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The differences between flight commanders and air force 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 flight commander and an air force pilot. Additionally, an air force pilot has an average salary of $98,196, which is higher than the $70,672 average annual salary of a flight commander.
The top three skills for a flight commander include combat, logistics support and USAF. The most important skills for an air force pilot are FAA, flight operations, and USAF.
| Flight Commander | Air Force Pilot | |
| Yearly salary | $70,672 | $98,196 |
| Hourly rate | $33.98 | $47.21 |
| Growth rate | 6% | 6% |
| Number of jobs | 1,581 | 3,867 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 71% | Bachelor's Degree, 45% |
| Average age | 44 | 44 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 4 |
A Flight Commander is the leader of a constituent portion of an aerial squadron in aerial operations, often into combat. The position is traditionally held by a captain, naval lieutenant, or air force flight lieutenant.
Primarily, an Air Force pilot flies aircraft such as bombers, transport planes, unmanned aerial vehicles, and tankers in the U.S. The pilots command their crews to complete training, combat, and other missions. They serve as military aviators who are trained to engage in air-to-ground and air-to-air combat. It is important that they master aviation skills, train, and lead flight crews, and perform flight operations. When not flying, they lead and manage the aircraft maintenance department crew.
Flight commanders and air force pilots have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Flight Commander | Air Force Pilot | |
| Average salary | $70,672 | $98,196 |
| Salary range | Between $49,000 And $101,000 | Between $74,000 And $130,000 |
| Highest paying City | - | - |
| Highest paying state | - | - |
| Best paying company | - | - |
| Best paying industry | - | - |
There are a few differences between a flight commander and an air force pilot in terms of educational background:
| Flight Commander | Air Force Pilot | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 71% | Bachelor's Degree, 45% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | SUNY Farmingdale | SUNY Farmingdale |
Here are the differences between flight commanders' and air force pilots' demographics:
| Flight Commander | Air Force Pilot | |
| Average age | 44 | 44 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 79.7% Female, 20.3% | Male, 80.0% Female, 20.0% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 2.7% Unknown, 5.5% Hispanic or Latino, 6.9% Asian, 2.7% White, 81.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3% | Black or African American, 2.6% Unknown, 5.5% Hispanic or Latino, 6.8% Asian, 2.7% White, 82.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3% |
| LGBT Percentage | 9% | 9% |