Flight Test Instrumentation Engineer Salary in the United States
How much does a Flight Test Instrumentation Engineer make in the United States?
As of July 01, 2026, the average salary for a Flight Test Instrumentation Engineer in the United States is $73,919 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $36.
However, a Flight Test Instrumentation Engineer's salary can vary significantly. Here’s a look at the typical salary range:
Top Earners (90th percentile): $82,377
Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $68,432 to $78,347
Key Factors That Influence Flight Test Instrumentation Engineer Salaries
A Flight Test Instrumentation Engineer'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 Test Instrumentation Engineer Salaries?
Experience is a primary driver of a Flight Test Instrumentation Engineer'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:
Entry-Level (less than 1 year): $72,531
Early Career (1-2 years): $73,120
Mid-Level (2-4 years): $74,042
Senior-Level (5-8 years): $74,227
Expert (over 8 years): $74,350
Levels
Salary
Entry Level Flight Test Instrumentation Engineer
$72,531
Intermediate Level Flight Test Instrumentation Engineer
$73,120
Senior Level Flight Test Instrumentation Engineer
$74,042
Specialist Level Flight Test Instrumentation Engineer
$74,227
Expert Level Flight Test Instrumentation Engineer
$74,350
$72,5310 yr
$73,120< 2 yrs
$74,0422-4 yrs
$74,2275-8 yrs
$74,350> 8 yrs
View as Table
View as Graph
What Am I Worth?
How Do Flight Test Instrumentation Engineer 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 Test Instrumentation Engineers.
For example, consider the average annual salaries in these key locations:
District of Columbia: $81,843.
California: $81,533.
Massachusetts: $80,446.
District of Columbia$81,843
California$81,533
Massachusetts$80,446
Washington$80,151
New Jersey$80,121
Alaska$80,018
Connecticut$78,997
New York$78,584
Hawaii$77,260
Rhode Island$76,639
Maryland$76,218
Minnesota$75,642
Colorado$75,420
Illinois$75,346
Oregon$75,065
Delaware$74,858
New Hampshire$74,728
Virginia$74,437
Pennsylvania$73,587
Nevada$73,158
North Dakota$73,017
Michigan$72,796
Wisconsin$72,714
Vermont$72,552
Texas$72,101
Maine$72,071
Arizona$72,027
Ohio$71,975
Georgia$71,295
Indiana$70,955
Wyoming$70,889
Utah$70,785
Iowa$70,741
Kansas$70,386
Louisiana$70,282
North Carolina$70,245
Missouri$70,231
Florida$69,942
Montana$69,787
Nebraska$69,639
Kentucky$69,558
South Carolina$69,262
Tennessee$69,077
Idaho$69,004
New Mexico$68,464
Oklahoma$68,346
Alabama$67,910
South Dakota$67,178
Arkansas$66,779
West Virginia$66,564
Mississippi$65,921
Top Paying Cities for Flight Test Instrumentation Engineers
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: $93,234
San Francisco: $92,213
Oakland: $90,270
San Jose, CA$93,234
San Francisco, CA$92,213
Oakland, CA$90,270
New York, NY$85,110
Paramus, NJ$84,075
Queens Village, NY$84,071
Passaic, NJ$84,001
Bergenfield, NJ$83,994
Stamford, CT$83,832
Huntington, NY$83,801
Newark, NJ$83,255
Bridgeport, CT$83,099
Vallejo, CA$82,952
New Brunswick, NJ$82,923
Petaluma, CA$82,878
Middlesex, NJ$82,738
Somerset, NJ$82,686
Santa Cruz, CA$82,590
Boston, MA$82,139
Monterey, CA$81,880
Seattle, WA$81,710
Santa Rosa, CA$81,695
Los Angeles, CA$81,673
Juneau, AK$81,481
Washington, DC$81,400
Orange, CA$81,137
Santa Ana, CA$80,942
Long Beach, CA$80,868
Anaheim, CA$80,853
Anchorage, AK$80,816
Santa Maria, CA$80,594
Everett, WA$80,579
Danbury, CT$80,319
Bremerton, WA$80,217
Tacoma, WA$79,951
New Suffolk, NY$79,950
Sacramento, CA$79,929
Santa Barbara, CA$79,848
Trenton, NJ$79,766
San Diego, CA$79,766
Brockton, MA$79,685
Fairbanks, AK$79,504
Lompoc, CA$79,315
Lowell, MA$79,255
Ventura, CA$79,241
Nashua, NH$79,227
Stockton, CA$79,219
Modesto, CA$78,680
Poughkeepsie, NY$78,517
Olympia, WA$78,377
Kennewick, WA$78,377
New Haven, CT$78,347
Lawrence, MA$78,081
Hartford, CT$78,007
Riverside, CA$77,992
New Bedford, MA$77,918
Richland, WA$77,918
Bakersfield, CA$77,815
San Bernardino, CA$77,785
New Britain, CT$77,778
Atlantic City, NJ$77,778
New London, CT$77,748
Norwich, CT$77,726
Portsmouth, NH$77,711
Boulder, CO$77,555
Portland, OR$77,453
Worcester, MA$77,445
Minneapolis, MN$77,216
Philadelphia, PA$77,113
Honolulu, HI$76,869
Saint Paul, MN$76,833
Vineland, NJ$76,817
Providence, RI$76,602
Chicago, IL$76,388
Bellingham, WA$76,299
Springfield, MA$76,240
Baltimore, MD$76,218
Chico, CA$76,033
Pittsfield, MA$75,834
Manchester, NH$75,693
Spokane, WA$75,368
Denver, CO$75,361
Albany, NY$75,013
Troy, NY$74,984
Nassau, NY$74,905
Schenectady, NY$74,828
Wilmington, DE$74,769
Burlington, VT$74,666
Salem, OR$74,636
Portland, ME$74,407
Yakima, WA$74,333
Rochester, MN$74,104
Reno, NV$74,067
Fresno, CA$74,067
Milwaukee, WI$74,001
Detroit, MI$73,927
Ann Arbor, MI$73,914
Allentown, PA$73,904
Colorado Springs, CO$73,779
Syracuse, NY$73,742
Carson City, NV$73,742
Houston, TX$73,638
Eugene, OR$73,601
Gary, IN$73,513
Springfield, OR$73,454
Bismarck, ND$73,439
Galveston, TX$73,387
Medford, OR$73,276
Fort Collins, CO$73,247
Concord, NH$73,210
Austin, TX$73,187
Mesa, AZ$73,032
Reading, PA$73,025
Phoenix, AZ$73,017
Dallas, TX$72,995
Saint Cloud, MN$72,924
Madison, WI$72,825
Utica, NY$72,626
Rochester, NY$72,507
Des Moines, IA$72,500
Raleigh, NC$72,493
Atlanta, GA$72,382
Battle Creek, MI$72,360
Salt Lake City, UT$72,337
Lancaster, PA$72,226
Harrisburg, PA$72,123
Kansas City, MO$72,049
Champaign, IL$72,034
Kansas City, KS$72,034
Fort Worth, TX$72,027
Columbus, OH$72,014
Boca Raton, FL$71,997
Pittsburgh, PA$71,968
Richmond, VA$71,938
Indianapolis, IN$71,923
Cleveland, OH$71,916
Las Vegas, NV$71,827
Cincinnati, OH$71,827
Petersburg, VA$71,716
Huntsville, AL$71,606
Lansing, MI$71,556
Lebanon, PA$71,546
Pueblo, CO$71,539
Appleton, WI$71,517
Buffalo, NY$71,487
Dayton, OH$71,465
Racine, WI$71,450
Charlotte, NC$71,443
Saint Louis, MO$71,421
York, PA$71,376
Elkhart, IN$71,376
Gastonia, NC$71,362
Billings, MT$71,345
Beaumont, TX$71,325
Lorain, OH$71,310
Benton Harbor, MI$71,295
Toledo, OH$71,280
Binghamton, NY$71,243
Rock Hill, SC$71,236
Rockford, IL$71,199
Springfield, IL$71,169
Elyria, OH$71,162
Fargo, ND$71,162
Flagstaff, AZ$71,110
Fort Lauderdale, FL$71,066
Duluth, MN$71,022
Miami, FL$71,022
Cheyenne, WY$70,970
Grand Forks, ND$70,970
Bangor, ME$70,807
Cedar Rapids, IA$70,726
Durham, NC$70,695
Louisville, KY$70,689
Grand Rapids, MI$70,674
Hialeah, FL$70,667
Casper, WY$70,563
Scranton, PA$70,475
New Orleans, LA$70,452
Virginia Beach, VA$70,445
Akron, OH$70,408
Peoria, IL$70,312
Sarasota, FL$70,297
Nashville, TN$70,245
Omaha, NE$70,245
Green Bay, WI$70,245
Baton Rouge, LA$70,208
Charleston, SC$70,194
Jamestown, NY$70,157
Davenport, IA$70,157
Tucson, AZ$70,120
Saint Petersburg, FL$70,075
Tampa, FL$70,061
Evansville, IN$70,016
Port Arthur, TX$70,016
Bradenton, FL$69,987
Santa Fe, NM$69,854
Orlando, FL$69,721
Clearwater, FL$69,698
Canton, OH$69,543
La Crosse, WI$69,543
Albuquerque, NM$69,499
Newport News, VA$69,491
High Point, NC$69,469
Ogden, UT$69,440
Corpus Christi, TX$69,381
Norfolk, VA$69,336
Laramie, WY$69,336
Rock Island, IL$69,292
Saginaw, MI$69,277
Jacksonville, FL$69,270
Salisbury, NC$69,255
Boise, ID$69,240
Moline, IL$69,203
Fort Myers, FL$69,181
Memphis, TN$69,166
Tulsa, OK$69,129
Waterloo, IA$69,085
Spartanburg, SC$69,011
Lincoln, NE$68,974
Fort Wayne, IN$68,959
Provo, UT$68,952
Cedar Falls, IA$68,863
San Antonio, TX$68,834
Greensboro, NC$68,804
South Bend, IN$68,797
Savannah, GA$68,715
Muskegon, MI$68,686
Birmingham, AL$68,678
Winston Salem, NC$68,642
Lake Charles, LA$68,464
Anderson, IN$68,449
Lexington, KY$68,427
Augusta, GA$68,405
Greenville, SC$68,405
Lima, OH$68,346
Wichita, KS$68,338
Tuscaloosa, AL$68,338
Columbia, SC$68,272
Springfield, OH$68,257
Asheville, NC$68,139
Bloomington, IN$68,087
Knoxville, TN$67,821
Shreveport, LA$67,813
Wilmington, NC$67,717
Roanoke, VA$67,717
Topeka, KS$67,584
Frankfort, KY$67,576
Oklahoma City, OK$67,525
Chillicothe, OH$67,496
Longview, TX$67,488
Melbourne, FL$67,481
Sioux Falls, SD$67,363
Mobile, AL$67,355
Terre Haute, IN$67,326
Altoona, PA$67,281
Amarillo, TX$67,230
Killeen, TX$67,207
Fayetteville, AR$67,148
Chattanooga, TN$67,126
Sioux City, IA$67,059
Idaho Falls, ID$67,045
Lynchburg, VA$66,986
Gainesville, FL$66,889
Portsmouth, OH$66,853
Little Rock, AR$66,838
Lafayette, LA$66,808
Youngstown, OH$66,808
Daytona Beach, FL$66,764
Clarksville, TN$66,756
Pensacola, FL$66,749
Temple, TX$66,744
Hopkinsville, KY$66,527
Erie, PA$66,512
Florence, SC$66,483
Charleston, WV$66,365
Great Falls, MT$66,328
Macon, GA$66,224
Tallahassee, FL$66,217
Fayetteville, NC$66,202
Waco, TX$66,187
Helena, MT$66,136
Pine Bluff, AR$66,107
Vincennes, IN$66,017
Lubbock, TX$65,988
Alamogordo, NM$65,943
Twin Falls, ID$65,877
Rapid City, SD$65,855
Jackson, MS$65,722
Huntington, WV$65,716
Greenville, MS$65,714
Parkersburg, WV$65,639
Montgomery, AL$65,625
Wichita Falls, TX$65,552
Springfield, MO$65,552
Biloxi, MS$65,515
Monroe, LA$65,441
Johnstown, PA$65,389
Sumter, SC$65,359
Columbus, GA$65,352
Pascagoula, MS$65,212
Abilene, TX$65,212
Kingsport, TN$65,019
Albany, GA$65,019
Gulfport, MS$64,997
Alexandria, LA$64,753
Fort Smith, AR$64,568
El Paso, TX$64,369
Las Cruces, NM$64,036
Harlingen, TX$63,848
Pocatello, ID$63,837
Florence, AL$63,741
Brownsville, TX$63,726
Mcallen, TX$63,571
Dothan, AL$63,467
Columbus, MS$63,028
Altus, OK$62,683
Lawton, OK$62,543
Pierre, SD$62,277
What Skills Can Increase a Flight Test Instrumentation Engineer's Salary?
Demanded Skills for the Role:
Troubleshooting (Mentioned in 5.19% Job Postings): Troubleshooting is a form of problem solving, often applied to repair failed products or processes on a machine or a system. It is a logical, systematic search for the source of a problem in order to solve it, and make the product or process operational again. Troubleshooting is needed to identify the symptoms. Determining the most likely cause is a process of elimination—eliminating potential causes of a problem. Finally, troubleshooting requires confirmation that the solution restores the product or process to its working state. In general, troubleshooting is the identification or diagnosis of "trouble" in the management flow of a system caused by a failure of some kind. The problem is initially described as symptoms of malfunction, and troubleshooting is the process of determining and remedying the causes of these symptoms. A system can be described in terms of its expected, desired or intended behavior (usually, for artificial systems, its purpose). Events or inputs to the system are expected to generate specific results or outputs. (For example, selecting the "print" option from various computer applications is intended to result in a hardcopy emerging from some specific device). Any unexpected or undesirable behavior is a symptom. Troubleshooting is the process of isolating the specific cause or causes of the symptom. Frequently the symptom is a failure of the product or process to produce any results. (Nothing was printed, for example). Corrective action can then be taken to prevent further failures of a similar kind.
Microsoft Office (Mentioned in 2.69% Job Postings): Microsoft Office is a suite of desktop productivity applications that is designed by Microsoft for business use. You can create documents containing text and images, work with data in spreadsheets and databases, create presentations and posters.
Safety Inspections (Mentioned in 1.85% Job Postings): Identifying, assessing, and monitoring hazardous conditions to recommend corrective actions and prevent future incidents.
See More Skills
Skills
Demand Percentage
Troubleshooting
5.19%
Microsoft Office
2.69%
Safety Inspections
1.85%
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 Test Instrumentation Engineer's salary.
Computer Literacy: Can increase your salary by up to 23%.
Medical Imaging: Can increase your salary by up to 13%.
Flexibility: Can increase your salary by up to 11%.
Skill
Salary
Salary % Increase
Computer Literacy
$90,921
23%
Medical Imaging
$83,529
13%
Flexibility
$82,050
11%
Collaboration
$81,311
10%
Collaborating
$79,833
8%
Communication Skills
$79,094
7%
Get Latest Data
Flight Test Instrumentation Engineer Salary by Industry: Top Paying Sectors
For Flight Test Instrumentation Engineer roles, the industry you choose can impact your earning potential
by as much as 40% (the gap between the highest and lowest paying industries).
Data shows that the highest-paying industry, Biotechnology,
offers compensation 25% above the average. Conversely,
Flight Test Instrumentation Engineer positions in Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit typically offer lower base pay,
as this sector often view Flight Test Instrumentation Engineer as a support function rather than a direct revenue driver.
The top paying industry for a Flight Test Instrumentation Engineer
Industry Sector
Average Annual Salary
Average Hourly Rate
Pay vs.Avg
Biotechnology
$92,399
$44.0
25%
How Education impacts a Flight Test Instrumentation Engineer's Salary?
Your level of education can impact your salary potential.
While many Flight Test Instrumentation Engineers enter the field with a Bachelor's Degree 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 Test Instrumentation Engineer with a Bachelor's Degree is between
$69,047
and $73,706).
Flight Test Instrumentation Engineer Salaries by Degree Level
Typical Education for Flight Test Instrumentation Engineer
No Diploma0.7%
High School1.9%
Associates4.7%
Bachelors47.8%
Masters32.6%
Doctorate12.4%
view as table
Degree Level
% of user with this level of education
No Diploma
0.7%
High School
1.9%
Associates
4.7%
Bachelors
47.8%
Masters
32.6%
Doctorate
12.4%
view as graph
Flight Test Instrumentation Engineer Salary: Hourly Rate, Weekly Pay, and Monthly Pay
Understanding how a Flight Test Instrumentation Engineer'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
$68,432
Average$73,919/year
$78,347
$5,703
Average$6,160/month
$6,529
$1,316
Average$1,422/week
$1,507
$33
Average$36/hour
$38
Annual Salary
Monthly Pay
Weekly Pay
Hourly Wage
75th Percentile
$78,347
$6,529
$1,507
$38
Average
$73,919
$6,160
$1,422
$36
25th Percentile
$68,432
$5,703
$1,316
$33
Salaries of jobs related to Flight Test Instrumentation Engineer
Salary Trends for Flight Test Instrumentation Engineer
Salaries for a Flight Test Instrumentation Engineer can change over time,
reflecting shifts in market demand and the overall economy.
The median salary decreased from $77,343 in 2023
to around $75,765 in 2025,
reflecting changes in demand, location, experience, and the wider economy.
For a detailed analysis of Flight Test Instrumentation Engineer salary trends,
.
Average Annual Salary of Flight Test Instrumentation Engineer Over Time
2022
$???
2023
$77,343
2024
$76,694
2025
$75,765
2026
$???
2027
$???
Year
Average Annual Salary
2022
View More
2023
$77,343
2024
$76,694
2025
$75,765
2026
View More
2027
View More
Most common benefits for Flight Test Instrumentation Engineer
Social Security
401(k)
Disability
Healthcare
Pension
Time Off (days)
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Common company salaries for Flight Test Instrumentation Engineer
Here are companies hiring for Flight Test Instrumentation Engineer and their salaries, click below for more details.
C
$128,509/per year
C R Bard Inc
Biotechnology
the United States
H
$124,697/per year
Henry Schein Canada
Biotechnology
the United States
N
$123,899/per year
Nordex Inc
Biotechnology
the United States
N
$120,416/per year
Nipro Corp
Biotechnology
the United States
E
$115,870/per year
Enovis
Biotechnology
the United States
A
$114,553/per year
Advanced Research Projects Agency - Energy
Biotechnology
the United States
M
$112,110/per year
MiniMed Inc
Biotechnology
the United States
L
$111,500/per year
Labcorp Drug Development
Biotechnology
the United States
L
$110,229/per year
Life Technologies Corp
Biotechnology
the United States
Z
$106,224/per year
Zimmer Biomet
Biotechnology
the United States
P
$103,077/per year
Promontory Therapeutics
Biotechnology
the United States
S
$102,181/per year
Steris PLC
Biotechnology
the United States
G
$97,274/per year
Gavin Conferences Pty Ltd
Biotechnology
the United States
E
$94,764/per year
Endeavor BioMedicines
Biotechnology
the United States
R
$94,402/per year
Replay Holdings LLC
Biotechnology
the United States
P
$94,235/per year
Pleno Inc
Biotechnology
the United States
S
$93,666/per year
Simulaids Inc
Biotechnology
the United States
N
$88,880/per year
NOIRLab/CAS
Biotechnology
the United States
O
$86,468/per year
Onward Technology
Biotechnology
the United States
L
$84,895/per year
LED Medical Diagnostics Inc
Biotechnology
the United States
E
$84,682/per year
Eyeco Ltd
Biotechnology
the United States
P
$84,523/per year
Paerosol
Biotechnology
the United States
I
$83,525/per year
IONIQ Sciences Inc
Biotechnology
the United States
S
$82,815/per year
Stateside PPE
Biotechnology
the United States
D
$82,041/per year
Digi Bio
Biotechnology
the United States
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FAQ about Flight Test Instrumentation Engineer
1. What industry pays the highest salary for Flight Test Instrumentation Engineer?
The Biotechnology industry offers the highest average compensation for Flight Test Instrumentation Engineer 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.
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