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Job outlook for flight test engineers in the United States
Are flight test engineer jobs in demand?
Flight test engineer job and salary trends over time
Flight test engineer jobs over time
Flight test engineer job growth rate over time
| Year | # of jobs | % of population |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 3,379 | 0.00% |
| 2020 | 3,617 | 0.00% |
| 2019 | 3,770 | 0.00% |
| 2018 | 3,816 | 0.00% |
| 2017 | 3,923 | 0.00% |
Average flight test engineer salary over time
Flight test engineer salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $90,538 | $43.53 | +1.8% |
| 2024 | $88,928 | $42.75 | +1.1% |
| 2023 | $87,951 | $42.28 | +1.9% |
| 2022 | $86,279 | $41.48 | +3.1% |
| 2021 | $83,699 | $40.24 | +1.7% |
Flight test engineer jobs by state
Most common states for flight test engineers
| Rank | State | Population | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | District of Columbia | 693,972 | 285 | 41% |
| 2 | Maryland | 6,052,177 | 852 | 14% |
| 3 | Virginia | 8,470,020 | 1,127 | 13% |
| 4 | Colorado | 5,607,154 | 719 | 13% |
| 5 | Massachusetts | 6,859,819 | 763 | 11% |
| 6 | Utah | 3,101,833 | 338 | 11% |
| 7 | Washington | 7,405,743 | 761 | 10% |
| 8 | Delaware | 961,939 | 100 | 10% |
| 9 | California | 39,536,653 | 3,561 | 9% |
| 10 | New Hampshire | 1,342,795 | 124 | 9% |
| 11 | Vermont | 623,657 | 56 | 9% |
| 12 | Alabama | 4,874,747 | 369 | 8% |
| 13 | Oregon | 4,142,776 | 336 | 8% |
| 14 | Arizona | 7,016,270 | 471 | 7% |
| 15 | Minnesota | 5,576,606 | 373 | 7% |
| 16 | Connecticut | 3,588,184 | 239 | 7% |
| 17 | New Mexico | 2,088,070 | 137 | 7% |
| 18 | Rhode Island | 1,059,639 | 72 | 7% |
| 19 | Wyoming | 579,315 | 38 | 7% |
| 20 | Alaska | 739,795 | 45 | 6% |
Most common cities for flight test engineers
| Rank | City | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl | Avg. salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Huntsville | 10 | 5% | $92,594 |
| 2 | Santa Cruz | 3 | 5% | $111,488 |
| 3 | Littleton | 2 | 4% | $103,493 |
| 4 | Palmdale | 4 | 3% | $102,758 |
| 5 | Des Plaines | 1 | 2% | $109,333 |
| 6 | East Hartford | 1 | 2% | $95,729 |
| 7 | Jupiter | 1 | 2% | $72,586 |
| 8 | Middletown | 1 | 2% | $95,894 |
| 9 | Poway | 1 | 2% | $99,784 |
| 10 | Wichita | 2 | 1% | $81,596 |
| 11 | Livermore | 1 | 1% | $111,991 |
| 12 | Saint Charles | 1 | 1% | $82,332 |
| 13 | Savannah | 1 | 1% | $94,355 |
Flight Test Engineer job outlook: Expert opinions
Our panel of flight test engineer experts
University of Cincinnati
University of Washington
AIAA
Florida Institute of Technology
Prescott Campus
University of Florida
What general advice would you give to a Flight Test Engineer?
Ms. Tracee Friess A.V.P.: You can get on a flight with a bunch of other people and with a high degree of confidence tell yourself it is not just magic pixie dust that makes the plane fly.
What Flight Test Engineer skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Ms. Tracee Friess A.V.P.: Aerospace Engineers use knowledge of physics, mathematics, chemistry and other science and non-science disciplines to design flight and space vehicles for specific applications.
Paul Orkwis
DrUniversity of Cincinnati
Aerospace, Aeronautical, And Astronautical/Space Engineering
What general advice would you give to a Flight Test Engineer?
Paul Orkwis: With the advent of digital design and simulation, it is extremely important to remain skeptical of analyses that come out of a computer. By that I mean it is important to look for ways to check whether results are correct. It is tempting to take results at face value and not question their validity, but it is in asking how one knows the result is correct that they learn about quality. I also think that finding ways to exploit technology so that it works for you and simplifies your life is critical. Using coding co-pilots, for example, allows you to be more productive when writing software and information retrieval using AI will be a trusted tool in the near future. Verifying accuracy so that you can trust their help is vital.
What Flight Test Engineer skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Paul Orkwis: My first advice for a graduate is to continue to think like a student, that is, continue to learn. Aerospace Engineering is a highly dynamic field that is truly on the cutting edge. Skills that are valuable now may not be valuable in 5-10 years. The successful engineer will look for opportunities to learn new things and improve their skillset.
What will help Flight Test Engineers increase their earning potential?
Paul Orkwis: Have skills and be willing to do things that might at first appear to be uninteresting. Engineers are paid for what they know, and sometimes that means you need to do some of the less pleasant tasks in order to learn the basics is extremely important. When opportunities for learning present themselves, open that door, it will pay dividends in the end.
What general advice would you give to a Flight Test Engineer?
Saeed Khan: First of all, find a position that corresponds to their technical interests for the long run. Carefully seek out what the expectations of their chosen position are and identify the gaps in skills and knowledge required. Work ceaselessly to gain proficiencies that allow them to excel using every resource at hand.
What Flight Test Engineer skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Saeed Khan: Keeping up with the latest technology in materials, control systems, airframes, and communication systems as it relates to their responsibility is essential alongside development of people skills and communication facilities that help them market their ideas to their team.
What will help Flight Test Engineers increase their earning potential?
Saeed Khan: Engineering Technology graduates are valued for their ability to implement and breadboard better than engineers by companies that hire from both majors based on survey data. Employers more familiar with these attributes and who value these skills will be pre-disposed to offering good salary and benefits to new graduates.
Are there any particularly good places in the United States for Flight Test Engineers to find work opportunities?
Marco Salviato Ph.D.: I am a little biased here but, honestly, I cannot think of a better place than the Greater Seattle area and Washington State. We have the best aerospace companies in the world and the aerospace industry is an integral part of the economy and history of the State.
What are the biggest trends we'll see in the Flight Test Engineer job market given the pandemic?
Marco Salviato Ph.D.: The pandemic has hit some sectors hard while other industrial sectors have been basically unaffected. For instance, the demand for engineers in the commercial aviation industry has seen a slowdown due to the pandemic that will probably last a few years. On the other hand, the aerospace industry is thriving and it is growing at an unprecedented pace. If I can give some advice to young students deciding on their major, I would say they should follow their passion. If they are passionate about Aerospace Engineering, they should follow their dream. Aerospace Engineering will always be strong and aerospace engineers will be always in high demand thanks to their multidisciplinary preparation across structural mechanics, control theory, fluid mechanics, and system engineering.
What skills stand out on Flight Test Engineer resumes?
Marco Salviato Ph.D.: I ask and I get asked this question a lot. Of course excellent academic performance goes a long way but it is not enough to be competitive. Most of the industrial partners I collaborate with tell me they are looking for "problem solvers", engineers who have strong fundamentals and who know how to apply them to solve engineering problems. They also look for "soft skills" such as project management experience, excellence in reporting scientific results and outcome of projects, leadership skills, and ability to work in a team.
My advice to students to nurture these skills is to engage as early as possible with student clubs such as UW Design Build Fly (DBF) or SARP (Society for Advanced Rocket Propulsion). Another good idea is to get involved as soon as possible in research activities conducted by faculty in the Department. Finally, I cannot stress enough the importance of participating in summer internships at aerospace companies. For all these activities to be relevant, it is important to make sure there are tangible outcomes and the contribution of the student is evident. A sentence such as, "I worked in a team of twenty people to design a new concept of bracket for an aerospace hydraulic fuel system. I was the leader of a team of five people in charge of the structural design. Leveraging Finite Element Analysis we were able to reduce the weight of the bracket of more than 50 percent compared to legacy design. In addition to the FEM simulations, my responsibilities included organizing weekly meetings with the team to discuss progress, deliverables, and timeline, presenting the results to the company, and writing monthly scientific reports" really stands out in a resume. All the industrial partners I work with told me that having these experiences with tangible outcomes in the resume is one of the key deciding factors for a new hire.
What general advice would you give to a Flight Test Engineer?
Brian Talbot: Entering the aerospace workforce now is different in the COVID environment. It's important to find more avenues to get connected and expand your knowledge beyond the classroom. AIAA has hosted virtual recruiting events for our student members with companies like SpaceX, Ball Aerospace, and Lockheed Martin. We've created an online-based mentor-mentee matching program. We've also created new online educational opportunities that can differentiate candidates with both technical and soft skills. There are many opportunities out there, so look for new ways that you can find connections at the companies whose missions excite you. It's important for graduates to be proactive and take advantage of options available. It's through these channels that you can actively shape your career journey, even during challenging times.
Will there be an increase or decrease in demand for Flight Test Engineers in the next 5 years?
Shem Malmquist: Outside of the freight operators, most airlines are cutting back due to a loss of demand. I would expect that to last about 2 or 3 years, but retirements and attrition should start to increase demand again after that time.
What are the best companies to work for a Flight Test Engineer?
Shem Malmquist: The freight operators are the best choice as they are all expanding and hiring-FedEx, UPS, Atlas, Southern Air, etc. Someone who has just graduated will probably not have the flight experience yet to be hired as a pilot (unless they had considerable experience and returned to finish college). Still, there are many opportunities in non-flight positions. There are also job opportunities for the feeder aircraft for the larger operators.
For those who are in non-flight positions, there are also opportunities. Both FedEx and UPS employ many engineers, for example. Also, there are defense industry job positions that graduates should consider.
Laura Polk
Assistant Director, Career Services & Corporate RelationsPrescott Campus
Aerospace Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Space Physics, Astronomy, & Cyber Intelligence and Security
Will there be an enduring impact of the coronavirus pandemic on Flight Test Engineers?
Laura Polk: This is the million-dollar question. This global pandemic is a continually evolving situation, so my answer to this question was very different today than six months ago. I expect it to be different in another six months. But, my simple answer is, yes. The coronavirus pandemic will have an enduring impact on all of our lives, and no one will come out of this untouched. The good news is that mechanical engineering is still a very in-demand degree program.
Most graduates will find employment after graduation, as long as they are willing to keep their options open. The job outlook will look different for a mechanical engineering student wanting to work at an innovative startup versus a mechanical engineering student wishing to work for a large defense company. While many startups have to make more conservative financial decisions and may not be hiring, some defense companies have increased hiring during the pandemic. For example, Lockheed Martin added 5,000 new job postings over the summer.
My hope for this year's graduates is to graduate with a newfound appreciation for the positive change they can impart on the world. There is a lot in our world that needs to be fixed, and we need intelligence young people with innovative ideas to help improve some of our nation's most pressing obstacles.
Are there any particularly good places in the United States for Flight Test Engineers to find work opportunities?
Bruce Carroll Ph.D.: Aerospace jobs are available all across the US. Some pockets are well known, e.g. the locations of the large aerospace companies. There are also many startup companies in fields related to unmanned vehicles, drones, and personal urban aircraft. Companies in Florida and Georgia have been actively hiring graduates from our programs in recent years, and I think this will continue.
There is a strong demand in these two states related to military aircraft and armaments. This includes the maintenance of existing airframes and the development and production of new platforms. The commercial space industry is coming on strong with a large presence in Florida. There is also strong demand from both spacecraft and aircraft propulsion companies. The overall employment market continues to be strong for our region.
Will there be an enduring impact of the coronavirus pandemic on Flight Test Engineers?
Bruce Carroll Ph.D.: The pandemic has a near term impact in terms of how classes are taught and in how companies are recruiting. Internships have become difficult during the pandemic. But so far, most major companies are continuing to actively recruit new aerospace engineers for permanent positions. The format of interviews has shifted to virtual methods. Career fairs are being held in virtual formats, and companies are making recruiting presentations to student organizations and holding open houses again in a virtual format. In some sense, the aerospace industries have been living in a virtual world for many years due to a large number of international projects. Practicing aerospace engineers are very comfortable with working remotely.
The longer-term impact of the coronavirus pandemic is unclear. Universities are preparing for budget cuts due to reductions in state revenues resulting from decreased spending during the pandemic. The federal government is better able to weather this economic storm, and we will simply have to wait and see the impact on federally funded programs related to spacecraft and military aircraft. The airline companies are struggling due to reduced travel demand. But these should be short-term disruptions and will resolve relatively quickly after the impact of the pandemic resolves. The long-term outlook for the current batch of aerospace engineering graduates remains positive.