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What is a certified flight instructor and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025
3 min read
There is more than meets the eye when it comes to being a certified flight instructor. For example, did you know that they make an average of $26.1 an hour? That's $54,283 a year! Between 2018 and 2028, the career is expected to grow 2% and produce 5,400 job opportunities across the U.S.
ScoreCertified Flight InstructorUS Average
Salary
4.2

Avg. Salary $54,283

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability level
6.9

Growth rate 2%

Growth rate 0.3%

Diversity
5.2
Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.28%

Asian 11.32%

Black or African American 7.04%

Hispanic or Latino 10.04%

Unknown 4.91%

White 66.41%

Gender

female 11.75%

male 88.25%

Age - 46
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 - 46
Stress level
6.9

Stress level is high

7.1 - high

Complexity level
6.1

Complexity level is intermediate

7 - challenging

Work life balance
10.0

Work life balance is excellent

6.4 - fair

Certified flight instructor career paths

Key steps to become a certified flight instructor

  1. Explore certified flight instructor education requirements

    Most common certified flight instructor degrees

    Bachelor's

    67.5 %

    Associate

    15.9 %

    Master's

    9.3 %
  2. Start to develop specific certified flight instructor skills

    SkillsPercentages
    CFI22.55%
    Syllabus19.06%
    Aircraft Systems12.10%
    Emergency Procedures8.27%
    Single Engine7.93%
  3. Complete relevant certified flight instructor training and internships

    Accountants spend an average of Less than 1 month on post-employment, on-the-job training. New certified flight instructors 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 a certified flight instructor based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real certified flight instructor resumes.
  4. Research certified flight instructor duties and responsibilities

    • Achieve business objectives require by corporate standards.
    • Used PowerPoint to create grind school lessons.
    • Provide world-class flight instruction that meet the training course outlines and syllabus.
    • Present ground lessons and prepare all flight lessons in accordance with syllabus.
  5. Prepare your certified flight instructor resume

    When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your certified flight instructor 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 a certified flight instructor resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

    Choose from 10+ customizable certified flight instructor resume templates

    Build a professional certified flight instructor 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 certified flight instructor resume.
    Certified Flight Instructor Resume
    Certified Flight Instructor Resume
    Certified Flight Instructor Resume
    Certified Flight Instructor Resume
    Certified Flight Instructor Resume
    Certified Flight Instructor Resume
    Certified Flight Instructor Resume
    Certified Flight Instructor Resume
    Certified Flight Instructor Resume
  6. Apply for certified flight instructor jobs

    Now it's time to start searching for a certified flight instructor 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 certified flight instructor job

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Average certified flight instructor salary

The average certified flight instructor salary in the United States is $54,283 per year or $26 per hour. Certified flight instructor salaries range between $34,000 and $84,000 per year.

Average certified flight instructor salary
$54,283 Yearly
$26.10 hourly

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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.

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