Explore jobs
Find specific jobs
Explore careers
Explore professions
Best companies
Explore companies
Job outlook for test pilots in the United States
Are test pilot jobs in demand?
Yes, test pilot jobs are in demand. Test pilot demand is projected to grow 6% from 2018 to 2028.
Test pilot job and salary trends over time
Compare the number of test pilot jobs and the average test pilot salary over time.
Test pilot jobs over time
Test pilot job growth rate over time
| Year | # of jobs | % of population |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 2,938 | 0.00% |
| 2020 | 2,550 | 0.00% |
| 2019 | 2,599 | 0.00% |
| 2018 | 2,601 | 0.00% |
| 2017 | 2,644 | 0.00% |
Average test pilot salary over time
Test pilot salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $96,060 | $46.18 | +8.4% |
| 2024 | $88,626 | $42.61 | +4.7% |
| 2023 | $84,673 | $40.71 | +4.4% |
| 2022 | $81,069 | $38.98 | +2.0% |
| 2021 | $79,484 | $38.21 | +1.4% |
Test pilot jobs by state
The map below shows you the number of test pilot job openings in each state. The darker areas on the map show where test pilots earn the highest salaries across all 50 states.
Average salary: Job openings:
Most common states for test pilots
| Rank | State | Population | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | District of Columbia | 693,972 | 83 | 12% |
| 2 | Maryland | 6,052,177 | 438 | 7% |
| 3 | Colorado | 5,607,154 | 362 | 6% |
| 4 | Utah | 3,101,833 | 184 | 6% |
| 5 | New Hampshire | 1,342,795 | 74 | 6% |
| 6 | Virginia | 8,470,020 | 456 | 5% |
| 7 | Massachusetts | 6,859,819 | 359 | 5% |
| 8 | North Dakota | 755,393 | 35 | 5% |
| 9 | Vermont | 623,657 | 32 | 5% |
| 10 | California | 39,536,653 | 1,584 | 4% |
| 11 | Washington | 7,405,743 | 293 | 4% |
| 12 | Alabama | 4,874,747 | 208 | 4% |
| 13 | Minnesota | 5,576,606 | 208 | 4% |
| 14 | Connecticut | 3,588,184 | 130 | 4% |
| 15 | New Mexico | 2,088,070 | 86 | 4% |
| 16 | Rhode Island | 1,059,639 | 40 | 4% |
| 17 | Delaware | 961,939 | 35 | 4% |
| 18 | Alaska | 739,795 | 26 | 4% |
| 19 | Oregon | 4,142,776 | 140 | 3% |
| 20 | Wyoming | 579,315 | 16 | 3% |
Most common cities for test pilots
| Rank | City | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl | Avg. salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Greenville | 2 | 7% | $88,238 |
| 2 | Meridian | 1 | 3% | $76,680 |
| 3 | Wichita | 3 | 1% | $97,868 |
| 4 | Huntsville | 2 | 1% | $66,261 |
| 5 | Newport News | 2 | 1% | $82,910 |
| 6 | Palmdale | 2 | 1% | $125,849 |
| 7 | Decatur | 1 | 1% | $87,693 |
| 8 | Duluth | 1 | 1% | $66,841 |
| 9 | Melbourne | 1 | 1% | $95,728 |
| 10 | Arlington | 1 | 0% | $89,316 |
| 11 | Greensboro | 1 | 0% | $87,339 |
| 12 | Indianapolis | 1 | 0% | $70,784 |