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The differences between chief pilots and aviators can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 2-4 years to become both a chief pilot and an aviator. Additionally, an aviator has an average salary of $97,217, which is higher than the $86,920 average annual salary of a chief pilot.
The top three skills for a chief pilot include flight operations, pilot-in-command and PIC. The most important skills for an aviator are aircraft systems, flight safety, and flight training.
| Chief Pilot | Aviator | |
| Yearly salary | $86,920 | $97,217 |
| Hourly rate | $41.79 | $46.74 |
| Growth rate | 6% | 6% |
| Number of jobs | 16,638 | 3,482 |
| Job satisfaction | 4 | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 68% | Bachelor's Degree, 86% |
| Average age | 44 | 44 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 4 |
A Chief Pilot assigns and oversees the duties of flight and ground personnel. They ensure compliance with federal and state laws and regulations, including federal aviation regulations.
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.
Chief pilots and aviators have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Chief Pilot | Aviator | |
| Average salary | $86,920 | $97,217 |
| Salary range | Between $59,000 And $126,000 | Between $76,000 And $122,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | - |
| Highest paying state | California | - |
| Best paying company | NetJets | - |
| Best paying industry | Manufacturing | - |
There are a few differences between a chief pilot and an aviator in terms of educational background:
| Chief Pilot | Aviator | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 68% | Bachelor's Degree, 86% |
| Most common major | Aviation | Aerospace Engineering |
| Most common college | SUNY Farmingdale | Stanford University |
Here are the differences between chief pilots' and aviators' demographics:
| Chief Pilot | Aviator | |
| Average age | 44 | 44 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 95.6% Female, 4.4% | Male, 94.7% Female, 5.3% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 2.7% Unknown, 5.5% Hispanic or Latino, 7.0% Asian, 2.7% White, 81.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3% | 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% |
| LGBT Percentage | 9% | 9% |