- What This Salary Guide Actually Covers
- Why There Is No Verified "IGI Salary"
- What the Instrument Ground Instructor Rating Is
- Where Instrument Instruction Income Comes From
- The Cost Side of the Ledger
- IGI vs. AGI, FII and IRA: Which Credential Earns What?
- The Knowledge That Makes You Billable
- Certificate Permanence vs. Instructional Currency
- A Short IGI-Specific Planning Timeline
- How to Evaluate a Ground-Instructor Pay Offer
- Frequently Asked Questions
- No source verifies a specific salary premium for the Instrument Ground Instructor rating, so treat any exact dollar figure as unreliable.
- The IGI test is 50 questions in 150 minutes with a 70% passing score; the PSI voucher is US$175 plus tax.
- The FAA's CY2025 report shows 2,751 IGI administrations and a 99.71% pass rate, so the test is rarely the barrier.
- IGI privileges cover instrument ground instruction only; flight instruction pay belongs to a different certificate.
What This Salary Guide Actually Covers
Searches for "instrument ground instructor salary" tend to surface a confusing mix of results: recruitment pages for unrelated "IGI" employers, gemology listings, and broad aviation-instructor pay roundups. This guide is narrower and more honest. It is about the Instrument Ground Instructor (IGI) rating issued by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), the credential you earn by passing the FAA knowledge test coded IGI (formally "Ground Instructor Instrument") and meeting the eligibility rules in 14 CFR 61.213.
Because this article is part of the IGI Exam Prep library, it is worth stating the limits up front. We do not publish an invented median salary, a percentile table, or a made-up "IGI pay bump." The FAA does not publish earnings data for this rating, and we have no verified credential-specific salary study to cite. What we can do is explain how the rating converts into paid work, what it costs to obtain, where it sits relative to neighboring credentials, and how to evaluate an offer you receive. If you want the broader value question, our ROI analysis of the IGI certification picks up where this article leaves off.
Why There Is No Verified "IGI Salary"
It helps to understand why a clean salary number does not exist. Three structural reasons explain it.
- The rating is a privilege, not a job title. Holding an instrument ground instructor certificate authorizes you to give instrument ground instruction and certain endorsements. It does not create a position. Nobody is hired as an "IGI" the way someone is hired as a "dispatcher."
- Pay is set by the employer and the role. A flight school paying hourly for ground sessions, a university aviation program with salaried faculty, and a self-employed instructor billing independent students are all using the same rating at very different effective rates.
- The rating is frequently a supplement. Many holders already work as pilots, flight instructors, or aviation faculty. For them, IGI adds a capability rather than becoming the whole income.
What the Instrument Ground Instructor Rating Is
Before estimating value, get the credential right. Under 14 CFR 61.213, the path to the instrument ground instructor rating does not require a pilot certificate, a minimum amount of flight time, or a practical flight test. The core requirements are age 18, the specified English proficiency, passing the applicable aeronautical-knowledge examination, and demonstrating Fundamentals of Instructing (FOI) knowledge unless exempt.
That low barrier is the first thing that shapes earning potential. Because no flight experience is required, the rating is open to people who never fly professionally, such as former military instrument specialists, aviation college teachers, or enthusiasts who study instrument procedures deeply. It is also open to working pilots who want to bill ground time. For the full eligibility checklist, see our IGI requirements guide.
FOI exemptions that reduce your cost and time
Several applicants do not need to take a separate FOI knowledge test. Exemptions include holders of a ground or flight instructor certificate, people holding a qualifying teaching certificate that permits teaching at grade 7 or higher, and teachers employed at accredited colleges or universities. If you fall into one of those groups, your out-of-pocket testing cost drops, which improves the payback math before you ever teach your first lesson.
What the privileges do and do not include
IGI privileges concern instrument ground instruction and applicable endorsements. They are not authority to provide flight instruction. That boundary matters for pay: the higher hourly figures people associate with "instrument instructor" work generally come from time in an aircraft or simulator under a flight instructor certificate, not from classroom ground sessions alone.
Where Instrument Instruction Income Comes From
Rather than quote numbers we cannot verify, here is the realistic map of where holders of this rating find paid work. Each channel has a different pay structure, and your choice of channel will move your income far more than the rating itself.
Flight schools and training academies
Schools preparing students for the instrument rating need ground instruction on regulations, charts, weather, and procedures. Ground instructors may be paid hourly, per session, or as part of a broader instructor role.
- Often the most accessible entry point for new holders
- Pay structure varies widely by school and region
- Strongest fit if you can also teach adjacent subjects
Collegiate aviation programs
Universities and colleges with aviation degrees employ instructors for instrument ground courses. These roles may be salaried and may carry additional academic requirements beyond the FAA rating.
- Qualifying college and university teachers may be FOI-exempt
- Employment terms depend on the institution, not on the FAA rating
Independent and online instruction
Self-employed instructors can set their own rates and work directly with instrument students, subject to the limits of ground-only privileges. Income here depends on your ability to find and retain students.
- Highest variance: strong in some markets, thin in others
- Requires you to handle your own scheduling, marketing, and endorsements within your privileges
Supplement to an existing aviation career
Pilots, flight instructors, and aviation faculty frequently add the rating to increase billable options and to reinforce their own instrument knowledge.
- Marginal income rather than a standalone salary
- Useful when flight activity is weather-limited and ground sessions are not
If you are specifically hunting for openings, our overview of IGI jobs walks through the kinds of employers that look for this rating.
The Cost Side of the Ledger
Salary analysis is incomplete without costs. The good news is that the FAA-side expenses for this rating are modest and well documented.
| Cost or requirement | What the FAA/PSI facts say |
|---|---|
| Knowledge test voucher | PSI publishes a US$175 FAA Airman Knowledge Test price, plus applicable tax |
| Test format | Computer-delivered, multiple-choice, 50 questions (excluding any unscored validation items) |
| Time allowed | 150 minutes |
| Passing score | 70% |
| Initial-test endorsement | None required; applicants need an FAA Tracking Number via IACRA and acceptable ID |
| Retest after failure | Requires the failed Airman Knowledge Test Report and the required instructor training/proficiency endorsement |
| Separate FOI test | Required unless exempt; its cost is not included in the IGI voucher price |
Note that the US$175 figure is the test voucher price only. It is not a preparation-course price and does not cover any separately required FOI test. Your total outlay also depends on the study materials you choose. We break the full picture down in our IGI certification cost guide.
Why the low cost changes the payback conversation
Many professional credentials ask for thousands of dollars in fees plus a long experience requirement. The IGI does not. With a single test voucher in the US$175 range (plus tax) and no flight-time minimum, the break-even point is reached after relatively few paid ground sessions, provided you can actually find students. The real risk is not the fee; it is whether you have a channel that turns the rating into billable hours.
IGI vs. AGI, FII and IRA: Which Credential Earns What?
Candidates often confuse these four, and the confusion leads to bad salary expectations. They are distinct credentials or tests with different purposes, and they do not share an identical exam.
| Credential/Test | What it is | Income implication |
|---|---|---|
| IGI (Ground Instructor Instrument) | Knowledge test leading to the instrument ground instructor rating; ground instruction only | Billable ground sessions on instrument topics; no flight instruction |
| AGI (Advanced Ground Instructor) | A separate, broader ground instructor knowledge test | Wider ground-teaching scope; a different credential, not interchangeable with IGI |
| FII (Flight Instructor Instrument Airplane) | Flight instructor knowledge test tied to instrument flight instruction | Associated with in-aircraft instruction, a different pay category than ground-only work |
| IRA (Instrument Rating Airplane) | The pilot's own instrument rating knowledge test | A qualification for flying, not for teaching |
The practical lesson: if your goal is maximum earning power in instrument training, the IGI is a lower-barrier entry that covers ground teaching, while flight instruction income runs through the flight instructor path. These are complementary ladders, not a single scale where one number fits all. Our IGI difficulty guide also explains why the test itself is not the hardest part of this path.
The Knowledge That Makes You Billable
The rating earns money only when you can actually teach instrument topics well. The ten content areas below come from the aeronautical-knowledge headings in 14 CFR 61.65(b). They are statutory knowledge areas, not an FAA-published weighted blueprint, so do not trust anyone who assigns them exact percentages. They are, however, an accurate guide to what a paying student expects you to explain.
Regulations and the AIM (Domains 1 and 2)
Federal Aviation Regulations that apply to flight operations under IFR, plus the relevant information in the Aeronautical Information Manual. Students pay for someone who can translate regulatory language into plain operating rules.
- IFR-specific regulatory requirements
- Where the AIM clarifies procedure rather than mandating it
ATC, navigation and charts (Domains 3, 4 and 5)
Air traffic control procedures for instrument operations, IFR navigation and approaches using navigation systems, and the use of en route and instrument approach procedure charts.
- Chart reading is a frequent source of student confusion and a reliable billable topic
- Navigation-system explanations are where hands-on fluency pays off
Weather (Domains 6 and 8)
Procurement and use of aviation weather reports and forecasts, forecasting weather trends from that information and personal observation, plus recognition of critical weather situations and windshear avoidance.
- Weather interpretation is both heavily tested and heavily requested in tutoring
- Critical-situation recognition links directly to safety-minded instruction
Operations, judgment and crew coordination (Domains 7, 9 and 10)
Safe and efficient operation of aircraft under instrument flight rules and conditions, aeronautical decision making and judgment, and crew resource management including communication and coordination.
- Decision-making and CRM are teaching skills as much as knowledge skills
- Students value instructors who can explain the "why" behind procedures
For a deeper tour of each area, see our complete guide to all 10 IGI content areas. To test your readiness against exam-style items, use the IGI practice test on the main site.
Why the test being easy does not mean the teaching is easy
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. Those are 2025 administration-level results, not a 2026 figure and not a first-attempt-only pass rate, so read them with that limit in mind. They tell you the test is rarely the barrier for prepared candidates. They do not tell you how good a teacher you will be, and teaching quality is what determines repeat students and referrals. We discuss the numbers in more detail in our IGI pass rate analysis.
Certificate Permanence vs. Instructional Currency
One feature of this rating directly affects long-term earning continuity: a ground instructor certificate is issued without an expiration date under 14 CFR 61.19(e). You do not have to renew it on a fixed cycle. But permanence of the certificate is a different matter from your ability to exercise its privileges.
Under 14 CFR 61.217, exercising privileges requires one of the recent-experience alternatives within the preceding 12 calendar months:
- Qualifying ground-instructor activity
- Qualifying flight-instructor activity
- An approved flight instructor refresher course
- A proficiency endorsement from an authorized instructor
A Short IGI-Specific Planning Timeline
If you are building toward paid instruction, sequence your preparation around the content areas that generate the most student questions, and finish with the registration mechanics. This is not a generic study routine; it is ordered by how the ten domains reinforce each other.
Regulations and the AIM
- Cover Domains 1 and 2 first, because later topics reference them constantly
- Get your FAA Tracking Number through IACRA early
ATC, navigation and charts
- Work Domains 3, 4 and 5 together; charts and procedures only make sense side by side
- Practice with the FAA testing supplement you will have on test day
Weather and critical situations
- Cover Domains 6 and 8 together to link routine forecasts with hazard recognition
Operations, ADM and CRM, then test day
- Finish Domains 7, 9 and 10, then take timed practice sets
- Schedule through PSI and bring acceptable identification
For a fuller preparation approach, our IGI study guide goes deeper, and the exam dates and scheduling guide covers booking logistics.
How to Evaluate a Ground-Instructor Pay Offer
Since no verified benchmark exists, the most useful skill is judging an offer on its own terms. Ask these questions before accepting any role that relies on the instrument ground instructor rating.
- Is it hourly, per-session, or salaried? A salaried faculty role and a per-session tutoring arrangement are not comparable on headline numbers alone.
- Are prep and grading time paid? Ground teaching includes planning. An hourly rate that only covers contact time understates your real effective rate.
- Does the role require more than the IGI? Some positions expect additional certificates, degrees, or experience. Confirm what the employer treats as required versus preferred.
- Is the scope ground-only? If an employer expects flight instruction, the IGI alone does not authorize it.
- How will you stay current? Ask whether the employer's work counts as qualifying ground-instructor activity for your 12-month recent-experience requirement.
- What is the student pipeline? For independent work, the biggest income variable is demand, not the rating.
Key Takeaway
Treat the IGI as a low-cost, low-barrier credential that unlocks a category of paid work, not as a guaranteed pay level. Your income will be driven by the channel you choose, the hours you can bill, and how well you teach, so research specific employers rather than relying on a single quoted salary.
Frequently Asked Questions
There is no verified, credential-specific salary figure for this rating, and the FAA does not publish earnings data for it. Income depends on the employer, whether work is hourly or salaried, your market, and how many ground sessions you can bill. Evaluate specific offers rather than relying on a single quoted number.
No. IGI privileges concern instrument ground instruction and applicable endorsements. Flight instruction requires a flight instructor certificate, which is a separate credential with its own requirements and its own earning profile.
PSI publishes a US$175 price for the FAA Airman Knowledge Test, plus applicable tax. That is the test voucher only, not a preparation course and not the cost of any separately required FOI test. See our pricing breakdown for the full picture.
The certificate itself is issued without an expiration date. However, to exercise its privileges you must satisfy one of the 61.217 recent-experience alternatives within the preceding 12 calendar months, such as qualifying instructor activity, a refresher course, or a proficiency endorsement.
The test is 50 multiple-choice questions in 150 minutes with a 70% passing score. The FAA's CY2025 data show a 99.71% passing rate across 2,751 administrations, though that is not a first-attempt-only figure. Preparation still matters; practice with the IGI practice test to confirm you are ready.
The instrument ground instructor rating is an inexpensive, accessible way into paid aviation instruction, but the money comes from how you deploy it. Pair solid mastery of the ten instrument knowledge areas with a clear plan for where your students will come from, and the credential can become a useful and flexible income stream.