With a national median of $232,140 and +3.9% projected job growth through 2034, Airline Pilot offers both strong financial return and stable long-term demand.
Pilot and navigate the flight of fixed-wing aircraft, usually on scheduled air carrier routes, for the transport of passengers and cargo. Requires Federal Air Transport certificate and rating for specific aircraft type used. Includes regional, national, and international airline pilots and flight instructors of airline pilots.
Also known as:
Airline Pilot earn $232,140 nationally, well above the national median for college graduates. The middle 50% of earners fall between $182,280 and $384,440. Actual pay varies by employer, specialization, and location.
Well above average for college graduates.
25th to 75th percentile. Most workers earn within this band.
The mean wage for this occupation is $288,650, above the median. A concentration of very high earners pulls the average up. The median is the better gauge of typical pay.
O*NET data identifies 5 core activities and 5 measurable skills for Airline Pilot roles. Use this section to judge whether the day-to-day reality aligns with what you actually want to spend time doing.
Hands-on tasks, physical activity, or working with tools and real materials are central parts of the daily work here.
Success depends on precision and structured processes, where detail-oriented people who work consistently within established systems perform best.
Leadership, influence, and business acumen are rewarded here, where managing teams, driving decisions, or persuading others shapes career outcomes.
What the physical and mental conditions of this job actually look like day to day, based on O*NET Work Context data collected from people working in this occupation.
Split between indoor and outdoor or field settings.
Mix of sitting and movement throughout the day.
High time pressure and significant consequences for errors. Deadline-driven or high-stakes decisions are common.
The BLS projects +3.9% employment change for Airline Pilot through 2034, below the national average of +5%. About 11,700 openings per year keep the field accessible to new entrants.
About as fast as average.
New positions plus replacements for retirees and career-changers.
Total US employment as of BLS May 2024.
Source: BLS Employment Projections 2024–2034 and Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics May 2024.
The five states below employ the most Airline Pilot professionals nationwide. State-level wages can differ significantly from the $232,140 national median. Research your specific market before committing to a program.
| # | State | Jobs | Median Wage | vs. National |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Texas | 10,050 | $214,670 | -7.5% |
| 2 | California | 9,890 | — | — |
| 3 | Florida | 6,640 | $220,350 | -5.1% |
| 4 | New York | 6,530 | — | — |
| 5 | Illinois | 6,440 | — | — |
Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2024. Employment figures rounded. Read our methodology →
Most Airline Pilot positions require a bachelor's degree to qualify. The program below is the most common academic pathways into this field, ranked by how many graduates they produce each year.
These positions typically require a bachelor's degree and several years of related experience before advancing into senior roles.
| # | Program | Graduates/yr | 4yr Median | Colleges |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Air Transportation | 10,445 | $85,825 | 248 |
Colleges offering the degree programs that lead to this career, ranked by UCD Score. A strong program plus solid outcomes is a good place to begin your search.
| # | College | UCD Score | Net Price | Salary 10yr |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Texas A&M University-Central Texas Killeen, TX | 87 | $1,300 | — |
| 2 | Purdue University-Main Campus West Lafayette, IN | 86 | $14,600 | $72,424 |
| 3 | Miami Dade College Miami, FL | 84 | $5,463 | $40,654 |
| 4 | Ohio State University-Main Campus Columbus, OH | 83 | $17,339 | $60,409 |
| 5 | San Diego Miramar College San Diego, CA | 83 | $3,337 | $48,224 |
| 6 | University of Oklahoma-Norman Campus Norman, OK | 82 | $15,300 | $63,126 |
Once you've sized up Airline Pilot, these tools turn the numbers into a plan. Estimate the real cost of a degree that leads here, weigh the long-term payoff, compare specific colleges side-by-side, and find programs that match your profile.
See if the degree that leads to Airline Pilot pays off. Weighs each college's cost against the earnings graduates see.
Enter a budget and see the colleges whose net price fits, with the out-of-pocket cost and likely loan load for each.
Put any 2–4 colleges side-by-side. Admissions, cost, outcomes, and earnings, all on one screen, no tab-hopping.
Answer six quick questions and see your best-fit colleges ranked by budget, field of study, and what matters most to you.
The data on Airline Pilot shows 2 measurable strengths and 1 real trade-offs. All points are drawn from BLS wage data, employment projections, and IPEDS program completions.
High-stress careers pay about 14 percent more than moderate-stress ones, a real premium that survives even after you control for the degree required.
Air traffic controllers earn more than the typical bachelor's-degree career, with an associate degree. The occupations that pay six figures without four years of college.
Group every career by the degree it requires and master's-level jobs pay a median of about $91,000, statistically tied with bachelor's-level work. The premium hides in a few fields.
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