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The differences between chief pilots and test pilots can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 2-4 years to become both a chief pilot and a test pilot. Additionally, a test pilot has an average salary of $96,060, which is higher than the $86,920 average annual salary of a chief pilot.
The top three skills for a chief pilot include flight operations, pilot-in-command and PIC. The most important skills for a test pilot are FAA, pilot-in-command, and aircraft maintenance.
| Chief Pilot | Test Pilot | |
| Yearly salary | $86,920 | $96,060 |
| Hourly rate | $41.79 | $46.18 |
| Growth rate | 6% | 6% |
| Number of jobs | 16,638 | 20,665 |
| Job satisfaction | 4 | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 68% | Bachelor's Degree, 61% |
| Average age | 44 | 44 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 4 |
A Chief Pilot assigns and oversees the duties of flight and ground personnel. They ensure compliance with federal and state laws and regulations, including federal aviation regulations.
A test pilot operates and evaluates aircraft to determine its quality and safety. Their responsibilities include gathering and analyzing aircraft data and specifications, assessing the aircraft's features, documenting every procedure, and making a list of recommendations to improve the aircraft's overall quality and performance. They may also evaluate various instruments and systems, performing maintenance checks as necessary. Being a test pilot requires expertise and skills, which is my most test pilots are employed under government agencies and have undergone special training.
Chief pilots and test pilots have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Chief Pilot | Test Pilot | |
| Average salary | $86,920 | $96,060 |
| Salary range | Between $59,000 And $126,000 | Between $67,000 And $137,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | Mountain View, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | California |
| Best paying company | NetJets | Learjet |
| Best paying industry | Manufacturing | Transportation |
There are a few differences between a chief pilot and a test pilot in terms of educational background:
| Chief Pilot | Test Pilot | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 68% | Bachelor's Degree, 61% |
| Most common major | Aviation | Aviation |
| Most common college | SUNY Farmingdale | Stanford University |
Here are the differences between chief pilots' and test pilots' demographics:
| Chief Pilot | Test Pilot | |
| Average age | 44 | 44 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 95.6% Female, 4.4% | Male, 91.3% Female, 8.7% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 2.7% Unknown, 5.5% Hispanic or Latino, 7.0% Asian, 2.7% White, 81.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3% | Black or African American, 2.8% Unknown, 5.6% Hispanic or Latino, 7.3% Asian, 2.8% White, 81.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3% |
| LGBT Percentage | 9% | 9% |