Test pilot demographics and statistics in the US
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Test pilot demographics by:
Test pilot gender statistics
8.7% of test pilots are women and 91.3% of test pilots are men.
- Male, 91.3%
- Female, 8.7%
Test pilot gender ratio
| Gender | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Male | 91.3% |
| Female | 8.7% |
Test pilot gender pay gap
Women earn 94¢ for every $1 earned by men
Male income
$90,322
Female income
$84,643
Test pilot gender ratio over time
This data breaks down the percentage of men and women in test pilot positions over time. Currently, 8.7% of test pilots are female.
Test pilot gender ratio by year
| Year | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 92.95% | 7.05% |
| 2011 | 95.45% | 4.55% |
| 2012 | 91.20% | 8.80% |
| 2013 | 93.99% | 6.01% |
| 2014 | 93.17% | 6.83% |
| 2015 | 93.96% | 6.04% |
| 2016 | 90.60% | 9.40% |
| 2017 | 91.27% | 8.73% |
| 2018 | 91.24% | 8.76% |
| 2019 | 92.71% | 7.29% |
| 2020 | 91.76% | 8.24% |
| 2021 | 91.28% | 8.72% |
Test pilot related jobs gender ratio
We compared test pilots with similar job titles to see how gender ratios vary. As you can see, airline transport pilot and combat control have the biggest gender ratio gaps.
| Job title | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| Airline Flight Attendant | 16% | 84% |
| International Flight Attendant | 21% | 79% |
| Flight Attendant | 21% | 79% |
| Test Pilot | 91% | 9% |
| Agricultural Aviation Pilot | 98% | 2% |
| Combat Control | 98% | 2% |
| Airline Transport Pilot | 98% | 2% |
Male
Female
100%
75%
50%
25%
0%
0%
25%
50%
75%
100%
Test pilot demographics by race
The most common ethnicity among test pilots is White, which makes up 81.3% of all test pilots. Comparatively, 7.3% of test pilots are Hispanic or Latino and 5.6% of test pilots are Unknown.
- White, 81.3%
- Hispanic or Latino, 7.3%
- Unknown, 5.6%
- Black or African American, 2.8%
- Asian, 2.8%
- American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2%
Test pilot race
| Test pilot race | Percentages |
|---|---|
| White | 81.3% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 7.3% |
| Unknown | 5.6% |
| Black or African American | 2.8% |
| Asian | 2.8% |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 0.2% |
Test pilot race and ethnicity over time
See how test pilot racial and ethnic diversity trended since 2010 according to the United States Census Bureau data.
Test pilot race and ethnicity by year
| Year | White | Black or African American | Asian | Hispanic or Latino |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 87.33% | 2.32% | 1.43% | 6.41% |
| 2011 | 88.61% | 2.27% | 1.06% | 5.89% |
| 2012 | 87.81% | 2.85% | 1.59% | 5.75% |
| 2013 | 86.95% | 2.29% | 1.85% | 6.27% |
| 2014 | 87.55% | 2.48% | 1.62% | 6.01% |
| 2015 | 86.95% | 2.16% | 1.78% | 6.60% |
| 2016 | 86.23% | 1.91% | 1.69% | 6.98% |
| 2017 | 86.86% | 3.00% | 1.92% | 6.08% |
| 2018 | 85.15% | 2.18% | 2.01% | 7.62% |
| 2019 | 86.08% | 1.71% | 2.23% | 7.22% |
| 2020 | 82.50% | 2.56% | 2.82% | 7.59% |
| 2021 | 81.32% | 2.75% | 2.79% | 7.29% |
Test pilot wage gap by race
According to our data, unknown test pilots have the highest average salary compared to other ethnicities. Asian test pilots have the lowest average salary at $79,439.
| Ethnicity | Salary |
|---|---|
| Unknown | $97,531 |
| White | $95,241 |
| Black or African American | $91,809 |
| Asian | $79,439 |
| Hispanic or Latino | $88,731 |
Average test pilot age
See how the average age of test pilots varies based on ethnicity and gender.
Male
Female
Test pilot age by race and gender
| Race | Male age | Female age |
|---|---|---|
| Unknown | 46 | |
| White | 44 | 40 |
| Black or African American | 46.5 | |
| Asian | 34 | |
| Hispanic or Latino | 44 |
Test pilot age breakdown
The average age of test pilots is 40+ years years old, representing 61% of the test pilot population.
Test pilot age breakdown
| Test Pilot Years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| 40+ years | 61% |
| 30-40 years | 27% |
| 20-30 years | 11% |
Test pilot educational attainment
The most common degree for test pilots is bachelor's degree, with 61% of test pilots earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are master's degree degree at 17% and master's degree degree at 15%.
- Bachelor's, 61%
- Master's, 17%
- Associate, 15%
- High School Diploma, 4%
- Other Degrees, 3%
Test pilots by degree level
| Test pilot degree | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Bachelor's | 61% |
| Master's | 17% |
| Associate | 15% |
| High School Diploma | 4% |
| Other Degrees | 3% |
Test pilot jobs you might like
Test pilot wage gap by degree level
| Education | Salary |
|---|---|
| Master's Degree | $100,747 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $97,346 |
Test pilot employment statistics
Most test pilots work for a private in the technology industry.
Company size where test pilots work
Below, you can see the size of companies where test pilots work.
Test pilot jobs by employer size
| Company size | Percentages |
|---|---|
| < 50 employees | 3% |
| 50 - 100 employees | 10% |
| 100 - 500 employees | 24% |
| 500 - 1,000 employees | 8% |
| 1,000 - 10,000 employees | 27% |
| > 10,000 employees | 28% |
Test pilot jobs by company type
Employees with the test pilot job title have their preferences when it comes to working for a company. For instance, most test pilots prefer to work at private companies over public companies.
Test pilot jobs by sector
| Company type | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Education | 2% |
| Public | 27% |
| Private | 60% |
| Government | 11% |
Test pilot jobs by industry
The most common industries for test pilots are technology, transportation and professional.
Test pilot industry statistics
| Industry | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Technology | 21% |
| Transportation | 15% |
| Fortune 500 | 13% |
| Professional | 9% |
| Government | 8% |
| Finance | 5% |
| Manufacturing | 5% |
| Non Profits | 5% |
| Health Care | 3% |
| Telecommunication | 3% |
| Construction | 2% |
| Retail | 2% |
| Education | 2% |
| Energy | 2% |
| Internet | 1% |
| Hospitality | 1% |
| Automotive | 1% |
| Utilities | 1% |
| Start-up | 1% |
| Insurance | 1% |
| Real Estate | 1% |
Test pilot turnover and employment statistics
Test pilot unemployment rate over time
The unemployment rate for test pilots between 2008 and the most recent data has varied, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Test pilot unemployment rate by year
| Year | Test pilot unemployment rate |
|---|---|
| 2010 | 3.56% |
| 2011 | 2.99% |
| 2012 | 2.30% |
| 2013 | 2.29% |
| 2014 | 2.11% |
| 2015 | 1.19% |
| 2016 | 0.95% |
| 2017 | 1.24% |
| 2018 | 0.65% |
| 2019 | 0.93% |
| 2020 | 1.69% |
| 2021 | 2.31% |
Average test pilot tenure
The average test pilot stays at their job for 1-2 years, based on the 498 test pilots resumes in Zippia's database.
Test pilot tenure statistics
| Number of years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Less than 1 year | 12% |
| 1-2 years | 33% |
| 3-4 years | 20% |
| 5-7 years | 17% |
| 8-10 years | 5% |
| 11+ years | 14% |
Test pilot LGBT ratio compared to similar jobs
Review the percent of test pilots that are members of the LGBT community. You can see how this compares to similar jobs in the chart below.
| Job title | LGBT | Job openings |
|---|---|---|
| Parking Attendant | 3.71% | 45,127 |
| Auto Detailer | 4.91% | 11,018 |
| Feeder | 5.16% | 695 |
| Test Pilot | 8.59% | - |
| Traffic Controller | 13.04% | 17,859 |
| Ship Steward | 15.05% | 42,173 |
| International Flight Attendant | 31.52% | 46,599 |
Similar test pilot jobs LGBT demographics
| Profession | Percentages of LGBT | Job openings |
|---|---|---|
| Parking Attendant | 3.71% | 45,127 |
| Auto Detailer | 4.91% | 11,018 |
| Feeder | 5.16% | 695 |
| Traffic Controller | 13.04% | 17,859 |
| Ship Steward | 15.05% | 42,173 |
| International Flight Attendant | 31.52% | 46,599 |
