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The differences between captains and pilots can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 4-6 years to become a captain, becoming a pilot takes usually requires 2-4 years. Additionally, a pilot has an average salary of $83,128, which is higher than the $52,161 average annual salary of a captain.
The top three skills for a captain include customer service, safety standards and food preparation. The most important skills for a pilot are PIC, pilot-in-command, and flight operations.
| Captain | Pilot | |
| Yearly salary | $52,161 | $83,128 |
| Hourly rate | $25.08 | $39.97 |
| Growth rate | 1% | 6% |
| Number of jobs | 4,430 | 3,049 |
| Job satisfaction | - | 5 |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 67% | Bachelor's Degree, 59% |
| Average age | 42 | 44 |
| Years of experience | 6 | 4 |
Captains oversee the entire operations of a sea vessel, usually ships. Their main responsibility is to ensure that the vessel safely travels from point A to point B. They are expert navigators who manage the course of the vessel. Captains should also be familiar with the different equipment aboard the ship and should be able to use them effectively. They should know how to properly maintain the equipment on board and should also know how to do repairs. Captains also manage their ship's crew and oversee the crews' overall performance. They also manage the finances and other operations-related activities during the course of their travel. Captains should have good communication skills, quick decision-making skills, and expert navigation skills.
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.
Captains and pilots have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Captain | Pilot | |
| Average salary | $52,161 | $83,128 |
| Salary range | Between $31,000 And $85,000 | Between $58,000 And $118,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | California |
| Best paying company | HP | |
| Best paying industry | Transportation | Transportation |
There are a few differences between a captain and a pilot in terms of educational background:
| Captain | Pilot | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 67% | Bachelor's Degree, 59% |
| Most common major | Business | Aviation |
| Most common college | Stanford University | SUNY Farmingdale |
Here are the differences between captains' and pilots' demographics:
| Captain | Pilot | |
| Average age | 42 | 44 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 65.4% Female, 34.6% | Male, 70.7% Female, 29.3% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 6.7% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 8.7% Asian, 3.1% White, 75.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.1% | 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 | 11% | 9% |