Commercial pilot vs private pilot

The differences between commercial pilots and private 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 private pilot. Additionally, a private pilot has an average salary of $100,673, 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 private pilot are FAA, pilot license, and single engine.

Commercial pilot vs private pilot overview

	Commercial Pilot	Private Pilot
Yearly salary	$94,406	$100,673
Hourly rate	$45.39	$48.40
Growth rate	6%	6%
Number of jobs	29,118	5,013
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 65%	Bachelor's Degree, 67%
Average age	44	44
Years of experience	4	4

Commercial pilot vs private pilot salary

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

	Commercial Pilot	Private Pilot
Average salary	$94,406	$100,673
Salary range	Between $63,000 And $139,000	Between $74,000 And $135,000
Highest paying City	Jackson, CA	-
Highest paying state	California	-
Best paying company	Realty World California	-
Best paying industry	Manufacturing	-

Differences between commercial pilot and private pilot education

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

	Commercial Pilot	Private Pilot
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 65%	Bachelor's Degree, 67%
Most common major	Aviation	Aviation
Most common college	SUNY Farmingdale	Stanford University

Commercial pilot vs private pilot demographics

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

	Commercial Pilot	Private Pilot
Average age	44	44
Gender ratio	Male, 91.9% Female, 8.1%	Male, 83.9% Female, 16.1%
Race ratio	Black 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, 7.0% Asian, 2.8% White, 81.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3%
LGBT Percentage	9%	9%

Differences between commercial pilot and private 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.

Private pilot example responsibilities.

Serve as a professional pilot managing a flight crew and ensuring safe transportation of VIP's internationally.
Complete FAA certify private private pilot training.
Assist with all aspects of administration, logistics and equipment inventory, ensuring successful financial execution.
Ferry and sightseeing flights done at request of management in accordance with 14 CFR part 91.

Commercial pilot vs private pilot skills

Common commercial pilot skills

FAA, 24%
Flight Operations, 12%
Pilot-In-Command, 11%
PIC, 11%
Flight Planning, 6%
Customer Service, 6%

Common private pilot skills

FAA, 59%
Pilot License, 31%
Single Engine, 10%

Commercial Pilot vs. similar jobs

Commercial Pilot related careers

Commercial Pilot related jobs

What similar roles do

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Transportation Industry
Commercial Pilot
Commercial Pilot vs Private Pilot

Updated January 8, 2025

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