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What is a commercial airline pilot 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 commercial airline pilot. For example, did you know that they make an average of $47.16 an hour? That's $98,101 a year! Between 2018 and 2028, the career is expected to grow 6% and produce 7,700 job opportunities across the U.S.
ScoreCommercial Airline PilotUS Average
Salary
7.6

Avg. Salary $98,101

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability level
8.9

Growth rate 6%

Growth rate 0.3%

Diversity
5.2
Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.26%

Asian 2.76%

Black or African American 2.69%

Hispanic or Latino 7.03%

Unknown 5.54%

White 81.72%

Gender

female 16.36%

male 83.64%

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
8.9

Stress level is very high

7.1 - high

Complexity level
7.2

Complexity level is challenging

7 - challenging

Work life balance
4.4

Work life balance is poor

6.4 - fair

Commercial airline pilot career paths

Key steps to become a commercial airline pilot

  1. Explore commercial airline pilot education requirements

    Most common commercial airline pilot degrees

    Bachelor's

    76.9 %

    Associate

    17.9 %

    High School Diploma

    2.6 %
  2. Start to develop specific commercial airline pilot skills

    SkillsPercentages
    FAA100.00%
  3. Complete relevant commercial airline pilot training and internships

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

    • Serve as a professional pilot managing a flight crew and ensuring safe transportation of VIP's internationally.
    • Experience in curriculum design and development utilizing the ADDIE model within company and FAA guidelines resulting in consistently superior student results.
    • Ferry and sightseeing flights done at request of management in accordance with 14 CFR part 91.
  5. Prepare your commercial airline pilot resume

    When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your commercial airline 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 a commercial airline 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 commercial airline pilot resume templates

    Build a professional commercial airline 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 commercial airline pilot resume.
    Commercial Airline Pilot Resume
    Commercial Airline Pilot Resume
    Commercial Airline Pilot Resume
    Commercial Airline Pilot Resume
    Commercial Airline Pilot Resume
    Commercial Airline Pilot Resume
    Commercial Airline Pilot Resume
    Commercial Airline Pilot Resume
    Commercial Airline Pilot Resume
  6. Apply for commercial airline pilot jobs

    Now it's time to start searching for a commercial airline 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 commercial airline pilot job

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Are you a commercial airline pilot?

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Average commercial airline pilot salary

The average commercial airline pilot salary in the United States is $98,101 per year or $47 per hour. Commercial airline pilot salaries range between $74,000 and $128,000 per year.

Average commercial airline pilot salary
$98,101 Yearly
$47.16 hourly

What am I worth?

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How do commercial airline pilots rate their job?

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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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