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Commercial pilot vs military pilot

The differences between commercial pilots and military 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 military pilot. Additionally, a military pilot has an average salary of $100,754, which is higher than the $94,406 average annual salary of a commercial pilot.

The top three skills for a commercial pilot include FAA, flight operations and pilot-in-command. The most important skills for a military pilot are helicopter, logistics, and safety.

Commercial pilot vs military pilot overview

Commercial PilotMilitary Pilot
Yearly salary$94,406$100,754
Hourly rate$45.39$48.44
Growth rate6%6%
Number of jobs29,1185,217
Job satisfaction--
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 65%Bachelor's Degree, 77%
Average age4444
Years of experience44

Commercial pilot vs military pilot salary

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

Commercial PilotMilitary Pilot
Average salary$94,406$100,754
Salary rangeBetween $63,000 And $139,000Between $73,000 And $137,000
Highest paying CityJackson, CA-
Highest paying stateCalifornia-
Best paying companyRealty World California-
Best paying industryManufacturing-

Differences between commercial pilot and military pilot education

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

Commercial PilotMilitary Pilot
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 65%Bachelor's Degree, 77%
Most common majorAviationAviation
Most common collegeSUNY FarmingdaleStanford University

Commercial pilot vs military pilot demographics

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

Commercial PilotMilitary Pilot
Average age4444
Gender ratioMale, 91.9% Female, 8.1%Male, 92.3% Female, 7.7%
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, 6.9% Asian, 2.7% White, 82.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3%
LGBT Percentage9%9%

Differences between commercial pilot and military 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

Military pilot example responsibilities.

  • Serve as a professional pilot managing a flight crew and ensuring safe transportation of VIP's internationally.
  • Assist with all aspects of administration, logistics and equipment inventory, ensuring successful financial execution.
  • Qualify in helicopters, multi-engine transports and various training aircraft.
  • Coordinate with AATD and USMA to assist with visits to the UK.

Commercial pilot vs military pilot skills

Common commercial pilot skills
  • FAA, 24%
  • Flight Operations, 12%
  • Pilot-In-Command, 11%
  • PIC, 11%
  • Flight Planning, 6%
  • Customer Service, 6%
Common military pilot skills
  • Helicopter, 73%
  • Logistics, 14%
  • Safety, 14%

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Updated January 8, 2025

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