Explore jobs
Find specific jobs
Explore careers
Explore professions
Best companies
Explore companies
The differences between aviators and pilot captains can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 2-4 years to become both an aviator and a pilot captain. Additionally, an aviator has an average salary of $97,217, which is higher than the $68,096 average annual salary of a pilot captain.
The top three skills for an aviator include aircraft systems, flight safety and flight training. The most important skills for a pilot captain are PIC, FAA, and IFR.
| Aviator | Pilot Captain | |
| Yearly salary | $97,217 | $68,096 |
| Hourly rate | $46.74 | $32.74 |
| Growth rate | 6% | 6% |
| Number of jobs | 3,482 | 5,093 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 86% | Bachelor's Degree, 71% |
| Average age | 44 | 44 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 4 |
An aviator, also known as a pilot, operates aircraft for commercial or private use. Although their duties vary upon their company or industry of employment, it usually entails performing regular inspections before and after every flight, coordinating with staff, maintaining an active communication line with air traffic controller, determining routes and schedules, analyzing flight plans, and monitoring the weather conditions. Moreover, as an aviator, it is essential to be proactive and professional in dealing with issues and concerns.
A pilot captain is an experienced pilot who is primarily responsible for the flight, passengers, and crew. As the pilot with the highest authority in an aircraft, they are in charge of ensuring that all necessary procedures and safety checks are carried out before, during, and after flights. It is also their duty to conduct weather and flight plan checks, coordinate with air-traffic controllers and airport personnel while working together with co-pilots, and addressing issues and concerns, resolving them promptly and efficiently.
Aviators and pilot captains have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Aviator | Pilot Captain | |
| Average salary | $97,217 | $68,096 |
| Salary range | Between $76,000 And $122,000 | Between $57,000 And $81,000 |
| Highest paying City | - | Newark, NJ |
| Highest paying state | - | New Jersey |
| Best paying company | - | Wiggins Airways |
| Best paying industry | - | Transportation |
There are a few differences between an aviator and a pilot captain in terms of educational background:
| Aviator | Pilot Captain | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 86% | Bachelor's Degree, 71% |
| Most common major | Aerospace Engineering | Aviation |
| Most common college | Stanford University | SUNY Farmingdale |
Here are the differences between aviators' and pilot captains' demographics:
| Aviator | Pilot Captain | |
| Average age | 44 | 44 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 94.7% Female, 5.3% | Male, 92.6% Female, 7.4% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 2.7% Unknown, 5.5% Hispanic or Latino, 7.0% Asian, 2.7% White, 81.8% 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, 81.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3% |
| LGBT Percentage | 9% | 9% |