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Airline pilot vs military pilot

The differences between airline pilots and military 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 airline pilot and a military pilot. Additionally, a military pilot has an average salary of $100,754, which is higher than the $85,534 average annual salary of an airline pilot.

The top three skills for an airline pilot include aircraft systems, FAA and PIC. The most important skills for a military pilot are helicopter, logistics, and safety.

Airline pilot vs military pilot overview

Airline PilotMilitary Pilot
Yearly salary$85,534$100,754
Hourly rate$41.12$48.44
Growth rate6%6%
Number of jobs2,8515,217
Job satisfaction--
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 70%Bachelor's Degree, 77%
Average age4444
Years of experience44

Airline pilot vs military pilot salary

Airline pilots and military pilots have different pay scales, as shown below.

Airline PilotMilitary Pilot
Average salary$85,534$100,754
Salary rangeBetween $66,000 And $110,000Between $73,000 And $137,000
Highest paying CitySaint George, UT-
Highest paying stateOregon-
Best paying companySpirit Airlines-
Best paying industryTransportation-

Differences between airline pilot and military pilot education

There are a few differences between an airline pilot and a military pilot in terms of educational background:

Airline PilotMilitary Pilot
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 70%Bachelor's Degree, 77%
Most common majorAviationAviation
Most common collegeSUNY FarmingdaleStanford University

Airline pilot vs military pilot demographics

Here are the differences between airline pilots' and military pilots' demographics:

Airline PilotMilitary Pilot
Average age4444
Gender ratioMale, 92.4% Female, 7.6%Male, 92.3% Female, 7.7%
Race ratioBlack or African American, 2.6% Unknown, 5.5% Hispanic or Latino, 6.9% Asian, 2.7% White, 82.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3%Black or African American, 2.7% Unknown, 5.5% Hispanic or Latino, 6.9% Asian, 2.7% White, 82.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3%
LGBT Percentage9%9%

Differences between airline pilot and military pilot duties and responsibilities

Airline pilot example responsibilities.

  • Serve as a professional pilot managing a flight crew and ensuring safe transportation of VIP's internationally.
  • Assist with all aspects of administration, logistics and equipment inventory, ensuring successful financial execution.
  • Conduct pilot proficiency and standardization evaluations in both A320 aircraft and simulator.

Military pilot example responsibilities.

  • Serve as a professional pilot managing a flight crew and ensuring safe transportation of VIP's internationally.
  • Assist with all aspects of administration, logistics and equipment inventory, ensuring successful financial execution.
  • Qualify in helicopters, multi-engine transports and various training aircraft.
  • Coordinate with AATD and USMA to assist with visits to the UK.

Airline pilot vs military pilot skills

Common airline pilot skills
  • Aircraft Systems, 35%
  • FAA, 13%
  • PIC, 12%
  • Flight Operations, 10%
  • Federal Aviation, 8%
  • Pilot-In-Command, 6%
Common military pilot skills
  • Helicopter, 73%
  • Logistics, 14%
  • Safety, 14%

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