,803 |
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