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Flight engineer salary
Average flight engineer salary
$85,035
Understanding Flight Engineer Salaries
As of October 2025, the average salary for a Flight Engineer is $85,035 per year. This figure can vary based on several factors, including geographic location, years of experience, and the specific industry in which one is employed. For example, Flight Engineers working in commercial aviation may earn different salaries compared to those in military or cargo operations.
In terms of geography, certain states offer higher compensation for Flight Engineers. For instance, states like California and Texas tend to provide competitive salaries due to the high demand for aviation professionals. Additionally, industries such as commercial airlines and private sector aviation typically offer more lucrative pay compared to governmental positions.
For those seeking to maximize their earning potential, gaining experience in high-demand areas, such as flight operations for large airlines, can be beneficial. Furthermore, pursuing additional certifications may open doors to higher-paying positions. Explore various job listings to find opportunities that align with your career goals.
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Where can a Flight Engineer earn more?
Flight engineer salary estimates from across the web
Average flight engineer salary by state
The highest-paying states for flight engineers are Arizona, Oregon, and Pennsylvania. The lowest average flight engineer salary states are Illinois, Idaho, and Hawaii.
- State view
- County view
Highest paying states for flight engineers
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Arizona | $111,250 | $53.49 |
| 2 | Oregon | $110,552 | $53.15 |
| 3 | Virginia | $104,765 | $50.37 |
| 4 | Alabama | $97,704 | $46.97 |
| 5 | North Carolina | $100,712 | $48.42 |
| 6 | Alaska | $103,857 | $49.93 |
| 7 | Wyoming | $97,872 | $47.05 |
| 8 | Pennsylvania | $106,323 | $51.12 |
| 9 | Texas | $97,116 | $46.69 |
| 10 | New Mexico | $100,258 | $48.20 |
| 11 | New York | $99,704 | $47.93 |
| 12 | Minnesota | $99,585 | $47.88 |
| 13 | Maryland | $96,891 | $46.58 |
| 14 | Ohio | $93,846 | $45.12 |
| 15 | New Jersey | $99,795 | $47.98 |
| 16 | Nevada | $92,124 | $44.29 |
| 17 | Florida | $90,747 | $43.63 |
| 18 | West Virginia | $94,217 | $45.30 |
| 19 | Kansas | $91,480 | $43.98 |
| 20 | Iowa | $92,094 | $44.28 |
| 21 | Delaware | $85,946 | $41.32 |
| 22 | South Carolina | $89,060 | $42.82 |
| 23 | Montana | $91,118 | $43.81 |
| 24 | Kentucky | $90,577 | $43.55 |
| 25 | Louisiana | $91,235 | $43.86 |
| 26 | Colorado | $86,489 | $41.58 |
| 27 | Nebraska | $84,520 | $40.63 |
| 28 | South Dakota | $88,943 | $42.76 |
| 29 | District of Columbia | $85,599 | $41.15 |
| 30 | Utah | $81,608 | $39.23 |
| 31 | California | $84,670 | $40.71 |
| 32 | Connecticut | $85,557 | $41.13 |
| 33 | Massachusetts | $84,481 | $40.62 |
| 34 | Michigan | $82,266 | $39.55 |
| 35 | Rhode Island | $85,213 | $40.97 |
| 36 | Mississippi | $85,459 | $41.09 |
| 37 | Missouri | $84,815 | $40.78 |
| 38 | Vermont | $82,355 | $39.59 |
| 39 | Washington | $79,736 | $38.33 |
| 40 | New Hampshire | $83,530 | $40.16 |
| 41 | Arkansas | $78,116 | $37.56 |
| 42 | Oklahoma | $79,618 | $38.28 |
| 43 | Tennessee | $78,868 | $37.92 |
| 44 | Georgia | $78,214 | $37.60 |
| 45 | Hawaii | $75,677 | $36.38 |
| 46 | Illinois | $76,642 | $36.85 |
| 47 | North Dakota | $78,678 | $37.83 |
| 48 | Idaho | $76,061 | $36.57 |
| 49 | Indiana | $73,406 | $35.29 |
| 50 | Wisconsin | $73,863 | $35.51 |
| 51 | Maine | $73,760 | $35.46 |
Highest paying cities for flight engineers
The highest-paying cities for flight engineers are Gilbert, AZ, Leesburg, VA, and Las Cruces, NM.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Gilbert, AZ | $111,145 | $53.44 |
| 2 | Leesburg, VA | $106,093 | $51.01 |
| 3 | Las Cruces, NM | $102,362 | $49.21 |
| 4 | New York, NY | $99,840 | $48.00 |
| 5 | Fort Hood, TX | $98,241 | $47.23 |
| 6 | Cheyenne, WY | $97,601 | $46.92 |
| 7 | Rockville, MD | $96,808 | $46.54 |
| 8 | Wichita, KS | $91,689 | $44.08 |
| 9 | Mountain View, CA | $87,021 | $41.84 |
| 10 | Colorado Springs, CO | $86,890 | $41.77 |
| 11 | Miami, FL | $86,227 | $41.46 |
| 12 | Kent, WA | $80,197 | $38.56 |
| 13 | Atlanta, GA | $78,501 | $37.74 |
| 14 | Kahului, HI | $74,611 | $35.87 |
Flight engineer salary details
A flight engineer's salary ranges from $55,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $129,000 at the 90th percentile.
What is a flight engineer's salary?
| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $129,000 | $10,750 | $62 |
| 75th Percentile | $106,000 | $8,833 | $51 |
| Average | $85,035 | $7,086 | $41 |
| 25th Percentile | $68,000 | $5,667 | $33 |
| 10th Percentile | $55,000 | $4,583 | $26 |
Highest paying flight engineer jobs
The highest paying types of flight engineers are engine pilot, airline pilot flight instructor, and air force pilot.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Air Force Pilot | $98,196 | $8,183 | $47.21 | 3,867 |
| Airline Pilot/First Officer | $94,830 | $7,902 | $45.59 | 63,022 |
| Flight Commander | $70,672 | $5,889 | $33.98 | 1,581 |
| Engineer | $92,076 | $7,673 | $44.27 | 618,207 |
Top companies hiring flight engineers now:
Which companies pay flight engineers the most?
Flight engineer salaries at Learjet and Tripadvisor are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average flight engineer salary at companies like Ncar - The National Center For Atmospheric Research and Boeing are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Learjet | $115,246 | $55.41 |
| 2 | Tripadvisor | $102,000 | $49.04 |
| 3 | Ncar - The National Center For Atmospheric Research | $98,699 | $47.45 |
| 4 | Boeing | $95,266 | $45.80 |
| 5 | FlightSafety International | $91,098 | $43.80 |
| 6 | Northrop Grumman | $90,513 | $43.52 |
| 7 | The Aerospace Corporation | $88,830 | $42.71 |
| 8 | CAE | $88,590 | $42.59 |
| 9 | Gulfstream Aerospace | $87,882 | $42.25 |
| 10 | Anduril | $87,105 | $41.88 |
| 11 | Stratos International | $86,544 | $41.61 |
| 12 | Omitron | $86,169 | $41.43 |
| 13 | SAIC | $86,009 | $41.35 |
| 14 | Noblis | $85,669 | $41.19 |
| 15 | KBR | $85,372 | $41.04 |
| 16 | Science | $85,043 | $40.89 |
| 17 | Air National Guard | $84,981 | $40.86 |
| 18 | Southern Air | $84,836 | $40.79 |
| 19 | Army National Guard | $84,353 | $40.55 |
| 20 | DISH Network | $83,623 | $40.20 |
Wage gap by gender, race and education
Flight Engineer salary by industry
The average flight engineer salary varies across industries:
- The average flight engineer salary in the technology industry is $85,663, the highest of any industry.
- The average flight engineer salary in the finance industry is $85,540.
- Flight engineers in the transportation industry earn an average salary of $66,672, the lowest of any industry.
Highest paying industries for flight engineers
| Rank | Industry | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Technology | $85,663 | $41.18 |
| 2 | Manufacturing | $85,540 | $41.13 |
| 3 | Professional | $85,265 | $40.99 |
| 4 | Government | $84,837 | $40.79 |
| 5 | Transportation | $66,672 | $32.05 |
High paying flight engineer jobs
Flight engineer salary trends
The average flight engineer salary has risen by $29,260 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average flight engineer earned $55,775 annually, but today, they earn $85,035 a year. That works out to a 26% change in pay for flight engineers over the last decade.
Compare flight engineer salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Average flight engineer salary over time
Compare flight engineer salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
Flight engineer salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $85,000 | $40.88 | +8.5% |
| 2024 | $77,800 | $37.39 | +4.7% |
| 2023 | $74,100 | $35.64 | +2.1% |
| 2022 | $72,500 | $34.88 | +6.9% |
| 2021 | $67,500 | $32.46 | +8.2% |
Recently added flight engineer salaries
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Abbvie | Flight Engineer/Aircraft Technician | Waukegan, IL | 06/10/2025 | $82,500 |
| SAIC (Science Applications Int | Sigint Flight Engineer | Aurora, CO | 06/10/2025 | $120,001 |
| Department of The Air Force | Flight Engineer (Instructor) | Reno, NV | 05/03/2025 | $67,561 |
| Evona | Flight Engineer | Suitland, MD | 04/22/2025 | $130,000 |
| Evona | Flight Engineer | Boulder, CO | 04/21/2025 | $130,000 |
| Johnson & Johnson | Aviation Maintenance Flight Engineer | Trenton, NJ | 03/25/2025 | $72,450 |
| Abbvie | Senior Flight Engineer | Lincoln, NE | 02/16/2025 | $103,500 |
| Military Kids | Flight Engineer (1A1X1) | Nora, NE | 02/16/2025 | $103,110 |
| Noblis | Geoint Flight Engineer | Chantilly, VA | 01/30/2025 | $142,600 |
| KBR | Kc-130J Loadmaster, Flight Engineer | Maryland | 01/26/2025 | $88,000 |
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