How Much Do Commercial Pilots Make? Salary and Requirements

How Much Do Commercial Pilots Make? Salary and Requirements

Commercial airline pilots operate planes that range in size from a few seats to hundreds. They might fly to mundane, but important short-haul destinations or to international locations that take 10 or more hours to reach. Their mission is the same regardless of the plane size or destination: to safely steer planes in all kinds of weather and deliver people and cargo on time and intact.

Job Description

A pilot’s duties start long before he steps into the cockpit. Before a scheduled flight, he makes several important checks. He reviews weather along his route, the plane’s condition, the total fuel required for the trip and the weight and distribution of passengers and cargo on the plane. He also files a flight plan before the plane leaves the boarding area. During the flight, he monitors the plane’s instruments, radio communications and uses incoming data to assess and detect issues that might affect the flight. He supervises all the personnel in the aircraft cabin and cockpit. Finally, the pilot communicates with air traffic control to receive and follow directions for landing safely on an assigned runway.

Education Requirements

Airline pilots need a bachelor’s degree, but it doesn’t need to be in aviation. You must complete training at a flight school or in the military and qualify for a private pilot’s license before you can earn a commercial pilot’s license. After logging 1,500 hours of flight in specific conditions and planes, you can apply for the airline transport pilot certification. To gain the amount of experience that qualifies you for a commercial airline pilot salary, in addition to your college education preparation, you will spend several years preparing for Federal Aviation Administration exams.

Salary Information

The 2018 median annual commercial airline pilot salary is $130,059. Half of all pilots earn less than this amount and half earn more. Salaries range from a low of $112,657 to as much as $146,834. The lowest 10 percent earned $98,813 while the highest 10 percent earned $62,106. Union agreements, type of airline, size of planes and assigned routes are key factors in salary differences between pilots.

Industry

Commercial airlines employed 88 percent of pilots in 2016. The next largest employer was the federal government which accounted for only 4 percent. The responsibilities of the job and frequent trips are major causes of fatigue or burnout in the industry. Airline pilots only fly about 75 hours a month because of federal regulations. They might accumulate another 150 hours performing their other duties. Federal laws also mandate specified rest periods for pilots and retirement at age 65.

Years of Experience

Once certified to pilot large aircraft for scheduled airlines, a pilot’s salary increases over time. One projection shows this trend:

• 1-2 years: $116,553-$126,942
• 3-4 years: $118,631-$128,760
• 5-6 years: $120,968-$130,560
• 7-9 years: $124,345-$133,814
• 10-14 years: $128,241-$137,570
• 15-19 years: $130,059-$139,573
• 20 or more years: $130,059-$139,573

Job Growth Trend

The expected growth of jobs for airline pilots is lower than the average for other industries. Between 2016 and 2026, the profession will only gain about 2,900 jobs, a 3-percent growth rate. Many of these jobs will result from mandatory pilot retirements. Competition for jobs with regional airlines will be less intense than for positions with major carriers.

References

• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Airline and Commercial Pilots
• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Airline and Commercial Pilots Work Environment
• Salary: Captain/Pilot in Command (Large Jet) Salaries
• Salary: Captain/Pilot in Command (Large Jet) Salaries Years of Experience
• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Airline and Commercial Pilots, Job Outlook

Writer Bio

Carol Luther has more than 10 years of print and digital freelance writing experience. Her freelance writing portfolio includes digital content and business articles published by leading web properties that include the Houston Chronicle, Mahalo, the Nest, USA Today, Wahm, and Zacks. Carol also has more than 20 years of business writing, curriculum development and multimedia training design and management experience.