skip to main content
MENU

Commercial Pilots

General Information

Description

Pilot and navigate the flight of fixed-wing aircraft on nonscheduled air carrier routes, or helicopters. Requires Commercial Pilot certificate. Includes charter pilots with similar certification, and air ambulance and air tour pilots. Excludes regional, national, and international airline pilots.

Explore this career in the Military

Workplace at a Glance

What you can expect to experience while on the job

  • Responsibility
  • Exposure to job hazards
  • Physical activity
  • Decision making
  • Repetitiveness
  • Level of competition
  • Time pressure

Industry areas

  • Transportation, Distribution & Logistics

Job Outlook

Projected Job Growth (2022 - 2032)
+4%
Read More

Job Outlook

×

Overall employment of airline and commercial pilots is projected to grow 4 percent from 2022 to 2032, about as fast as the average for all occupations. About 16,800 openings for airline and commercial pilots are projected each year, on average, over the decade. Many of those openings are expected to result from the need to replace workers who transfer to different occupations or exit the labor force, such as to retire.

Similar Careers

Related Military Careers

No Information for this section

Salary

Salary Information

Median Salary This is the median, or the midpoint, of the salary range for this career.

$103,910

Median Military Salary Military pay may be higher based on specialty pays or bonuses. Learn more about Military benefits.

$109,495

Explore this career in the Military

State-by-state Salary

Gray states indicate no data available

Salary Range Salary varies based on years of experience, degree level and location.

$62,740
$176,160
No Information for this section

Education & Interests

Most Common Education Levels

People in this career achieve this level of education.

  • Bachelor's degree 28%
  • Post-secondary certificate 25%
  • High school 23%
  • Associate's degree 17%
  • Some college 2%
  • Master's degree 2%
  • First professional degree 1%
  • Doctoral degree 0%
  • Post baccalaureate 0%
  • Less than high school 0%
  • Post-doctoral training 0%
  • Post-master's certificate 0%

Related College Majors

Select major to see colleges that offer it

PERSONALITY CHARACTERISTICS

You may find this career fulfilling if you consider yourself to be:

  • Realistic — You have an interest in physically working with equipment, materials or structures.
  • Investigative — You have an interest in studying and researching objects, organisms, and other things.
  • Enterprising — You have an interest in managing, negotiating and marketing, or leading and advising others.

Not sure what characteristics best describe you? Take the RIASEC Test.

Skills at a Glance

Skills helpful in this career

  • Verbal skills
  • Critical thinking & problem solving
  • Equipment operation & maintenance
  • Math & science skills
  • Technology design & control
  • Leadership

Knowledge

  • Transportation
  • Customer and Personal Service
  • Geography
  • Education and Training
  • English Language

Gain insights into your knowledge by using the ASVAB Career Exploration Program

No Information for this section

Data supplied by Bureau of Labor Statistics, National Center of Education Statistics, Defense Manpower Data Center (View our update schedule). Contact any business, college or military service branch to answer additional questions.