IGI Jobs

What the Instrument Ground Instructor Credential Actually Covers

The Instrument Ground Instructor (IGI) rating is an FAA ground instructor certificate rating that authorizes you to teach the aeronautical knowledge behind instrument flight and to provide the related ground training and endorsements within the scope of the rating. It does not authorize you to provide flight instruction. That distinction shapes every job listing you will read, so it is worth being precise from the start.

The knowledge test is formally named Ground Instructor Instrument, with the test code IGI. It is delivered through PSI at authorized knowledge-testing centers, and it is separate from other FAA tests that sound similar, such as the Instrument Rating Airplane (IRA) test, the Flight Instructor Instrument Airplane (FII) test, the Advanced Ground Instructor (AGI) test, or Fundamentals of Instructing (FOI). If you are new to the credential, the explainers on what IGI is and what IGI certification means give useful background before you go deeper into employment questions.

For job-hunting purposes, the key point is that this rating is a teaching credential built on knowledge, not on flight experience. That makes it one of the more accessible entry points into aviation instruction, and it shapes who applies for these roles: career changers, aspiring flight instructors, retired pilots, and educators who want to add an aviation specialty.

Who Hires Instrument Ground Instructors

The FAA does not publish an employer list for ground instructor ratings, so the following reflects where instrument ground instruction naturally occurs in the training ecosystem rather than any verified hiring statistics.

Flight schools and flying clubs

Local flight schools run instrument rating courses and often need someone to deliver the classroom component: IFR regulations, chart interpretation, weather theory, and instrument approaches. A ground instructor can free flight instructors to spend their hours in the airplane or simulator instead of in the classroom.

Part 141 pilot schools and structured programs

Part 141 programs run approved syllabi with defined ground-training segments. Ground instructors fit naturally into that structure, delivering scheduled lectures and stage-check preparation for instrument students.

Collegiate aviation programs

Universities and colleges with aviation degrees teach instrument-related coursework. Some positions are academic roles with their own requirements, but the IGI rating can strengthen an application, particularly for adjunct or lab-style instruction tied to instrument training.

Test-prep and online education providers

Companies that produce aviation courses, written-test preparation, and training materials value people who can explain IFR concepts clearly. A ground instructor rating adds credibility to a subject-matter-expert or course-development role. The competing providers in this space, including Sheppard Air, Gleim Aviation, ASA, King Schools, and OpenExamPrep, all sell instrument-related preparation, which tells you the demand for instrument knowledge instruction is real even if those pages do not publish hiring data.

Corporate, charter, and airline training departments

Operators with structured training sometimes use ground-instruction staff for recurrent knowledge training. Whether the IGI rating specifically matters depends on the employer, so treat it as one credential among several rather than a guaranteed qualifier.

The Main Job Types, Compared

"IGI jobs" is not a single job category. The rating opens a handful of roles that differ in scope, schedule, and what else you need to bring. The table below compares them qualitatively; it deliberately avoids salary figures because no credential-specific pay premium has been verified.

What You Will Teach: The Ten Knowledge Areas

Employers hire you to teach what the rating certifies you to know. The ten knowledge areas below mirror the aeronautical-knowledge headings in 14 CFR 61.65(b) that apply to instrument instruction. They are statutory subject areas, not an FAA-published weighted exam table, so do not assume one area dominates the test. For the full breakdown, see the complete guide to all 10 IGI content areas.

An effective instrument ground instructor can move between these areas fluently. A student asking about an approach chart may really have a weather question, and a question about clearances may turn out to be about ADM. Employers notice instructors who connect the areas rather than teaching each in isolation.

Qualifying for the Rating Before You Apply

Many candidates assume instruction requires a pilot certificate. For this rating, that is not the case. Under 14 CFR 61.213, eligibility centers on age 18, the specified English proficiency, passing the applicable aeronautical-knowledge test, and showing Fundamentals of Instructing knowledge unless exempt. The rule imposes no pilot certificate, flight-time minimum, or practical flight test for this ground instructor rating. The full eligibility picture is covered in the IGI requirements guide.

FOI knowledge and the exemptions

The FOI requirement is where many applicants trip up. You can satisfy it by passing the FOI knowledge test, or you may be exempt if you fall into a recognized category:

• Holders of a ground or flight instructor certificate
• Holders of qualifying teaching certificates that permit teaching at grade 7 or higher
• Teachers employed at accredited colleges or universities

If you are a classroom teacher exploring aviation as a second career, check whether an exemption applies before paying for a separate FOI test.

Test Mechanics Employers Assume You Know

Hiring managers rarely quiz you on test logistics, but you will be expected to coach students through their own knowledge tests, so you should understand how the process works.

• Format: computer-delivered multiple-choice test at a PSI authorized testing center.
• Length and time: 50 questions (excluding any unscored validation items) and 150 minutes. The FAA table does not specify how many unscored items may appear, so do not tell students a fixed number.
• Passing score: 70%. See the IGI passing score guide for details.
• Minimum testing age: 16, though certificate eligibility requires age 18.
• Voucher price: PSI publishes US$175 plus applicable tax for an FAA Airman Knowledge Test.
• Initial test requirements: an FAA Tracking Number through IACRA and acceptable identification; no instructor endorsement is required for the first attempt.
• Retest requirements: the failed Airman Knowledge Test Report plus the required instructor training or proficiency endorsement.
• Test aids: approved calculators and navigation aids, subject to memory clearing and proctor approval, plus the supplied testing supplement (FAA-CT-8080-3F). Outside study materials are prohibited.

That retest endorsement is itself something an instrument ground instructor may end up providing to students, which is one practical way the rating generates work. Be careful with the 150-minute figure too: some competing pages state a different time limit, but the FAA testing matrix says 150 minutes.

For scheduling specifics, see the IGI exam dates and scheduling guide.

What the pass-rate data says

The FAA's CY2025 Airman Knowledge Test Volume Report recorded 2,751 IGI test administrations, a 99.71% passing rate, and a 93.11% average score. These are administration-level results for 2025, not a first-attempt-only rate and not a 2026 figure. The takeaway for job seekers is that the knowledge test itself is rarely the barrier; the differentiator is how well you can teach the material. For deeper context, read the IGI pass rate analysis and how hard the IGI exam really is.

Staying Employable: Certificate Permanence vs. Instructional Currency

Ground instructor certificates are issued without an expiration date under 14 CFR 61.19(e). That sounds like a lifetime credential, and in one sense it is, but permanence is not the same as being allowed to exercise your privileges today.

Under 14 CFR 61.217, to exercise your instructor privileges you need recent experience within the preceding 12 calendar months, satisfied by one of these alternatives:

1. Qualifying ground-instructor activity
2. Qualifying flight-instructor activity
3. An approved flight instructor refresher course
4. A proficiency endorsement from an authorized instructor

Pay Expectations Without the Hype

No verified, credential-specific salary figure exists for the IGI rating, and this article will not invent one. What can be said honestly is that pay for ground instruction varies with employer type, region, whether the role is hourly or salaried, and whether you also hold flight instructor ratings or other qualifications. A ground instructor rating by itself is better understood as a qualification that makes you eligible for roles than as a guaranteed pay premium.

When comparing offers, separate the credential from the job. A salaried academic position, an hourly classroom role at a flight school, and a freelance content gig are very different economic arrangements, even though all of them draw on the same rating. For a fuller treatment, see the IGI salary guide, and for the bigger question of return on investment, read whether the IGI certification is worth it.

Building a Profile That Gets Interviews

Because the rating is attainable without a flight-experience track record, competition for entry-level ground instruction depends on what else you bring. These elements tend to stand out:

• Demonstrated teaching ability: any classroom, tutoring, or training background, especially if it qualifies for an FOI exemption.
• Instrument fluency: being able to explain a chart or a weather product without notes.
• Clarity about scope: stating plainly that you hold the instrument ground instructor rating and are not offering flight instruction, which builds trust with employers.
• A path forward: if you plan to add flight instructor ratings, say so; schools like instructors who may grow into larger roles.
• Currency plan: a clear answer for how you will satisfy 61.217.

How IGI differs from neighboring credentials on a resume

List the rating by its proper name, and do not blur it with similar-sounding credentials. The IGI knowledge test is not the IRA test, not the FII test, and not the AGI test, and each leads to a different outcome. IGI relates to instrument ground instruction; FII relates to the flight instructor instrument rating; IRA relates to a pilot's own instrument rating. Employers reading your resume will notice if you conflate them. For a primer on the terminology, see what IGI stands for.

A Short Prep Sequence Tied to Teaching Value

Since this article is about jobs rather than test prep, here is one compact way to sequence your study so it pays off in the classroom as well as on exam day. Schedule the domains in order of how often students will lean on you for them. The complete method is in the IGI study guide, and you can drill with the practice questions on the IGI Exam Prep practice test site.

Charts come before weather because chart interpretation is the skill instructors demonstrate most visibly, and weather comes after because it draws on the vocabulary you built earlier. Keep a one-page reference handy while reviewing; the IGI cheat sheet works well for that. When you are ready to test yourself, head to the main practice test site.

Frequently Asked Questions

For a broader look at the credential and how training fits around it, explore the overview of IGI training and the primer on IGI certification, then use the IGI Exam Prep practice tests to confirm you are ready for the knowledge test.