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Best states for a test pilot
- Rank 1 - 10
- 11 - 20
- 21 - 30
- 31 - 40
- 41 - 51
Are you thinking of becoming a test pilot and really want to work at United States Army Corps of Engineers? Turns out, your chances to become a test pilot are better in some states than others.Although there are abundant test pilot jobs in the United States, a large number of them are in the Midwest. California is the best state in the country for test pilot jobs.
To do that, we looked at the most recent data we have available for the following criteria -- average annual wages, and availability of jobs for test pilots.We found that the Midwest is best for test pilots, and the West is the worst. Mountain View, CA is the best city in the country for test pilot jobs, where as California is the best state in the country.
10 best states for test pilots in 2025
1. California
Total test pilot jobs: 1,584 Average annual salary: $126,212 Lowest 10 percent earn: $83,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $190,000 Location Quotient: 1.612. Nevada
Total test pilot jobs: 68 Average annual salary: $111,959 Lowest 10 percent earn: $72,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $172,000 Location Quotient: 0.963. Oregon
Total test pilot jobs: 140 Average annual salary: $105,468 Lowest 10 percent earn: $68,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $163,000 Location Quotient: 14. New Jersey
Total test pilot jobs: 194 Average annual salary: $118,394 Lowest 10 percent earn: $83,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $167,000 Location Quotient: 0.725. Wyoming
Total test pilot jobs: 16 Average annual salary: $101,695 Lowest 10 percent earn: $65,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $159,000 Location Quotient: 0.796. New York
Total test pilot jobs: 291 Average annual salary: $118,282 Lowest 10 percent earn: $83,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $167,000 Location Quotient: 0.677. Iowa
Total test pilot jobs: 107 Average annual salary: $96,264 Lowest 10 percent earn: $64,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $144,000 Location Quotient: 0.878. Washington
Total test pilot jobs: 293 Average annual salary: $99,685 Lowest 10 percent earn: $63,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $156,000 Location Quotient: 1.199. Kansas
Total test pilot jobs: 85 Average annual salary: $96,862 Lowest 10 percent earn: $64,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $146,000 Location Quotient: 0.8310. Alaska
Total test pilot jobs: 26 Average annual salary: $98,399 Lowest 10 percent earn: $68,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $140,000 Location Quotient: 0.92
Test pilot jobsNear Columbus, OH
How Zippia determines the best states to be a test pilot
You can read about how the best state rankings are calculated here.
Detailed list of the best states for a test pilot
| Rank | State | Average salary | Lowest 10% earn | Population | Job count |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | California | $126,212 | $83,000 | 39,536,653 | 1,584 |
| 2 | Nevada | $111,959 | $72,000 | 2,998,039 | 68 |
| 3 | Oregon | $105,468 | $68,000 | 4,142,776 | 140 |
| 4 | New Jersey | $118,394 | $83,000 | 9,005,644 | 194 |
| 5 | Wyoming | $101,695 | $65,000 | 579,315 | 16 |
| 6 | New York | $118,282 | $83,000 | 19,849,399 | 291 |
| 7 | Iowa | $96,264 | $64,000 | 3,145,711 | 107 |
| 8 | Washington | $99,685 | $63,000 | 7,405,743 | 293 |
| 9 | Kansas | $96,862 | $64,000 | 2,913,123 | 85 |
| 10 | Alaska | $98,399 | $68,000 | 739,795 | 26 |
| 11 | Rhode Island | $93,790 | $66,000 | 1,059,639 | 40 |
| 12 | Utah | $90,698 | $58,000 | 3,101,833 | 184 |
| 13 | Florida | $95,174 | $63,000 | 20,984,400 | 578 |
| 14 | New Mexico | $91,282 | $59,000 | 2,088,070 | 86 |
| 15 | New Hampshire | $91,911 | $65,000 | 1,342,795 | 74 |
| 16 | Louisiana | $95,935 | $63,000 | 4,684,333 | 77 |
| 17 | Connecticut | $93,080 | $65,000 | 3,588,184 | 130 |
| 18 | Montana | $97,584 | $61,000 | 1,050,493 | 29 |
| 19 | Massachusetts | $93,113 | $66,000 | 6,859,819 | 359 |
| 20 | Colorado | $90,132 | $58,000 | 5,607,154 | 362 |
| 21 | Maryland | $90,146 | $63,000 | 6,052,177 | 438 |
| 22 | West Virginia | $93,091 | $64,000 | 1,815,857 | 26 |
| 23 | Texas | $90,398 | $59,000 | 28,304,596 | 616 |
| 24 | Arizona | $89,472 | $58,000 | 7,016,270 | 220 |
| 25 | Vermont | $88,884 | $62,000 | 623,657 | 32 |
| 26 | Delaware | $91,684 | $64,000 | 961,939 | 35 |
| 27 | North Dakota | $85,503 | $57,000 | 755,393 | 35 |
| 28 | District of Columbia | $89,622 | $62,000 | 693,972 | 83 |
| 29 | Idaho | $84,201 | $53,000 | 1,716,943 | 58 |
| 30 | Ohio | $86,487 | $59,000 | 11,658,609 | 236 |
| 31 | Kentucky | $87,991 | $59,000 | 4,454,189 | 69 |
| 32 | Hawaii | $97,463 | $79,000 | 1,427,538 | 22 |
| 33 | Illinois | $90,188 | $60,000 | 12,802,023 | 237 |
| 34 | North Carolina | $87,108 | $60,000 | 10,273,419 | 222 |
| 35 | Virginia | $82,550 | $57,000 | 8,470,020 | 456 |
| 36 | Michigan | $76,872 | $52,000 | 9,962,311 | 304 |
| 37 | South Carolina | $86,509 | $59,000 | 5,024,369 | 87 |
| 38 | Tennessee | $84,920 | $57,000 | 6,715,984 | 72 |
| 39 | Arkansas | $80,788 | $54,000 | 3,004,279 | 70 |
| 40 | South Dakota | $80,403 | $52,000 | 869,666 | 27 |
| 41 | Mississippi | $76,643 | $51,000 | 2,984,100 | 58 |
| 42 | Alabama | $66,852 | $45,000 | 4,874,747 | 208 |
| 43 | Oklahoma | $71,522 | $47,000 | 3,930,864 | 95 |
| 44 | Maine | $75,706 | $54,000 | 1,335,907 | 33 |
| 45 | Missouri | $72,307 | $48,000 | 6,113,532 | 177 |
| 46 | Wisconsin | $71,543 | $48,000 | 5,795,483 | 155 |
| 47 | Pennsylvania | $74,664 | $52,000 | 12,805,537 | 260 |
| 48 | Minnesota | $65,337 | $44,000 | 5,576,606 | 208 |
| 49 | Nebraska | $70,527 | $46,000 | 1,920,076 | 56 |
| 50 | Indiana | $70,842 | $48,000 | 6,666,818 | 134 |
| 51 | Georgia | $74,873 | $50,000 | 10,429,379 | 184 |
Highest paying states for test pilots
| Rank | State | Avg. Test Pilot Salary |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | California | $126,212 |
| 2 | Nevada | $111,959 |
| 3 | Oregon | $105,468 |
| 4 | New Jersey | $118,394 |
| 5 | Wyoming | $101,695 |
| 6 | New York | $118,282 |
| 7 | Iowa | $96,264 |
| 8 | Washington | $99,685 |
| 9 | Kansas | $96,862 |
| 10 | Alaska | $98,399 |
| 11 | Rhode Island | $93,790 |
| 12 | Utah | $90,698 |
| 13 | Florida | $95,174 |
| 14 | New Mexico | $91,282 |
| 15 | New Hampshire | $91,911 |
| 16 | Louisiana | $95,935 |
| 17 | Connecticut | $93,080 |
| 18 | Montana | $97,584 |
| 19 | Massachusetts | $93,113 |
| 20 | Colorado | $90,132 |
| 21 | Maryland | $90,146 |
| 22 | West Virginia | $93,091 |
| 23 | Texas | $90,398 |
| 24 | Arizona | $89,472 |
| 25 | Vermont | $88,884 |
| 26 | Delaware | $91,684 |
| 27 | North Dakota | $85,503 |
| 28 | District of Columbia | $89,622 |
| 29 | Idaho | $84,201 |
| 30 | Ohio | $86,487 |
| 31 | Kentucky | $87,991 |
| 32 | Hawaii | $97,463 |
| 33 | Illinois | $90,188 |
| 34 | North Carolina | $87,108 |
| 35 | Virginia | $82,550 |
| 36 | Michigan | $76,872 |
| 37 | South Carolina | $86,509 |
| 38 | Tennessee | $84,920 |
| 39 | Arkansas | $80,788 |
| 40 | South Dakota | $80,403 |
| 41 | Mississippi | $76,643 |
| 42 | Alabama | $66,852 |
| 43 | Oklahoma | $71,522 |
| 44 | Maine | $75,706 |
| 45 | Missouri | $72,307 |
| 46 | Wisconsin | $71,543 |
| 47 | Pennsylvania | $74,664 |
| 48 | Minnesota | $65,337 |
| 49 | Nebraska | $70,527 |
| 50 | Indiana | $70,842 |
| 51 | Georgia | $74,873 |
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Updated January 8, 2025