Aircraft pilot demographics and statistics in the US
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Aircraft pilot demographics by:
Aircraft pilot gender statistics
4.3% of aircraft pilots are women and 95.7% of aircraft pilots are men.
- Male, 95.7%
- Female, 4.3%
Aircraft pilot gender ratio
| Gender | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Male | 95.7% |
| Female | 4.3% |
Aircraft pilot gender pay gap
Women earn 95¢ for every $1 earned by men
Male income
$90,024
Female income
$85,816
Aircraft pilot gender ratio over time
This data breaks down the percentage of men and women in aircraft pilot positions over time. Currently, 4.3% of aircraft pilots are female.
Aircraft pilot gender ratio by year
| Year | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 96.51% | 3.49% |
| 2011 | 97.78% | 2.22% |
| 2012 | 95.61% | 4.39% |
| 2013 | 97.04% | 2.96% |
| 2014 | 96.63% | 3.37% |
| 2015 | 97.03% | 2.97% |
| 2016 | 95.30% | 4.70% |
| 2017 | 95.64% | 4.36% |
| 2018 | 95.63% | 4.37% |
| 2019 | 96.39% | 3.61% |
| 2020 | 95.90% | 4.10% |
| 2021 | 95.65% | 4.35% |
Aircraft pilot related jobs gender ratio
We compared aircraft pilots with similar job titles to see how gender ratios vary. As you can see, airline transport pilot and combat control have the biggest gender ratio gaps.
| Job title | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| Airline Flight Attendant | 16% | 84% |
| International Flight Attendant | 21% | 79% |
| Flight Attendant | 21% | 79% |
| Aircraft Pilot | 96% | 4% |
| Agricultural Aviation Pilot | 98% | 2% |
| Combat Control | 98% | 2% |
| Airline Transport Pilot | 98% | 2% |
Male
Female
100%
75%
50%
25%
0%
0%
25%
50%
75%
100%
Aircraft pilot demographics by race
The most common ethnicity among aircraft pilots is White, which makes up 81.5% of all aircraft pilots. Comparatively, 7.2% of aircraft pilots are Hispanic or Latino and 5.6% of aircraft pilots are Unknown.
- White, 81.5%
- Hispanic or Latino, 7.2%
- Unknown, 5.6%
- Asian, 2.8%
- Black or African American, 2.7%
- American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2%
Aircraft pilot race
| Aircraft pilot race | Percentages |
|---|---|
| White | 81.5% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 7.2% |
| Unknown | 5.6% |
| Asian | 2.8% |
| Black or African American | 2.7% |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 0.2% |
Aircraft pilot race and ethnicity over time
See how aircraft pilot racial and ethnic diversity trended since 2010 according to the United States Census Bureau data.
Aircraft pilot race and ethnicity by year
| Year | White | Black or African American | Asian | Hispanic or Latino |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 87.48% | 2.29% | 1.42% | 6.31% |
| 2011 | 88.76% | 2.24% | 1.05% | 5.79% |
| 2012 | 87.96% | 2.82% | 1.58% | 5.66% |
| 2013 | 87.10% | 2.27% | 1.83% | 6.18% |
| 2014 | 87.70% | 2.46% | 1.61% | 5.92% |
| 2015 | 87.10% | 2.13% | 1.76% | 6.51% |
| 2016 | 86.38% | 1.88% | 1.67% | 6.88% |
| 2017 | 87.00% | 2.97% | 1.91% | 5.98% |
| 2018 | 85.30% | 2.16% | 1.99% | 7.52% |
| 2019 | 86.22% | 1.68% | 2.22% | 7.13% |
| 2020 | 82.65% | 2.54% | 2.81% | 7.49% |
| 2021 | 81.47% | 2.73% | 2.78% | 7.19% |
Aircraft pilot wage gap by race
According to our data, unknown aircraft pilots have the highest average salary compared to other ethnicities. Asian aircraft pilots have the lowest average salary at $81,893.
| Ethnicity | Salary |
|---|---|
| Unknown | $95,269 |
| White | $93,614 |
| Black or African American | $91,115 |
| Asian | $81,893 |
| Hispanic or Latino | $88,853 |
Average aircraft pilot age
See how the average age of aircraft pilots varies based on ethnicity and gender.
Male
Female
Aircraft pilot age by race and gender
| Race | Male age | Female age |
|---|---|---|
| Unknown | 46 | |
| White | 44 | 40 |
| Black or African American | 46.5 | |
| Asian | 34 | |
| Hispanic or Latino | 44 |
Aircraft pilot age breakdown
The average age of aircraft pilots is 40+ years years old, representing 61% of the aircraft pilot population.
Aircraft pilot age breakdown
| Aircraft Pilot Years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| 40+ years | 61% |
| 30-40 years | 27% |
| 20-30 years | 11% |
Aircraft pilot educational attainment
The most common degree for aircraft pilots is bachelor's degree, with 77% of aircraft pilots earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are associate degree degree at 15% and associate degree degree at 4%.
- Bachelor's, 77%
- Associate, 15%
- Master's, 4%
- High School Diploma, 2%
- Other Degrees, 2%
Aircraft pilots by degree level
| Aircraft pilot degree | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Bachelor's | 77% |
| Associate | 15% |
| Master's | 4% |
| High School Diploma | 2% |
| Other Degrees | 2% |
Aircraft pilot jobs you might like
Aircraft pilot wage gap by degree level
| Education | Salary |
|---|---|
| Master's Degree | $97,575 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $95,136 |
Aircraft pilot employment statistics
Most aircraft pilots work for a private in the transportation industry.
Company size where aircraft pilots work
Below, you can see the size of companies where aircraft pilots work.
Aircraft pilot jobs by employer size
| Company size | Percentages |
|---|---|
| < 50 employees | 6% |
| 50 - 100 employees | 21% |
| 100 - 500 employees | 17% |
| 500 - 1,000 employees | 4% |
| 1,000 - 10,000 employees | 21% |
| > 10,000 employees | 32% |
Aircraft pilot jobs by company type
Employees with the aircraft pilot job title have their preferences when it comes to working for a company. For instance, most aircraft pilots prefer to work at private companies over government companies.
Aircraft pilot jobs by sector
| Company type | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Education | 4% |
| Public | 22% |
| Private | 50% |
| Government | 24% |
Aircraft pilot jobs by industry
The most common industries for aircraft pilots are transportation, government and technology.
Aircraft pilot industry statistics
| Industry | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Transportation | 18% |
| Government | 16% |
| Fortune 500 | 15% |
| Technology | 8% |
| Finance | 6% |
| Energy | 6% |
| Manufacturing | 6% |
| Professional | 5% |
| Education | 3% |
| Non Profits | 3% |
| Utilities | 3% |
| Real Estate | 3% |
| Media | 2% |
| Construction | 2% |
| Hospitality | 2% |
| Retail | 2% |
Aircraft pilot turnover and employment statistics
Aircraft pilot unemployment rate over time
The unemployment rate for aircraft pilots between 2008 and the most recent data has varied, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Aircraft pilot unemployment rate by year
| Year | Aircraft pilot unemployment rate |
|---|---|
| 2010 | 3.56% |
| 2011 | 2.99% |
| 2012 | 2.30% |
| 2013 | 2.29% |
| 2014 | 2.11% |
| 2015 | 1.19% |
| 2016 | 0.95% |
| 2017 | 1.24% |
| 2018 | 0.65% |
| 2019 | 0.93% |
| 2020 | 1.69% |
| 2021 | 2.31% |
Average aircraft pilot tenure
The average aircraft pilot stays at their job for 1-2 years, based on the 197 aircraft pilots resumes in Zippia's database.
Aircraft pilot tenure statistics
| Number of years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Less than 1 year | 13% |
| 1-2 years | 27% |
| 3-4 years | 20% |
| 5-7 years | 20% |
| 8-10 years | 6% |
| 11+ years | 14% |
Aircraft pilot LGBT ratio compared to similar jobs
Review the percent of aircraft pilots that are members of the LGBT community. You can see how this compares to similar jobs in the chart below.
| Job title | LGBT | Job openings |
|---|---|---|
| Parking Attendant | 3.71% | 45,127 |
| Bagger | 4.53% | 3,411 |
| Detailer | 4.91% | 6,789 |
| Aircraft Pilot | 8.59% | - |
| Aircraft Dispatcher | 13.04% | 7,153 |
| Bus Attendant | 15.05% | 51,391 |
| Airline Flight Attendant | 31.52% | 46,135 |
Similar aircraft pilot jobs LGBT demographics
| Profession | Percentages of LGBT | Job openings |
|---|---|---|
| Parking Attendant | 3.71% | 45,127 |
| Bagger | 4.53% | 3,411 |
| Detailer | 4.91% | 6,789 |
| Aircraft Dispatcher | 13.04% | 7,153 |
| Bus Attendant | 15.05% | 51,391 |
| Airline Flight Attendant | 31.52% | 46,135 |
Foreign languages spoken by aircraft pilots
The most common foreign language among aircraft pilots is Arabic at 42.9%. The second-most popular foreign language spoken is French at 28.6% and Russian is the third-most popular at 14.3%.
- Arabic, 42.9%
- French, 28.6%
- Russian, 14.3%
- Spanish, 14.3%
Aircraft pilot languages spoken
| Foreign language | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Arabic | 42.9% |
| French | 28.6% |
| Russian | 14.3% |
| Spanish | 14.3% |
