Flight Test Pilot Salaries in California
How Much Does a Flight Test Pilot Make in California?
Updated March 01, 2025
As of March 01, 2025,
the average annual pay of Flight Test Pilot in California is $115,951.
While Salary.com is seeing that Flight Test Pilot salary in CA can go up to $135,492
or down to $94,909, but most earn between $104,937 and $126,179.
Salary ranges can vary widely depending on many important factors,
including education, certifications, additional skills, and your experience levels.
With more online, real-time compensation data than any other website, Salary.com helps you determine your exact pay target.
Related Job Titles to Flight Test Pilot
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Similar Job Salaries to Flight Test Pilot by Company
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| Company | average base salary in (usd) | range |
|---|---|---|
|
Jetson
Flight Test Pilot
|
$186,831/yr
|
RANGE: $167,683 - $205,978
|
|
Garmin Ltd.
Flight Test Pilot 3
|
$146,995/yr
|
RANGE: $131,551 - $162,440
|
|
Tbwa Chiat/Day Inc
Experimental Test Pilot
|
$191,940/yr
|
RANGE: $172,142 - $211,738
|
|
ROBINSON HELICOPTER CO INC
Experimental Test Pilot
|
$164,912/yr
|
RANGE: $148,011 - $181,813
|
|
MightyFly
Senior Test Pilot
|
$193,421/yr
|
RANGE: $174,355 - $212,488
|
|
Reliable Robotics
Sr. Flight Test Engineer
|
$114,748/yr
|
RANGE: $104,357 - $125,140
|
|
Pivotal
Flight Test Associate
|
$89,946/yr
|
RANGE: $80,409 - $99,484
|
|
Coatue Management L.L.C.
Sr. Flight Test Engineer
|
$114,748/yr
|
RANGE: $104,357 - $125,140
|
|
Tbwa Chiat/Day Inc
Flight Test Instrumentation Technician
|
$103,455/yr
|
RANGE: $92,011 - $114,899
|
Top 10 Highest Paying Cities For Flight Test Pilot Jobs in California
It is important to understand how location impacts your career prospects in the United States.
There are some cities where a Flight Test Pilot can find a job easily with a greater salary paid then achieve a higher standard of living.
Below is the top cities list for Flight Test Pilot job salaries in California.
Some cities can pay higher salaries for Flight Test Pilot jobs, which can indicate that there is a large demand for Flight Test Pilot positions in this city.
The following table shows top 10 cities where the Flight Test Pilot salary is higher than other cities in California.
San Jose takes first place in this list, followed by Santa Clara, Fremont.
The Flight Test Pilot salary is $131,930 in San Jose,
which is higher than the national average. There are 76 cities' Flight Test Pilot salary higher than national average in California.
The average salary for a Flight Test Pilot in California is $115,951,
but we found that the city with the highest salary for Flight Test Pilot jobs is San Jose, CA, and it is higher than Santa Clara.
Flight Test Pilot jobs in San Jose can have the opportunity to earn higher salaries than in other cities in California.
| CITY | ANNUAL SALARY | MONTHLY PAY | WEEKLY PAY | HOURLY WAGE |
| San Jose | $131,930 | $10,994 | $2,537 | $63 |
| Santa Clara | $131,930 | $10,994 | $2,537 | $63 |
| Fremont | $131,719 | $10,977 | $2,533 | $63 |
| San Francisco | $131,404 | $10,950 | $2,527 | $63 |
| Daly City | $131,404 | $10,950 | $2,527 | $63 |
| Berkeley | $128,250 | $10,688 | $2,466 | $62 |
| Oakland | $128,250 | $10,688 | $2,466 | $62 |
| Hayward | $128,040 | $10,670 | $2,462 | $62 |
| Antioch | $121,102 | $10,092 | $2,329 | $58 |
| Vallejo | $118,264 | $9,855 | $2,274 | $57 |
What Does a Flight Test Pilot Do?
The higher entry grades require completion of a flight test pilot course, such as a military flight test school or the FAA flight test pilot course.
Updated December 16, 2021
These courses can also be delivered to teams to enable your key team members to re-establish collaborative working skills for the flight test environment.
Updated November 21, 2021
The flight test pilot may progress to branch chief positions in the engineering or manufacturing areas.
Updated November 12, 2021
ETPS students have gained priceless experience in a wide variety of aircrafts from our courses, which have been designed to inspire and equip flight test professionals with the skills, insight and know-how to meet future career challenges with both confidence and assurance.
Updated November 08, 2021
Delivered by expert tutors at our cutting-edge training facilities, our enhanced modular courses cover experimental, development and systems flight test.
Updated October 14, 2021
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Explore JobArchitectFrequently Asked Questions About a Flight Test Pilot Salaries
What is the average of a Flight Test Pilot in California?
The Flight Test Pilot salary range is from $104,937 to $126,179, and the average Flight Test Pilot salary is $115,951/year in California.
The Flight Test Pilot's salary will change in different locations.
Which location pays the highest Flight Test Pilot salary in the United States?
The Flight Test Pilot salary in San Jose, CA is $131,930
which is the highest in the US.
What kinds of reasons will influence the Flight Test Pilot's salary?
Besides the location, employees' education degree, related skills, and work experience also will influence the salary.
Try to improve your skills and experience to get a higher salary for the position of Flight Test Pilot.
What is the growth rate of the Flight Test Pilot's salary?
If you are thinking of becoming a Flight Test Pilot or planning the next step in your career, find the detailed salary report of a Flight Test Pilot.
