Post job

What is an airline transport pilot and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025
3 min read
The average airline transport pilot salary is $95,279. The most common degree is a bachelor's degree degree with an aviation major. It usually takes 2-4 years of experience to become an airline transport pilot. Airline transport pilots with a Airline Transport Pilot (ATP) certification earn more money. Between 2018 and 2028, the career is expected to grow 6% and produce 7,700 job opportunities across the U.S.
ScoreAirline Transport PilotUS Average
Salary
7.4

Avg. Salary $95,279

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability level
9.8

Growth rate 6%

Growth rate 0.3%

Diversity
5.2
Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.26%

Asian 2.79%

Black or African American 2.76%

Hispanic or Latino 7.33%

Unknown 5.60%

White 81.26%

Gender

female 1.69%

male 98.31%

Age - 44
Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%

Asian 7.00%

Black or African American 14.00%

Hispanic or Latino 19.00%

White 57.00%

Gender

female 47.00%

male 53.00%

Age - 44
Stress level
9.8

Stress level is very high

7.1 - high

Complexity level
9.4

Complexity level is advanced

7 - challenging

Work life balance
4.4

Work life balance is poor

6.4 - fair

Airline transport pilot career paths

Key steps to become an airline transport pilot

  1. Explore airline transport pilot education requirements

    Most common airline transport pilot degrees

    Bachelor's

    66.7 %

    Associate

    20.5 %

    Master's

    7.7 %
  2. Start to develop specific airline transport pilot skills

    SkillsPercentages
    PIC52.50%
    FAA47.50%
  3. Complete relevant airline transport pilot training and internships

    Accountants spend an average of 1-3 months on post-employment, on-the-job training. New airline transport pilots learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as an airline transport pilot based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real airline transport pilot resumes.
  4. Research airline transport pilot duties and responsibilities

    • Lead teams into combat situations as well as into austere and commercial locations in nearly every part of the world.
    • Fulfill FAA compliant record keeping, flight safety and organizational requirements.
    • Assist with all aspects of administration, logistics and equipment inventory, ensuring successful financial execution.
    • License in both single-engine and multi-engine airplanes.
  5. Prepare your airline transport pilot resume

    When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your airline transport pilot resume.

    You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on an airline transport pilot resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

    Choose from 10+ customizable airline transport pilot resume templates

    Build a professional airline transport pilot resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. Then choose from 10+ resume templates to create your airline transport pilot resume.
    Airline Transport Pilot Resume
    Airline Transport Pilot Resume
    Airline Transport Pilot Resume
    Airline Transport Pilot Resume
    Airline Transport Pilot Resume
    Airline Transport Pilot Resume
    Airline Transport Pilot Resume
    Airline Transport Pilot Resume
    Airline Transport Pilot Resume
  6. Apply for airline transport pilot jobs

    Now it's time to start searching for an airline transport pilot job. Consider the tips below for a successful job search:

    1. Browse job boards for relevant postings
    2. Consult your professional network
    3. Reach out to companies you're interested in working for directly
    4. Watch out for job scams

How did you land your first airline transport pilot job

Zippi

Are you an airline transport pilot?

Share your story for a free salary report.

Average airline transport pilot salary

The average airline transport pilot salary in the United States is $95,279 per year or $46 per hour. Airline transport pilot salaries range between $74,000 and $121,000 per year.

Average airline transport pilot salary
$95,279 Yearly
$45.81 hourly

What am I worth?

salary-calculator

How do airline transport pilots rate their job?

Working as an airline transport pilot? Share your experience anonymously.
Overall rating*
Career growth
Work/Life balance
Pay/Salary

Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Research Team
Zippia Team

Editorial Staff

The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.

Browse transportation jobs