Aircraft Test Technician Salary in the United States

How much does an Aircraft Test Technician make in the United States?

As of July 01, 2026, the average salary for an Aircraft Test Technician in the United States is $64,401 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $31.

However, an Aircraft Test Technician's salary can vary significantly. Here’s a look at the typical salary range:

  • Top Earners (90th percentile): $83,236
  • Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $57,071 to $74,260
  • Entry-Level (10th percentile): $50,397
Compensation Planning
Develop a Job Description
Pay Equity
2026 Compensation Trend
AI Onboarding
AI-Powered Talent
View as table View as graph 25% $57,071 10% $50,397 90% $83,236 75% $74,260 $64,401 50%(Median) Didn’t find job title? Click

Aircraft Test Technician Salaries by Percentile

Annual
Salary
Monthly
Pay
Weekly
Pay
Hourly
Wage
75th Percentile $74,260 $6,188 $1,428 $36
Average $64,401 $5,367 $1,238 $31
25th Percentile $57,071 $4,756 $1,098 $27
Check out Aircraft Test Technician Job Openings in the United States
Aircraft Fuel Cell Technician

Tank Tigers - Wilmington, OH

Aircraft Maintenance Technician

Flexjet - Cleveland, OH

Lead Aircraft Maintenance Technician

PSA Airlines - Vandalia, OH

Senior Aircraft Maintenance Technician

Republic Airways - Columbus, OH

Search More Aircraft Test Technician Jobs in the United States

Key Factors That Influence Aircraft Test Technician Salaries

An Aircraft Test Technician'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 Aircraft Test Technician Salaries?

Experience is a primary driver of an Aircraft Test Technician'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): $62,365
  • Early Career (1-2 years): $62,670
  • Mid-Level (2-4 years): $64,910
  • Senior-Level (5-8 years): $68,456
  • Expert (over 8 years): $68,940
Levels Salary
Entry Level Aircraft Test Technician$62,365
Intermediate Level Aircraft Test Technician$62,670
Senior Level Aircraft Test Technician$64,910
Specialist Level Aircraft Test Technician$68,456
Expert Level Aircraft Test Technician$68,940
$62,365 0 yr
$62,670 < 2 yrs
$64,910 2-4 yrs
$68,456 5-8 yrs
$68,940 > 8 yrs
View as Table
View as Graph

What Am I Worth?

How Do Aircraft Test Technician 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 Aircraft Test Technicians. For example, consider the average annual salaries in these key locations:

  • District of Columbia: $71,304.
  • California: $71,034.
  • Massachusetts: $70,087.

Top Paying Cities for Aircraft Test Technicians

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: $81,228
  • San Francisco: $80,339
  • Oakland: $78,646

What Skills Can Increase an Aircraft Test Technician's Salary?

Demanded Skills for the Role:

  • Customer Service (Mentioned in 9.93% Job Postings): Customer service is the provision of service to customers before, during and after a purchase. The perception of success of such interactions is dependent on employees "who can adjust themselves to the personality of the guest". Customer service concerns the priority an organization assigns to customer service relative to components such as product innovation and pricing. In this sense, an organization that values good customer service may spend more money in training employees than the average organization or may proactively interview customers for feedback. From the point of view of an overall sales process engineering effort, customer service plays an important role in an organization's ability to generate income and revenue. From that perspective, customer service should be included as part of an overall approach to systematic improvement. One good customer service experience can change the entire perception a customer holds towards the organization.
  • Foodservice (Mentioned in 1.49% Job Postings): The foodservice or catering industry includes the businesses, institutions, and companies which prepare meals outside the home. It includes restaurants, school and hospital cafeterias, catering operations, and many other formats.
  • Food Handling (Mentioned in 0.87% Job Postings): Food Handling means one or more operations of food production, manufacture, offering or displaying for sale, storage, preserving, wrapping, transportation, delivery, importation, exportation, or the licensing or approval for any of such activities.
See More Skills
Skills Demand Percentage
Customer Service 9.93%
Foodservice 1.49%
Food Handling 0.87%
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 an Aircraft Test Technician's salary.
  • Delegation: Can increase your salary by up to 60%.
  • Event Marketing: Can increase your salary by up to 23%.
  • Team Management: Can increase your salary by up to 20%.
Skill Salary Salary % Increase
Delegation
$103,041
60%
Event Marketing
$79,213
23%
Team Management
$77,281
20%
Teamwork
$71,485
11%
Planning
$70,841
10%
WFM
$70,841
10%
Get Latest Data

Aircraft Test Technician Salary by Industry: Top Paying Sectors

For Aircraft Test Technician roles, the industry you choose can affect earning potential by as much as 60% (the gap between the highest and lowest paying industries). Data shows that the Financial Services and Biotechnology sectors offer the strongest compensation, at 20% above the average. In contrast, Aircraft Test Technician positions in Transportation or Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit typically offer lower base pay, as these industries often view Aircraft Test Technician as a support function rather than a direct revenue driver.

The top paying industries for an Aircraft Test Technician

Industry Sector Average Annual Salary Average Hourly Rate Pay vs.Avg
Financial Services$77,281$37.020%
Biotechnology$74,061$36.015%
Pharmaceuticals$73,417$35.014%
Energy & Utilities$72,129$35.012%
Internet$70,841$34.010%

How Education impacts an Aircraft Test Technician's Salary?

Your level of education can impact your salary potential. While many Aircraft Test Technicians 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 an Aircraft Test Technician with a High School Diploma or Technical Certificate is between $60,329 and $64,664).

Aircraft Test Technician Salaries by Degree Level

Typical Education for Aircraft Test Technician
Degree Level % of user with this level of education
No Diploma 13.3%
High School 30.0%
Associates 23.3%
Bachelors 30.0%
Masters 3.3%
Doctorate 0.0%
view as graph

Aircraft Test Technician Salary: Hourly Rate, Weekly Pay, and Monthly Pay

Understanding how an Aircraft Test Technician'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.

Last Updated on July 01, 2026

Salary Trends for Aircraft Test Technician

Salaries for an Aircraft Test Technician can change over time, reflecting shifts in market demand and the overall economy. The median salary decreased from $41,291 in 2023 to around $41,277 in 2025, reflecting changes in demand, location, experience, and the wider economy. For a detailed analysis of Aircraft Test Technician salary trends, .

Average Annual Salary of Aircraft Test Technician Over Time

2022
$???
2023
$41,291
2024
$41,569
2025
$41,277
2026
$???
2027
$???
Year Average Annual Salary
2022
View More
2023 $41,291
2024 $41,569
2025 $41,277
2026
View More
2027
View More

Most common benefits for Aircraft Test Technician

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 Aircraft Test Technician

Here are companies hiring for Aircraft Test Technician and their salaries, click below for more details.

Find Your Next Aircraft Test Technician Job

Ready to take the next step in your career? Browse thousands of current Aircraft Test Technician job openings on our job board. Use the search bar below to find your perfect match.

United States
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.

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.

We offer detailed salary information across multiple percentiles for your reference. (Click here to learn Why the Salary Midpoint Formula Is Crucial for Achieving Pay Equity.)

With the most extensive online, real-time compensation data available, Salary.com helps you pinpoint your exact pay target.

Are you an HR manager or compensation specialist?

Salary.com's CompAnalyst platform offers:

  • Detailed skills and competency reports for specific positions
  • Job and employee pricing reports
  • Compensation data tools, salary structures, surveys and benchmarks.
Learn about CompAnalyst