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The differences between flight test engineers and avionics systems engineers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 2-4 years to become both a flight test engineer and an avionics systems engineer. Additionally, an avionics systems engineer has an average salary of $99,014, which is higher than the $90,538 average annual salary of a flight test engineer.
The top three skills for a flight test engineer include control room, data analysis and test procedures. The most important skills for an avionics systems engineer are avionics systems, FAA, and system integration.
| Flight Test Engineer | Avionics Systems Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $90,538 | $99,014 |
| Hourly rate | $43.53 | $47.60 |
| Growth rate | 6% | 6% |
| Number of jobs | 26,384 | 80,025 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 74% | Bachelor's Degree, 70% |
| Average age | 44 | 44 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 4 |
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.
Avionics systems engineers conduct research development problems associated with aviation, essentially instrument landing systems and other safety instruments for aircraft vehicles. They are a subspecialty of the field of aerospace engineering. They also inspect, adjust, test, and repair electronic components of aircraft flight-control systems, navigation, and communication and compile maintenance and overhaul records of the work they do. Avionics systems engineer also adjusts frequencies of the communications apparatus when performing periodic checks on those frequency settings.
Flight test engineers and avionics systems engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Flight Test Engineer | Avionics Systems Engineer | |
| Average salary | $90,538 | $99,014 |
| Salary range | Between $66,000 And $123,000 | Between $76,000 And $127,000 |
| Highest paying City | Palo Alto, CA | - |
| Highest paying state | Illinois | - |
| Best paying company | Amazon | - |
| Best paying industry | Transportation | - |
There are a few differences between a flight test engineer and an avionics systems engineer in terms of educational background:
| Flight Test Engineer | Avionics Systems Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 74% | Bachelor's Degree, 70% |
| Most common major | Aerospace Engineering | Electrical Engineering |
| Most common college | Georgia Institute of Technology | Massachusetts Institute of Technology |
Here are the differences between flight test engineers' and avionics systems engineers' demographics:
| Flight Test Engineer | Avionics Systems Engineer | |
| Average age | 44 | 44 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 89.6% Female, 10.4% | Male, 91.9% Female, 8.1% |
| Race ratio | 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% | 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% |
| LGBT Percentage | 8% | 8% |