How much does a Flight Inspector III make in the United States?
As of July 01, 2026, the average salary for a Flight Inspector III in the United States is $87,984 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $42.
However, a Flight Inspector III's salary can vary significantly. Here’s a look at the typical salary range:
Top Earners (90th percentile): $111,089
Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $81,447 to $100,078
Key Factors That Influence Flight Inspector III Salaries
A Flight Inspector III's salary isn't a fixed number.
It's shaped by several important factors.
Below, we'll explore how your years of experience, geographic location, education, and company size can directly affect your earning potential.
How Experience Level Affects Flight Inspector Salaries?
Experience is a primary driver of a Flight Inspector III's salary.
As you build your skills and take on more complex tasks, your compensation generally increases.
Here's how the average salary grows at different career stages:
How Do Flight Inspector III Salaries Vary from State to State?
Your salary can change significantly depending on where you work.
States with a higher cost of living and strong industrial sectors
often pay more to attract Flight Inspector IIIs.
For example, consider the average annual salaries in these key locations:
District of Columbia: $97,416.
California: $97,046.
Massachusetts: $95,753.
District of Columbia$97,416
California$97,046
Massachusetts$95,753
Washington$95,401
New Jersey$95,366
Alaska$95,243
Connecticut$94,029
New York$93,536
Hawaii$91,961
Rhode Island$91,222
Maryland$90,720
Minnesota$90,034
Colorado$89,770
Illinois$89,682
Oregon$89,348
Delaware$89,101
New Hampshire$88,947
Virginia$88,600
Pennsylvania$87,588
Nevada$87,078
North Dakota$86,911
Michigan$86,647
Wisconsin$86,550
Vermont$86,356
Texas$85,820
Maine$85,784
Arizona$85,732
Ohio$85,670
Georgia$84,861
Indiana$84,456
Wyoming$84,377
Utah$84,253
Iowa$84,201
Kansas$83,778
Louisiana$83,655
North Carolina$83,611
Missouri$83,594
Florida$83,250
Montana$83,066
Nebraska$82,890
Kentucky$82,793
South Carolina$82,441
Tennessee$82,221
Idaho$82,133
New Mexico$81,491
Oklahoma$81,350
Alabama$80,831
South Dakota$79,960
Arkansas$79,485
West Virginia$79,230
Mississippi$78,464
Top Paying Cities for Flight Inspector IIIs
Salaries can also vary between different cities.
Major metropolitan areas or cities with a high demand for technicians often offer more competitive pay.
Here are a few examples of average annual salaries in different U.S. cities:
San Jose: $110,974
San Francisco: $109,759
Oakland: $107,446
San Jose, CA$110,974
San Francisco, CA$109,759
Oakland, CA$107,446
New York, NY$101,304
Paramus, NJ$100,072
Queens Village, NY$100,068
Passaic, NJ$99,984
Bergenfield, NJ$99,976
Stamford, CT$99,783
Huntington, NY$99,747
Newark, NJ$99,096
Bridgeport, CT$98,911
Vallejo, CA$98,736
New Brunswick, NJ$98,700
Petaluma, CA$98,648
Middlesex, NJ$98,480
Somerset, NJ$98,419
Santa Cruz, CA$98,305
Boston, MA$97,768
Monterey, CA$97,459
Seattle, WA$97,258
Santa Rosa, CA$97,240
Los Angeles, CA$97,214
Juneau, AK$96,985
Washington, DC$96,888
Orange, CA$96,575
Santa Ana, CA$96,342
Long Beach, CA$96,254
Anaheim, CA$96,237
Anchorage, AK$96,193
Santa Maria, CA$95,929
Everett, WA$95,911
Danbury, CT$95,602
Bremerton, WA$95,480
Tacoma, WA$95,163
New Suffolk, NY$95,162
Sacramento, CA$95,137
Santa Barbara, CA$95,040
Trenton, NJ$94,944
San Diego, CA$94,944
Brockton, MA$94,847
Fairbanks, AK$94,631
Lompoc, CA$94,407
Lowell, MA$94,336
Ventura, CA$94,319
Nashua, NH$94,301
Stockton, CA$94,292
Modesto, CA$93,650
Poughkeepsie, NY$93,457
Olympia, WA$93,289
Kennewick, WA$93,289
New Haven, CT$93,254
Lawrence, MA$92,937
Hartford, CT$92,850
Riverside, CA$92,832
New Bedford, MA$92,744
Richland, WA$92,744
Bakersfield, CA$92,621
San Bernardino, CA$92,586
New Britain, CT$92,577
Atlantic City, NJ$92,577
New London, CT$92,542
Norwich, CT$92,515
Portsmouth, NH$92,498
Boulder, CO$92,311
Portland, OR$92,190
Worcester, MA$92,181
Minneapolis, MN$91,908
Philadelphia, PA$91,785
Honolulu, HI$91,495
Saint Paul, MN$91,452
Vineland, NJ$91,433
Providence, RI$91,178
Chicago, IL$90,923
Bellingham, WA$90,817
Springfield, MA$90,747
Baltimore, MD$90,720
Chico, CA$90,500
Pittsfield, MA$90,263
Manchester, NH$90,096
Spokane, WA$89,708
Denver, CO$89,700
Albany, NY$89,286
Troy, NY$89,251
Nassau, NY$89,157
Schenectady, NY$89,066
Wilmington, DE$88,996
Burlington, VT$88,873
Salem, OR$88,837
Portland, ME$88,565
Yakima, WA$88,477
Rochester, MN$88,204
Reno, NV$88,160
Fresno, CA$88,160
Milwaukee, WI$88,081
Detroit, MI$87,993
Ann Arbor, MI$87,978
Allentown, PA$87,966
Colorado Springs, CO$87,817
Syracuse, NY$87,773
Carson City, NV$87,773
Houston, TX$87,650
Eugene, OR$87,606
Gary, IN$87,500
Springfield, OR$87,430
Bismarck, ND$87,412
Galveston, TX$87,351
Medford, OR$87,219
Fort Collins, CO$87,183
Concord, NH$87,139
Austin, TX$87,113
Mesa, AZ$86,928
Reading, PA$86,919
Phoenix, AZ$86,911
Dallas, TX$86,884
Saint Cloud, MN$86,800
Madison, WI$86,682
Utica, NY$86,444
Rochester, NY$86,304
Des Moines, IA$86,295
Raleigh, NC$86,286
Atlanta, GA$86,154
Battle Creek, MI$86,128
Salt Lake City, UT$86,101
Lancaster, PA$85,969
Harrisburg, PA$85,846
Kansas City, MO$85,758
Champaign, IL$85,740
Kansas City, KS$85,740
Fort Worth, TX$85,732
Columbus, OH$85,717
Boca Raton, FL$85,696
Pittsburgh, PA$85,661
Richmond, VA$85,626
Indianapolis, IN$85,608
Cleveland, OH$85,600
Las Vegas, NV$85,494
Cincinnati, OH$85,494
Petersburg, VA$85,362
Huntsville, AL$85,230
Lansing, MI$85,171
Lebanon, PA$85,160
Pueblo, CO$85,151
Appleton, WI$85,125
Buffalo, NY$85,089
Dayton, OH$85,063
Racine, WI$85,045
Charlotte, NC$85,037
Saint Louis, MO$85,010
York, PA$84,957
Elkhart, IN$84,957
Gastonia, NC$84,941
Billings, MT$84,920
Beaumont, TX$84,896
Lorain, OH$84,878
Benton Harbor, MI$84,861
Toledo, OH$84,843
Binghamton, NY$84,799
Rock Hill, SC$84,790
Rockford, IL$84,746
Springfield, IL$84,711
Elyria, OH$84,702
Fargo, ND$84,702
Flagstaff, AZ$84,641
Fort Lauderdale, FL$84,588
Duluth, MN$84,535
Miami, FL$84,535
Cheyenne, WY$84,473
Grand Forks, ND$84,473
Bangor, ME$84,280
Cedar Rapids, IA$84,183
Durham, NC$84,146
Louisville, KY$84,139
Grand Rapids, MI$84,122
Hialeah, FL$84,113
Casper, WY$83,990
Scranton, PA$83,884
New Orleans, LA$83,858
Virginia Beach, VA$83,849
Akron, OH$83,805
Peoria, IL$83,690
Sarasota, FL$83,673
Nashville, TN$83,611
Omaha, NE$83,611
Green Bay, WI$83,611
Baton Rouge, LA$83,567
Charleston, SC$83,550
Jamestown, NY$83,506
Davenport, IA$83,506
Tucson, AZ$83,462
Saint Petersburg, FL$83,409
Tampa, FL$83,391
Evansville, IN$83,338
Port Arthur, TX$83,338
Bradenton, FL$83,303
Santa Fe, NM$83,145
Orlando, FL$82,987
Clearwater, FL$82,960
Canton, OH$82,775
La Crosse, WI$82,775
Albuquerque, NM$82,723
Newport News, VA$82,714
High Point, NC$82,687
Ogden, UT$82,652
Corpus Christi, TX$82,582
Norfolk, VA$82,529
Laramie, WY$82,529
Rock Island, IL$82,476
Saginaw, MI$82,459
Jacksonville, FL$82,450
Salisbury, NC$82,432
Boise, ID$82,415
Moline, IL$82,371
Fort Myers, FL$82,344
Memphis, TN$82,327
Tulsa, OK$82,283
Waterloo, IA$82,230
Spartanburg, SC$82,142
Lincoln, NE$82,098
Fort Wayne, IN$82,080
Provo, UT$82,071
Cedar Falls, IA$81,966
San Antonio, TX$81,931
Greensboro, NC$81,896
South Bend, IN$81,887
Savannah, GA$81,790
Muskegon, MI$81,755
Birmingham, AL$81,746
Winston Salem, NC$81,703
Lake Charles, LA$81,491
Anderson, IN$81,473
Lexington, KY$81,447
Augusta, GA$81,420
Greenville, SC$81,420
Lima, OH$81,350
Wichita, KS$81,341
Tuscaloosa, AL$81,341
Columbia, SC$81,262
Springfield, OH$81,244
Asheville, NC$81,104
Bloomington, IN$81,042
Knoxville, TN$80,725
Shreveport, LA$80,717
Wilmington, NC$80,602
Roanoke, VA$80,602
Topeka, KS$80,444
Frankfort, KY$80,434
Oklahoma City, OK$80,373
Chillicothe, OH$80,338
Longview, TX$80,329
Melbourne, FL$80,321
Sioux Falls, SD$80,180
Mobile, AL$80,171
Terre Haute, IN$80,136
Altoona, PA$80,083
Amarillo, TX$80,021
Killeen, TX$79,995
Fayetteville, AR$79,925
Chattanooga, TN$79,898
Sioux City, IA$79,819
Idaho Falls, ID$79,801
Lynchburg, VA$79,731
Gainesville, FL$79,617
Portsmouth, OH$79,573
Little Rock, AR$79,555
Lafayette, LA$79,520
Youngstown, OH$79,520
Daytona Beach, FL$79,467
Clarksville, TN$79,458
Pensacola, FL$79,450
Temple, TX$79,443
Hopkinsville, KY$79,186
Erie, PA$79,168
Florence, SC$79,133
Charleston, WV$78,992
Great Falls, MT$78,948
Macon, GA$78,825
Tallahassee, FL$78,816
Fayetteville, NC$78,798
Waco, TX$78,781
Helena, MT$78,719
Pine Bluff, AR$78,686
Vincennes, IN$78,579
Lubbock, TX$78,543
Alamogordo, NM$78,491
Twin Falls, ID$78,411
Rapid City, SD$78,385
Jackson, MS$78,227
Huntington, WV$78,220
Greenville, MS$78,218
Parkersburg, WV$78,128
Montgomery, AL$78,112
Wichita Falls, TX$78,024
Springfield, MO$78,024
Biloxi, MS$77,980
Monroe, LA$77,892
Johnstown, PA$77,831
Sumter, SC$77,795
Columbus, GA$77,787
Pascagoula, MS$77,619
Abilene, TX$77,619
Kingsport, TN$77,391
Albany, GA$77,391
Gulfport, MS$77,364
Alexandria, LA$77,074
Fort Smith, AR$76,854
El Paso, TX$76,616
Las Cruces, NM$76,221
Harlingen, TX$75,997
Pocatello, ID$75,983
Florence, AL$75,869
Brownsville, TX$75,851
Mcallen, TX$75,666
Dothan, AL$75,543
Columbus, MS$75,020
Altus, OK$74,610
Lawton, OK$74,443
Pierre, SD$74,127
What Skills Can Increase a Flight Inspector III's Salary?
Demanded Skills for the Role:
Planning (Mentioned in 8.79% Job Postings): An act or process of making or carrying out plans. Establishment of goals, policies, and procedures for a social or economic unit city planning business planning.
Aviation (Mentioned in 4.13% Job Postings): Aviation is the activities surrounding mechanical flight and the aircraft industry. Aircraft includes fixed-wing and rotary-wing types, morphable wings, wing-less lifting bodies, as well as lighter-than-air craft such as hot air balloons and airships.
Hydraulics (Mentioned in 1.03% Job Postings): Hydraulics is a technology and applied science using engineering, chemistry, and other sciences involving the mechanical properties and use of liquids.
See More Skills
Skills
Demand Percentage
Planning
8.79%
Aviation
4.13%
Hydraulics
1.03%
What skills can make your compensation higher?
Mastering certain specialized skills can lead to a significant increase in pay.
Here are examples of skills and the potential impact they can have on a Flight Inspector III's salary.
System Maintenance: Can increase your salary by up to 17%.
Project Management: Can increase your salary by up to 12%.
Customer Service: Can increase your salary by up to 9%.
Skill
Salary
Salary % Increase
System Maintenance
$102,941
17%
Project Management
$98,542
12%
Customer Service
$95,903
9%
Leadership
$95,903
9%
Aviation
$95,023
8%
Record Keeping
$94,143
7%
Get Latest Data
Flight Inspector III Salary by Company Size: Startups vs. Enterprise
Flight Inspector III salary potential scales significantly with company size.
Data shows that Enterprise companies (5,000+ employees) pay the highest average salary at around $98,631.
While startup companies pay approximate $83,443.
Flight Inspector III Salary by Company Size
Company Size
Employees
Average Salary
Startup
1~50
$83,443
Growth Stage
51~500
$88,228
Established
501~5000
$95,255
Enterprise
5000+
$98,631
Flight Inspector III Salary by Industry: Top Paying Sectors
For Flight Inspector III roles, the industry you choose can affect earning potential
by as much as 45% (the gap between the highest and lowest paying industries).
Data shows that the Software & Networking and MFG Durable
sectors offer the strongest compensation, at 25% above the average.
In contrast, Flight Inspector positions in Transportation or Aerospace & Defense typically offer lower base pay,
as these industries often view Flight Inspector III as a support function rather than a direct revenue driver.
The top paying industries for a Flight Inspector III
Industry Sector
Average Annual Salary
Average Hourly Rate
Pay vs.Avg
Software & Networking
$109,980
$53.0
25%
MFG Durable
$96,782
$47.0
10%
How Education impacts a Flight Inspector III's Salary?
Your level of education can impact your salary potential.
While many Flight Inspector IIIs enter the field with a High School Diploma or Technical Certificate degree,
higher education can lead to more specialized and higher-paying roles.
According to our 100% employer-reported salary data,
the median salary for a Flight Inspector III with a High School Diploma or Technical Certificate is between
$85,393
and $89,751).
Flight Inspector III Salaries by Degree Level
Typical Education for Flight Inspector III
No Diploma25.0%
High School25.0%
Associates25.0%
Bachelors25.0%
Masters25.0%
Doctorate0.0%
view as table
Degree Level
% of user with this level of education
No Diploma
25.0%
High School
25.0%
Associates
25.0%
Bachelors
25.0%
Masters
25.0%
Doctorate
0.0%
view as graph
Flight Inspector III Salary: Hourly Rate, Weekly Pay, and Monthly Pay
Understanding how a Flight Inspector III's annual salary breaks down can help with budgeting.
Below, you can see the average hourly rate, weekly pay, and monthly pay for this role.
Use the buttons to switch between different pay periods.
Hourly
Monthly
Weekly
Yearly
Table View
Last Updated on July 01, 2026
$81,447
Average$87,984/year
$100,078
$6,787
Average$7,332/month
$8,340
$1,566
Average$1,692/week
$1,925
$39
Average$42/hour
$48
Annual Salary
Monthly Pay
Weekly Pay
Hourly Wage
75th Percentile
$100,078
$8,340
$1,925
$48
Average
$87,984
$7,332
$1,692
$42
25th Percentile
$81,447
$6,787
$1,566
$39
Flight Inspector III Salary Growth & Career Path
For a Flight Inspector III, the most direct path to higher earnings is advancing to the Flight Inspector IV role.
This promotion typically comes with a significant pay increase, bringing the average annual salary to
$103,423 - a projected growth of
18%
over your current level.
Salaries for a Flight Inspector III can change over time,
reflecting shifts in market demand and the overall economy.
The median salary decreased from $59,810 in 2023
to around $58,874 in 2025,
reflecting changes in demand, location, experience, and the wider economy.
For a detailed analysis of Flight Inspector III salary trends,
.
Average Annual Salary of Flight Inspector III Over Time
2022
$???
2023
$59,810
2024
$59,692
2025
$58,874
2026
$???
2027
$???
Year
Average Annual Salary
2022
View More
2023
$59,810
2024
$59,692
2025
$58,874
2026
View More
2027
View More
Most common benefits for Flight Inspector III
Social Security
401(k)
Disability
Healthcare
Pension
Time Off (days)
For Employers
If your compensation planning software is too rigid to deploy winning incentive strategies, it’s time to find an adaptable solution.
Compensation Planning
Common company salaries for Flight Inspector III
Here are companies hiring for Flight Inspector III and their salaries, click below for more details.
Ready to take the next step in your career?
Browse thousands of current Flight Inspector III job openings on our job board.
Use the search bar below to find your perfect match.
For Employees
Get a Salary Increase
Analyze the market and your qualifications to negotiate your salary with confidence.
Search Job Openings
Search thousands of open positions to find your next opportunity.
For Employers
Adjust Employee Salary
Individualize employee pay based on unique job requirements and personal qualifications.
Price My Industry Jobs
Get the latest market price for benchmark jobs and jobs in your industry.
FAQ about Flight Inspector III
1. Where can a Flight Inspector III earn the most?
A Flight Inspector III's earning potential can vary widely depending on several factors, including location, industry, experience, education, and the specific employer.
According to the latest salary data by Salary.com, a Flight Inspector III earns the most in San Jose, CA, where the annual salary of a Flight Inspector III is $110,974.
2. What is the highest pay for Flight Inspector III?
The highest pay for Flight Inspector III is $111,089.
3. What is the lowest pay for Flight Inspector III?
The lowest pay for Flight Inspector III is $75,495.
4. What are the responsibilities of Flight Inspector III?
Inspects aircraft parts, systems, and equipment to ensure compliance with all safety and regulatory standards and requirements. Oversees part installation and inspects adjustments or modifications to existing parts. Documents and records inspection details and ensures violations are communicated and resolved. Maintains historical records of inspections for regulatory compliance. Performs routine preflight and post-flight inspections identifying any breach of standards for safe flight. Requires a high school diploma. Requires Flight Inspector License. Typically reports to a supervisor. Works independently within established procedures associated with the specific job function. Has gained proficiency in multiple competencies relevant to the job. Typically requires 3-5 years of related experience.
5. What industry pays the highest salary for Flight Inspector III?
The Software & Networking industry offers the highest average compensation for Flight Inspector III roles,
with salaries approximately 25% above the market median.
Where Does Our Salary Data Come From?
Salary.com provides salary estimates, histograms, trends, and comparisons using data from employer job postings and third-party sources.
Compensation Planning
Develop a Job Description
Pay Equity
2026 Compensation Trend
AI-Powered HR
Smart Recruiting
