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Commercial pilot vs charter pilot

The differences between commercial pilots and charter pilots can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 2-4 years to become both a commercial pilot and a charter pilot. Additionally, a commercial pilot has an average salary of $94,406, which is higher than the $87,597 average annual salary of a charter pilot.

The top three skills for a commercial pilot include FAA, flight operations and pilot-in-command. The most important skills for a charter pilot are on-demand, pilot-in-command, and FAA.

Commercial pilot vs charter pilot overview

Commercial PilotCharter Pilot
Yearly salary$94,406$87,597
Hourly rate$45.39$42.11
Growth rate6%6%
Number of jobs29,1182,711
Job satisfaction--
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 65%Bachelor's Degree, 67%
Average age4444
Years of experience44

Commercial pilot vs charter pilot salary

Commercial pilots and charter pilots have different pay scales, as shown below.

Commercial PilotCharter Pilot
Average salary$94,406$87,597
Salary rangeBetween $63,000 And $139,000Between $65,000 And $118,000
Highest paying CityJackson, CA-
Highest paying stateCalifornia-
Best paying companyRealty World California-
Best paying industryManufacturing-

Differences between commercial pilot and charter pilot education

There are a few differences between a commercial pilot and a charter pilot in terms of educational background:

Commercial PilotCharter Pilot
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 65%Bachelor's Degree, 67%
Most common majorAviationAviation
Most common collegeSUNY FarmingdaleSUNY Farmingdale

Commercial pilot vs charter pilot demographics

Here are the differences between commercial pilots' and charter pilots' demographics:

Commercial PilotCharter Pilot
Average age4444
Gender ratioMale, 91.9% Female, 8.1%Male, 90.9% Female, 9.1%
Race ratioBlack or African American, 2.7% Unknown, 5.5% Hispanic or Latino, 7.0% Asian, 2.8% White, 81.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3%Black or African American, 2.7% Unknown, 5.5% Hispanic or Latino, 7.1% Asian, 2.8% White, 81.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3%
LGBT Percentage9%9%

Differences between commercial pilot and charter pilot duties and responsibilities

Commercial pilot example responsibilities.

  • Serve as a professional pilot managing a flight crew and ensuring safe transportation of VIP's internationally.
  • Instruct pilots in recurrent flight training and grind school for aircraft systems, FAA regulations, company policies and procedures.
  • Grind school, IFR and advance simulator training.
  • Monitor and ensure compliance with establish policies, directives, and FAA operation specifications.
  • Assist with all aspects of administration, logistics and equipment inventory, ensuring successful financial execution.
  • Arm airborne helicopter escort and SAR operations.
    • Show more

Charter pilot example responsibilities.

  • Serve as a professional pilot managing a flight crew and ensuring safe transportation of VIP's internationally.
  • Develop and implement operational and administrative policies to align company policies and procedures with government (FAA) regulatory guidelines.
  • Conduct pilot proficiency and standardization evaluations in both A320 aircraft and simulator.

Commercial pilot vs charter pilot skills

Common commercial pilot skills
  • FAA, 24%
  • Flight Operations, 12%
  • Pilot-In-Command, 11%
  • PIC, 11%
  • Flight Planning, 6%
  • Customer Service, 6%
Common charter pilot skills
  • On-Demand, 32%
  • Pilot-In-Command, 21%
  • FAA, 20%
  • PIC, 19%
  • Flight Operations, 8%

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Updated January 8, 2025

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