Flies new, modified or newly built aircraft through planned test points to prove how they perform and handle before they are certified or delivered. BLS does not publish separate figures for commercial pilots; it counts them within commercial pilot (SOC 53-2012), whose median pay is $123,220 a year (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Typical entry-level education: Bachelor's degree.
- SOC 53-2012
- Transportation and Material Moving
- Last updated October 9, 2026
At a glance
Test Pilot in four numbers
- Median pay
- $123,220a yearBLS OEWS, May 2025Lowest 10% $59KTop 10% $267K
US median, all jobs: $50,980
- Projected growth
- +5.2%Faster than averageBLS EP, 2025–2035This career+5.2%All jobs+3.5%
Projected employment change, 2025–2035 Item Value This career +5.2% All jobs +3.5% - Openings a year
- 5,20050,400 jobs todayBLS EP, 2025–2035
- Jobs in 202550.4K
- Projected 203553K
Employment, 2025–2035 Item Value Jobs in 2025 50.4K Projected 2035 53K - Typical education
- Bachelor'sneeded to enterBLS EP, 2025–2035; mix: O*NET
- Less than high school15.1%
- High school28.6%
- Certificate36.4%
- Some college16.9%
- Associate's1.1%
- Post-bacc certificate1.2%
Highest education held by commercial pilots Segment Value Less than high school 15.1% High school 28.6% Certificate 36.4% Some college 16.9% Associate's 1.1% Post-bacc certificate 1.2%
Also advertised as: Experimental Test Pilot, Engineering Test Pilot, Production Test Pilot, Flight Test Pilot, Developmental Test Pilot.
Pay
How much do Commercial Pilots make?
Every test pilot in the US, by percentile of annual wage
Median
$123,220
Middle half earn $84,540 to $190,440
- 10th
- $58,850
- 25th
- $84,540
- 75th
- $190,440
- 90th
- $266,620
All US occupations: $50,980
| Percentile | Value |
|---|---|
| 10th | $58,850 |
| 25th | $84,540 |
| Median | $123,220 |
| 75th | $190,440 |
| 90th | $266,620 |
| All US occupations | $50,980 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025
- Median annual wage
- $123,220
- Median hourly wage
- N/A
- Mean annual wage
- $146,080
- People employed
- 47,630
Versus all US occupations
At $123,220, Commercial Pilots earn 142% above the $50,980 median across all US occupations, a difference of $72,240 a year.
Versus transportation and material moving occupations
Inside the Transportation and Material Moving group, where the middle occupation pays $62,840, this is 96% above the group median.
Pay range
The top 10% earn $266,620 or more while the bottom 10% earn $58,850, a gap of 4.5×. That is an unusually wide spread, which usually tracks specialisation, employer type and years of experience.
Rank in the bank
This median pays more than 86% of the 1,741 occupations in the NueCareer career bank.
Highest-paying state
Connecticut pays the most at $232,160, and still leads at $224,071 once local prices are taken into account.
Pay by state
Which states pay Commercial Pilots the most?
State medians come from the same OEWS release as the national figures. The cost-of-living column divides each state median by that state's BEA Regional Price Parity, restating pay in national-average dollars so a high-cost state and a low-cost one can be compared directly.
| State | Median | COL-adjusted | Employed |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1Connecticut | $232,160 | $224,071 | 460 |
| 2New Jersey | $226,710 | $208,364 | 670 |
| 3New York | $177,430 | $164,407 | 1,070 |
| 4California | $165,590 | $149,557 | 4,900 |
| 5Delaware | $163,600 | $163,915 | 220 |
| 6Ohio | $150,330 | $162,039 | 2,680 |
| 7Georgia | $145,100 | $150,686 | 1,020 |
| 8Colorado | $139,680 | $135,543 | 1,240 |
| 9Texas | $137,960 | $142,143 | 4,120 |
| 10Vermont | $137,810 | $140,683 | 40 |
Job outlook
Is Test Pilot a growing career?
Employment change over 2025–2035, against every US occupation
Faster than average. +5.2% projected growth vs 3.5% for all occupations.
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Commercial Pilots | +5.2% |
| All US occupations | +3.5% |
Source: BLS EP, 2025–2035
Faster than average
BLS projects employment of Commercial Pilots to change 5.2% over 2025–2035, against 3.5% projected for all occupations. That is 2,600 more jobs.
Annual openings
About 5,200 openings are projected each year, 10.3% of the 50,400 jobs that existed in 2025. Most come from workers leaving the occupation, not from growth alone.
Getting in
How to become a Test Pilot
The traditional route is through the military: an experienced pilot with an engineering or science degree is selected for the U.S. Air Force Test Pilot School at Edwards Air Force Base or the U.S. Naval Test Pilot School at Patuxent River, each a course of about a year. Civilians can train at the National Test Pilot School in Mojave, California, which offers professional courses and a master's degree in flight test.
Manufacturers usually want a test pilot school graduate with an Airline Transport Pilot certificate, a technical degree and substantial time in high-performance aircraft. Production test pilot jobs at aircraft builders are a more accessible entry point. The Society of Experimental Test Pilots is the field's professional body.
- 1
Typical entry-level education
Bachelor's degree
- 2
Work experience in a related occupation
None
- 3
Typical on-the-job training
Moderate-term on-the-job training
- 4
Preparation needed (O*NET job zone)
Some preparation
BLS Employment Projections, 2025–2035; job zone from O*NET 31.0 Database.
What education people in the job have
O*NET incumbent survey: the highest level of education reported by people already working as commercial pilots.
- Post-Secondary Certificate36.4%
- High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED)28.6%
- Some College Courses16.9%
- Less than a High School Diploma15.1%
- Post-Baccalaureate Certificate1.2%
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Post-Secondary Certificate | 36.4% |
| High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED) | 28.6% |
| Some College Courses | 16.9% |
| Less than a High School Diploma | 15.1% |
| Post-Baccalaureate Certificate | 1.2% |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
The work
What does a Test Pilot do?
Test pilots fly aircraft that have not yet been proven: a new design on its first flights, an existing model with new engines or avionics, or a freshly built airplane coming off the production line. Each flight follows a test card written with flight test engineers that sets out exactly which maneuvers to fly, at what speeds and altitudes, and what data to collect.
Experimental test pilots explore stalls, flutter margins, engine failures and handling qualities near the edges of the flight envelope, then describe what the aircraft did in precise engineering terms. Production test pilots check that each delivered aircraft meets its specification. Test pilots work for manufacturers, the military, NASA, the FAA and companies developing drones and air taxis.
Day-to-day tasks
- Review test plans and test cards with flight test engineers before each flight
- Fly planned maneuvers to measure performance, stability and handling qualities
- Evaluate aircraft behavior during stalls, engine failures and other abnormal conditions
- Report flight observations in precise engineering terms during debriefs
- Perform acceptance flights on newly built aircraft before delivery
- Fly simulator sessions to rehearse high-risk test points
- Contribute to safety reviews and risk assessments for test programs
Typical tasks, researched by NueCareer from the sources below.
Working conditions and hours
Test pilots work at flight test centers, often at desert airfields with restricted airspace, splitting their time between briefing rooms, simulators and the cockpit. Days include long planning and debrief sessions around relatively short flights. Some programs require travel to remote sites for hot, cold or high-altitude testing, and the work carries more risk than routine flying.
Where the work happens
Indoors, climate-controlled
NeverEvery dayOutdoors in all weather
NeverEvery day
Physical demands
Sitting
NeverAlmost all the timeSeated for more than half the working day.
Standing
NeverAlmost all the timeBending or twisting
NeverAlmost all the time
Working with people
Contact with other people
NoneConstantFace-to-face discussions
NeverEvery dayDealing with the public
Not importantExtremely important
Pressure and stakes
Strict deadlines
NeverEvery dayConflict situations
NeverEvery dayCost of a mistake
Not seriousExtremely serious
Autonomy
Freedom to decide
NoneA lotA lot of freedom to make decisions without checking first.
Conditions: O*NET Work Context survey. Each item has its own scale, so each dot is read against the two answers that end its own line.
Core skills
O*NET importance, 1 to 5
- Monitoring4.1
- Critical Thinking4.0
- Active Listening3.9
- Reading Comprehension3.8
- Speaking3.8
- Active Learning3.6
- Learning Strategies3.1
- Writing3.0
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Monitoring | 4.1 |
| Critical Thinking | 4.0 |
| Active Listening | 3.9 |
| Reading Comprehension | 3.8 |
| Speaking | 3.8 |
| Active Learning | 3.6 |
| Learning Strategies | 3.1 |
| Writing | 3.0 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
Transferable skills
O*NET importance, 1 to 5
- Operation and Control4.8
- Operations Monitoring4.4
- Judgment and Decision Making3.9
- Complex Problem Solving3.6
- Coordination3.3
- Troubleshooting3.1
- Systems Analysis3.1
- Social Perceptiveness3.0
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Operation and Control | 4.8 |
| Operations Monitoring | 4.4 |
| Judgment and Decision Making | 3.9 |
| Complex Problem Solving | 3.6 |
| Coordination | 3.3 |
| Troubleshooting | 3.1 |
| Systems Analysis | 3.1 |
| Social Perceptiveness | 3.0 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
Tools and software
- Graphics or photo imaging software · in demand
- Office suite software · in demand
- Analytical or scientific software
- Aviation ground support software
- Calendar and scheduling software
- Charting software
- Data base user interface and query software
- Development environment software
- Flight control software
- Information retrieval or search software
- Map creation software
- Project management software
“In demand” marks an O*NET Employer-Based Hot Technology, software named in real job postings for this occupation.
Personality fit
What personality type suits a Test Pilot?
NueCareer estimate (Holland code RIC) built on O*NET's Commercial Pilot profile, scored 1 to 7
| Axis | Test Pilot |
|---|---|
| Realistic | 5 |
| Investigative | 3 |
| Artistic | 1 |
| Social | 3 |
| Enterprising | 4 |
| Conventional | 5 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
What the work is built around
Day to day this is work built around hands-on, practical work with tools, machines or the outdoors, combined with organising, following procedures and working precisely with data.
- Realistic5.2
- Conventional4.8
- Enterprising3.9
- Investigative3.4
- Social2.6
- Artistic1.1
Closest MBTI types
NueCareer fit scores: cosine similarity between each MBTI type's interest vector and this occupation's O*NET interest profile. Not a BLS or O*NET figure; the method is documented on our methodology page.
Explore further
Careers related to Test Pilot
O*NET related occupations
- Transportation and Material Moving
- Transportation and Material Moving
- Transportation and Material Moving
- Transportation and Material Moving
- Installation, Maintenance, and Repair
- Transportation and Material Moving
More transportation and material moving careers
Median annual pay, with commercial pilots highlighted
- Airline Pilot$232,140
- Commercial Pilot$123,220
- Test Pilot$123,220
- Locomotive Engineer$81,410
- Railroad Conductor and Yardmaster$78,000
- Crane and Tower Operator$68,080
- Flight Attendant$63,580
- Truck Driver$58,640
- Refuse and Recyclable Material Collector$49,690
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Airline Pilot | $232,140 |
| Commercial Pilot | $123,220 |
| Test Pilot | $123,220 |
| Locomotive Engineer | $81,410 |
| Railroad Conductor and Yardmaster | $78,000 |
| Crane and Tower Operator | $68,080 |
| Flight Attendant | $63,580 |
| Truck Driver | $58,640 |
| Refuse and Recyclable Material Collector | $49,690 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025
Lists Test Pilot appears on
Questions
Test Pilot: frequently asked questions
How much do Commercial Pilots make?
BLS does not publish a separate wage for commercial pilots. It counts them within commercial pilot, whose median pay is $123,220 a year (BLS OEWS, May 2025). The middle half of that occupation earn between $84,540 and $190,440, and the top 10% earn $266,620 or more.
Do you need a degree to become a Test Pilot?
Yes. BLS reports a bachelor's degree as the typical entry-level education for Commercial Pilots, and O*NET rates the preparation needed as some preparation. BLS also lists moderate-term on-the-job training as typical on-the-job training. In O*NET's survey of people already doing the job, 36.4% hold post-secondary certificate.
Is Test Pilot a growing career?
Yes. Employment is projected to grow 5.2% over 2025–2035, faster than the 3.5% average for all occupations (BLS EP, 2025–2035). BLS still projects about 5,200 openings a year, mostly from workers retiring or moving to other work.
What does a Test Pilot do?
Test pilots fly aircraft that have not yet been proven: a new design on its first flights, an existing model with new engines or avionics, or a freshly built airplane coming off the production line. A typical task: review test plans and test cards with flight test engineers before each flight. Employers most often ask for Graphics or photo imaging software, Office suite software.
Which states pay Commercial Pilots the most?
The highest state medians for Commercial Pilots are Connecticut ($232,160), New Jersey ($226,710), New York ($177,430) (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
What personality type suits a Test Pilot?
O*NET scores Commercial Pilots highest on the Realistic, Conventional and Enterprising interest areas, so the work mixes hands-on, practical work with tools, machines or the outdoors with organising, following procedures and working precisely with data. On NueCareer's MBTI-to-interest mapping that lines up most closely with ISTJ personalities. Personality is a fit signal, not a gate. The free NueCareer quiz scores your own profile against all 1,731 careers in the bank.