How To Become A Test Driver: What It Is and Career Path

What is a test driver and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025

4 min read

A test driver evaluates the performance and safety of vehicles before they are released for sale to the public. They typically work for automotive manufacturers or testing facilities and are trained to assess a range of factors, including handling, acceleration, braking, and fuel efficiency. Test drivers are often required to keep detailed records of their findings and may work closely with engineers to identify and resolve any issues that arise during testing.

ScoreTest DriverUS Average

Salary

2.5

Avg. Salary $32,297

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability level

7.3

Growth rate 4%

Growth rate 0.3%

Diversity

4.9

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.81%

Asian 3.75%

Black or African American 11.85%

Hispanic or Latino 17.28%

Unknown 4.74%

White 61.56%

Gender

female 25.72%

male 74.28%

Age - 49

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%

Asian 7.00%

Black or African American 14.00%

Hispanic or Latino 19.00%

White 57.00%

Gender

female 47.00%

male 53.00%

Age - 49

Stress level

7.3

Stress level is high

7.1 - high

Complexity level

4.6

Complexity level is intermediate

7 - challenging

Work life balance

1.4

Work life balance is very poor

6.4 - fair

What are the pros and cons of being a test driver?

Pros

Get paid to drive cars
Work with cutting-edge technology
Opportunity to work with a variety of teams and departments
Ability to provide valuable feedback to engineers and designers
Exposure to the automotive industry

Cons

Long hours and irregular schedules
Risk of accidents or injuries
Pressure to meet deadlines and targets
Time away from family and friends due to travel
Low job security due to project-based work

Key steps to become a test driver

Explore test driver education requirements

Most common test driver degrees

Bachelor's

29.1 %

High School Diploma

27.5 %

Associate

21.4 %

Start to develop specific test driver skills

Skills	Percentages
Test Drive	16.77%
CDL	13.91%
Public Roads	8.41%
Drive Vehicles	7.58%
Safety Inspections	7.57%

Complete relevant test driver training and internships

Accountants spend an average of Less than 1 month on post-employment, on-the-job training. New test drivers learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as a test driver based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real test driver resumes.

Research test driver duties and responsibilities

Contract to Volkswagen, Audi to test new vehicles, prototypes and prototype parts.
Test drive new Hyundai's, keep records on gas and handling of the cars.
Coordinate with freight forwarders to expedite shipments.
Perform vehicle testing for voice controls, GPS location/directions

Prepare your test driver resume

When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your test driver resume.

You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on a test driver resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

Choose from 10+ customizable test driver resume templates

Build a professional test driver resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. Then choose from 10+ resume templates to create your test driver resume.

Apply for test driver jobs

Now it's time to start searching for a test driver job. Consider the tips below for a successful job search:

Browse job boards for relevant postings
Consult your professional network
Reach out to companies you're interested in working for directly
Watch out for job scams

How do test drivers rate their job?

5/5

Based on 1 ratings

5 stars

4 stars

3 stars

2 stars

1 star

Test driver reviews

5.0

A zippia user wrote a review on Sep 2019

Pros

The opportunity to relay to the public about the difference in automobiles that are out there, and to inform them what’s best for there hard earn money of the pros and cons of car ownership

Cons

Dishonesty, not getting the quality in engineering as expected for the price

A zippia user wrote a review on May 2019