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Pilot: pay, job outlook and how to become one

Updated October 23, 2026. Based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and O*NET data. Published by Humblebee.

$232,140median pay per year, May 2025[1]
  1. $106,710lowest 10% earn less
  2. $182,28025th percentile
  3. $232,140median
  4. $384,44075th percentile
  5. $463,830top 10% earn more
Middle half of workers in the inner band[8]Median for all US jobs, $50,980[2]

Airline pilots, copilots and flight engineers earned a median of $232,140 a year in May 2025, more than four times the median for all US jobs[1][2]. Jobs are projected to grow faster than average[3][4], but getting to an airline takes a degree, FAA certificates and a long stretch of building flight experience in other pilot jobs first[5][6][7].

Job growth, 2025–35
+8.3%[3]
Openings per year
11,200[9]
Typical entry education
Bachelor's degree[10]

How much do pilots make?

The median wage for airline pilots, copilots and flight engineers was $232,140 a year in May 2025[1]. That means half earned more and half earned less[11]. For comparison, the median for all occupations in the US was $50,980[2].

The average (mean) wage was higher, at $288,650[12].

Pay varies a lot across the field[1][8]:

Percentile Annual wage
10th $106,710
25th $182,280
50th (median) $232,140
75th $384,440
90th $463,830

So the lowest-paid 10% earned less than $106,710, and the top 10% earned more than $463,830[8]. These are boundaries in the pay scale, not a starting salary. BLS does not publish starting pay[11].

BLS gives only yearly figures for this job, not hourly ones. The reason is that many pilots log under 2,080 working hours in a year while drawing a yearly salary[13]. These figures also leave out self-employed pilots, nonproduction bonuses and what employers spend on benefits like health coverage or retirement plans[14].

Pay by state and city

Where you are based makes a big difference. Among the 37 states with published data, Georgia had the highest median at $618,090, followed by Idaho at $507,640 and Michigan at $428,570[15]. California ($353,900) and Kentucky ($350,950) came next[15]. Keep in mind that Idaho had only 330 jobs and BLS did not publish a job count for Michigan[15].

The states with the most jobs were Texas (10,930), California (10,670), Georgia (8,770), Florida (7,760) and New York (6,900)[16].

Among metro areas with at least 100 jobs, Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA had the highest median, $618,090[17]. San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA ($374,680) and Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA ($364,730) followed[17]. The New York-Newark-Jersey City metro had the most jobs, 10,030, with a median of $335,270[18]. Atlanta was second with 8,700 jobs[18]. The OOH also notes that most pilots are based close to large airports[19].

Show median pay in 37 states
StateMedian per yearJobs
Georgia[15]$618,0908,770
Idaho$507,640330
Michigan$428,570n/a
California$353,90010,670
Kentucky$350,9506,260
Colorado$307,4905,830
Illinois$293,4906,460
New York$255,2406,900
Alaska$232,1401,350
Washington$229,9003,450
Arizona$227,8702,200
Florida$225,0207,760
Texas$215,15010,930
Minnesota$211,4702,960
Ohio$204,1701,550
Connecticut$199,87080
Nevada$192,4602,160
Utah$174,5901,880
Oregon$173,190750
Indiana$171,260n/a
Arkansas$168,970250
Pennsylvania$164,9902,270
Rhode Island$164,88040
North Carolina$151,5402,240
Maine$147,93040
Kansas$143,58080
Mississippi$143,580360
South Carolina$143,580110
Tennessee$143,580110
Alabama$136,990360
New Mexico$136,99050
Oklahoma$133,680180
Iowa$131,730100
Nebraska$131,65060
Louisiana$120,740150
New Hampshire$99,28050
Missouri$97,680120

How to become a pilot

The training details below come from the BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook profile for airline and commercial pilots, which covers a wider group than this page[20]. BLS lists a bachelor's degree as the typical entry education, with less than 5 years of related work experience and moderate-term on-the-job training[10].

1) Earn a bachelor's degree: airline pilots usually have one, and the field can be anything, such as transportation, engineering or business[5][21]. 2) Take flight training: you can train with independent FAA-certified flight instructors or at a flight school[21]. The FAA certifies hundreds of civilian schools, from small fixed base operators to state universities, and some colleges fold pilot training into a 2- or 4-year aviation degree[22]. 3) Earn FAA certificates and ratings: professional pilots must meet FAA requirements and collect certificates and ratings in a set order, beginning with a student pilot certificate[6][23][24]. 4) Build flight experience: airlines look for a lot of it[7]. Airline pilots typically have worked as commercial or military pilots first[25]. Others log hours as flight instructors or on-demand charter pilots, jobs that usually ask for less experience[7]. Military pilots can move into civilian flying and apply straight to airlines[26]. 5) Train with your airline: new hires go through on-the-job training under federal rules, usually several weeks of ground school plus flight training[27]. Ratings for a specific aircraft, like the Boeing 737, are typically earned through this employer training[27]. 6) Stay current: pilots must repeat certain maneuvers a set number of times within a set period, and they go through periodic training and medical exams, generally every one or two years[28].

ONET places this job in Job Zone Four, meaning considerable preparation is needed[29]. In an ONET survey of 24 workers, 61% said a bachelor's degree is required and 18% said a high school diploma[30]. The survey is small, so treat these shares as a rough signal.

What pilots do

Airline pilots fly fixed-wing aircraft, usually on scheduled airline routes, carrying passengers and cargo[31]. The O*NET category also covers flight instructors who train airline pilots[31]. Common tasks include[32]:

Job titles workers report include airline captain, first officer, co-pilot and check airman[33].

Where they work

Scheduled air transportation was the largest employer of airline and commercial pilots in 2025, at 88%, with nonscheduled air transportation at 38%[34]. These shares come from the wider OOH group and add up to more than 100%, so read them as a rough guide[34].

Schedules are set within federal limits on work hours and required rest between flights[35]. Airline pilots fly about 75 hours a month on average and spend about 150 more hours a month on other work, such as checking the weather and preparing flight plans[35]. Schedules vary and may include a run of workdays followed by days off[35]. Seniority decides who gets the preferred routes and schedules[35].

The job has real demands. Long routes can bring fatigue and jetlag, and crews spend long stretches together in a sealed flight deck[36]. Staying focused and being responsible for passengers' safety can be tiring, and pilots must react quickly when something goes wrong[37]. Fatalities are uncommon, but this group has one of the highest occupational fatality rates of any job[38]. Federal law sets a mandatory retirement age of 65[37].

Job outlook

BLS projects employment of airline pilots, copilots and flight engineers to rise 8.3% between 2025 and 2035, reaching about 113,300 jobs, up from about 104,600[3]. That is faster than the 3.5% projected for all occupations[4].

About 11,200 openings are expected each year on average[9]. These include jobs left open when workers retire or switch occupations, not only newly created jobs[9]. Each year about 3% of workers leave the labor force and 6.5% move to a different occupation[39].

The projection counts self-employed workers, so its job total differs from the 103,560 wage and salary jobs in the May 2025 wage survey[40][3].

Is it a good fit?

The pay is high, with a median of $232,140 against $50,980 for all occupations[1][2], and growth is projected to outpace the overall job market[3][4]. The road in is long: a degree, FAA certificates, and enough flight hours to satisfy airlines, often earned in lower-experience pilot jobs first[5][6][7]. It may suit someone comfortable with variable schedules set by seniority, fatigue and jetlag on long routes, and regular training and medical checks[28][36][35]. Pay also depends heavily on location, with medians in the 37 states with published data ranging from $97,680 to $618,090[15].

Related occupations from O*NET, with BLS median pay and projected growth[41].

Frequently asked questions

How much does a pilot make a year?
The median wage for airline pilots, copilots and flight engineers was $232,140 a year in May 2025[1]. The lowest-paid 10% earned less than $106,710 and the top 10% earned more than $463,830[8].
How much does a pilot make an hour?
BLS does not publish an hourly wage for this job. Many pilots log under 2,080 working hours in a year while drawing a yearly salary, so BLS reports only annual pay[13].
What degree do you need to be a pilot?
Airline pilots typically need a bachelor's degree, and it can be in any field[5][21]. They also need flight training and FAA certificates and ratings[6][21].
What is the highest paying state for pilots?
Georgia had the highest state median, $618,090, followed by Idaho at $507,640[15].
Are pilots in demand?
BLS projects 8.3% job growth from 2025 to 2035, compared with 3.5% for all occupations[3][4], and about 11,200 openings a year[9].

Facts and sources

  1. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median wage for Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers in the US was $232,140 per year. Half of workers earned more and half earned less. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  2. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median annual wage for all occupations in the US was $50,980. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  3. BLS Employment Projections: employment of Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers is projected to grow 8.3% from 2025 to 2035, from about 104,600 to 113,300 jobs (a change of +8,700). These counts include self-employed workers. BLS Employment Projections
  4. BLS Employment Projections: employment in all occupations is projected to grow 3.5% from 2025 to 2035. BLS Employment Projections
  5. Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  6. Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  7. Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Work Experience in a Related Occupation. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  8. BLS OEWS, May 2025, annual wage percentiles for Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers: 10th percentile $106,710, 25th percentile $182,280, 75th percentile $384,440, 90th percentile $463,830. The 10th percentile means 10% of workers earned less. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  9. BLS Employment Projections: about 11,200 openings for Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers are projected each year, on average, from 2025 to 2035. Openings include jobs that open when workers retire or move to other occupations, not only new jobs. BLS Employment Projections
  10. BLS Employment Projections, typical path into Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers: education needed for entry: Bachelor's degree; work experience in a related occupation: Less than 5 years; typical on-the-job training: Moderate-term on-the-job training. BLS Employment Projections
  11. BLS OEWS FAQ: a percentile wage is a boundary. The median (50th percentile) separates the highest-paid 50% from the lowest-paid 50% of workers in the occupation. OEWS publishes percentile wages, not a starting salary. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  12. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the mean (average) wage for Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers was $288,650 per year. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  13. BLS publishes only annual wages for Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers, not hourly wages, because many work fewer than 2,080 hours a year but are paid yearly. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  14. BLS OEWS FAQ: OEWS covers part-time and full-time workers paid a wage or salary. It does not cover the self-employed, owners and partners in unincorporated firms, household workers or unpaid family workers. OEWS wages do not include nonproduction bonuses or employer costs of benefits such as health insurance or retirement contributions. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  15. Median annual wage for Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers in every state with published data, May 2025 (table on this page). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  16. BLS OEWS, May 2025, states with the most Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers jobs: Texas 10,930; California 10,670; Georgia 8,770; Florida 7,760; New York 6,900. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  17. BLS OEWS, May 2025, metro areas with the highest median annual wage for Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers (areas with at least 100 jobs): Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA $618,090; San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA $374,680; Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA $364,730; Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN $350,950; New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ $335,270; San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA $321,950; Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX $307,690; Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO $307,490. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  18. BLS OEWS, May 2025, metro areas with the most Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers jobs: New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ 10,030 (median $335,270); Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA 8,700 (median $618,090); Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA 6,710 (median $364,730); Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN 6,360 (median $293,490); Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX 5,980 (median $212,810); Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO 5,600 (median $307,490). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  19. Occupational Outlook Handbook, Work Environment. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  20. The BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook profile "Airline and Commercial Pilots" covers Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers together with other related occupations, so its text describes the wider group. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  21. Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Education. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  22. Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Education. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  23. Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Licenses, Certifications, and Registrations. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  24. Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Licenses, Certifications, and Registrations. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  25. Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Work Experience in a Related Occupation. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  26. Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Work Experience in a Related Occupation. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  27. Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Training. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  28. Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Training. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  29. O*NET 53-2011.00: Job Zone Four: Considerable Preparation Needed. A considerable amount of work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is needed for these occupations. For example, an accountant must complete four years of college and work for several years in accounting to be considered qualified. O*NET OnLine
  30. O*NET 53-2011.00 survey of workers (24 respondents), education level they say is required: Bachelor's Degree 61%, High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED) 18%, Less than a High School Diploma 8%, Associate's Degree or other 2-year degree 6%, Post-Secondary Certificate 5% (levels under 5% not listed). O*NET OnLine
  31. O*NET description of Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers. O*NET OnLine
  32. O*NET task list for Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers. O*NET OnLine
  33. O*NET 53-2011.00 sample job titles reported by workers: Airbus Captain, Airline Captain, Airline Pilot, Captain, Check Airman, Co-Pilot, Commercial Airline Pilot, First Officer (FO). O*NET OnLine
  34. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook, largest employers of airline and commercial pilots in 2025: Scheduled air transportation 88%; Nonscheduled air transportation 38%. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  35. Occupational Outlook Handbook, Work Environment: Work Schedules. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  36. Occupational Outlook Handbook, Work Environment. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  37. Occupational Outlook Handbook, Work Environment. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  38. Occupational Outlook Handbook, Work Environment: Injuries and Illnesses. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  39. BLS Employment Projections, 2025-35 annual average for Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers: 3% of workers leave the labor force each year and 6.5% move to a different occupation. BLS Employment Projections
  40. BLS OEWS, May 2025: about 103,560 people were employed as Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers in the US (wage and salary jobs, not counting self-employed workers). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  41. Related occupations (O*NET) with BLS pay, growth and entry education. O*NET OnLine

Notes are for reading the data only. They are not facts and cannot be cited: use the wage_scope and percentile_meaning facts instead. OEWS employment (jobs in May 2025) and Employment Projections employment (2025, includes self-employed) are different measures and can differ. O*NET education shares come from a small survey of workers in the occupation, not from all workers. The Occupational Outlook Handbook text covers a wider group of occupations than this page.

This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. CareerFacts has modified all or some of this information. USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications.