To become a flight engineer, you need a flight engineer (FE) license from the Federal Aviation Administration and a commercial pilot’s license. Additional qualifications include at least 1,500 hours of flying experience, strong leadership skills, and at least a bachelor’s degree in aviation. You need a thorough understanding of all aircraft system controls and instruments, including basic maintenance knowledge. Positions are available at commercial airlines, but more commonly in the military.

If you are interested in a job related to Flight Engineer, here are some popular related job searches with the most open positions on ZipRecruiter.

Top Types Of Flight Engineer Jobs

List of the top 10 highest paying Flight Engineer positions in 2026, with salary ranges, according to ZipRecruiter.

Contract Flight Test Engineer
Salary range: $105,500 - $160,000
Contract Flight Test Engineer is a more unusual job search query but still may give you interesting job results. Most salaries for Contract Flight Test Engineer jobs pay between $105,500 (25th percentile) and $160,000 (75th percentile) annually. Currently, there are not many open positions nationwide for Contract Flight Test Engineer job searches hiring now on ZipRecruiter. You can take a look at what is available and find similar job searches in this list.
Airship Pilot
Salary range: $100,000 - $155,000
Airship Pilot is a typical job search query Most salaries for Airship Pilot jobs pay between $100,000 (25th percentile) and $155,000 (75th percentile) annually. You’ll find many open positions nationwide for Airship Pilot job searches hiring now on ZipRecruiter.
Flight Test Engineer
Salary range: $105,500 - $160,000
As a flight test engineer, your job is to oversee testing the operations and performance of aircraft in line with FAA regulations and guidelines from the manufacturer. This job frequently involves planning, managing, coordinating, and executing a full spectrum of aircraft testing, including tests on all mechanical and electronic systems. Some details of this job vary based on the kinds of aircraft with which you work. Flight test engineers may work with everything from single-engine civilian aircraft to large, military planes. Fulfilling the responsibilities and duties of a flight test engineer often requires meeting the qualifications for a security clearance, studying guides and technical manuals, contacting part manufacturers, and excellent communication skills.
Flight Simulator Engineer
Salary range: $95,000 - $115,000
Flight Simulator Engineer is a typical job search query Most salaries for Flight Simulator Engineer jobs pay between $95,000 (25th percentile) and $115,000 (75th percentile) annually. You’ll find many open positions nationwide for Flight Simulator Engineer job searches hiring now on ZipRecruiter.
Flight Test Instrumentation
Salary range: $100,000 - $130,000
Flight Test Instrumentation is a more unusual job search query but still may give you interesting job results. Most salaries for Flight Test Instrumentation jobs pay between $100,000 (25th percentile) and $130,000 (75th percentile) annually. You’ll find many open positions nationwide for Flight Test Instrumentation job searches hiring now on ZipRecruiter.
Flight Test Engineer Remote
Salary range: $105,500 - $160,000
Flight Test Engineer Remote is a more unusual job search query but still may give you interesting job results. Most salaries for Flight Test Engineer Remote jobs pay between $105,500 (25th percentile) and $160,000 (75th percentile) annually. Currently, there are not many open positions nationwide for Flight Test Engineer Remote job searches hiring now on ZipRecruiter. You can take a look at what is available and find similar job searches in this list.
Flight Software Engineer
Salary range: $93,500 - $122,500
Flight Software Engineer is a typical job search query Most salaries for Flight Software Engineer jobs pay between $93,500 (25th percentile) and $122,500 (75th percentile) annually. Currently, there are not many open positions nationwide for Flight Software Engineer job searches hiring now on ZipRecruiter. You can take a look at what is available and find similar job searches in this list.
From Home C 130 Flight Engineer
Salary range: $68,000 - $122,000
From Home C 130 Flight Engineer is a more unusual job search query but still may give you interesting job results. Most salaries for From Home C 130 Flight Engineer jobs pay between $68,000 (25th percentile) and $122,000 (75th percentile) annually. Currently, there are not many open positions nationwide for From Home C 130 Flight Engineer job searches hiring now on ZipRecruiter. You can take a look at what is available and find similar job searches in this list.
System Integration Test Engineer
Salary range: $167,000 - $167,000
System Integration Test Engineer is a typical job search query Most salaries for System Integration Test Engineer jobs pay between $167,000 (25th percentile) and $167,000 (75th percentile) annually. Currently, there are not many open positions nationwide for System Integration Test Engineer job searches hiring now on ZipRecruiter. You can take a look at what is available and find similar job searches in this list.
Entry Level Aerospace Test Engineer
Salary range: $69,500 - $109,000
Entry Level Aerospace Test Engineer is a more unusual job search query but still may give you interesting job results. Most salaries for Entry Level Aerospace Test Engineer jobs pay between $69,500 (25th percentile) and $109,000 (75th percentile) annually. Currently, there are not many open positions nationwide for Entry Level Aerospace Test Engineer job searches hiring now on ZipRecruiter. You can take a look at what is available and find similar job searches in this list.

All Jobs Flight Engineer Jobs 10 of the Most Popular Types of Flight Engineer Jobs in 2026