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The differences between aerospace engineers and pilots can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 2-4 years to become both an aerospace engineer and a pilot. Additionally, an aerospace engineer has an average salary of $100,401, which is higher than the $83,128 average annual salary of a pilot.
The top three skills for an aerospace engineer include C++, DOD and FAA. The most important skills for a pilot are PIC, pilot-in-command, and flight operations.
| Aerospace Engineer | Pilot | |
| Yearly salary | $100,401 | $83,128 |
| Hourly rate | $48.27 | $39.97 |
| Growth rate | 6% | 6% |
| Number of jobs | 42,086 | 3,049 |
| Job satisfaction | - | 5 |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 72% | Bachelor's Degree, 59% |
| Average age | 44 | 44 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 4 |
An aerospace engineer specializes in designing, maintaining, and repairing aircraft and spacecraft. Their responsibilities revolve around conducting tests and procedures to identify faults and inconsistencies, lead production processes, performing repairs and improvements, designing systems, and ensuring that all equipment complies with the safety regulations and standards. They are also responsible for producing technical materials such as reports, proposals, and manuals. Furthermore, there are instances where they must set the policies and standards on the equipment they are developing while utilizing their expertise in mathematics, engineering, and sciences.
A pilot is an individual who works in the aviation industry to operate aircraft and transport passengers and cargos from one location to another. Pilots can fly and navigate different types of aircrafts such as helicopters, large commercial aircraft, or cargo planes. They must perform pre-flight inspections and check flight logs to secure safety for all crews and passengers who are on board. Pilots can also decide to work as flight instructors or establish an aviation school when they have gained enough experience in the aviation industry.
Aerospace engineers and pilots have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Aerospace Engineer | Pilot | |
| Average salary | $100,401 | $83,128 |
| Salary range | Between $71,000 And $140,000 | Between $58,000 And $118,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | Arizona | California |
| Best paying company | Thrush Aircraft | HP |
| Best paying industry | Manufacturing | Transportation |
There are a few differences between an aerospace engineer and a pilot in terms of educational background:
| Aerospace Engineer | Pilot | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 72% | Bachelor's Degree, 59% |
| Most common major | Aerospace Engineering | Aviation |
| Most common college | Georgia Institute of Technology | SUNY Farmingdale |
Here are the differences between aerospace engineers' and pilots' demographics:
| Aerospace Engineer | Pilot | |
| Average age | 44 | 44 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 88.8% Female, 11.2% | Male, 70.7% Female, 29.3% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 4.1% Unknown, 4.4% Hispanic or Latino, 10.8% Asian, 11.0% White, 69.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3% | Black or African American, 2.7% Unknown, 5.6% Hispanic or Latino, 7.2% Asian, 2.8% White, 81.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3% |
| LGBT Percentage | 8% | 9% |