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The differences between flight engineers and 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 engineer and a pilot. Additionally, a flight engineer has an average salary of $85,035, which is higher than the $83,128 average annual salary of a pilot.
The top three skills for a flight engineer include FAA, flight operations and simulator. The most important skills for a pilot are PIC, pilot-in-command, and flight operations.
| Flight Engineer | Pilot | |
| Yearly salary | $85,035 | $83,128 |
| Hourly rate | $40.88 | $39.97 |
| Growth rate | 6% | 6% |
| Number of jobs | 2,042 | 3,049 |
| Job satisfaction | - | 5 |
| Most common degree | Associate Degree, 41% | Bachelor's Degree, 59% |
| Average age | 44 | 44 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 4 |
A Flight Engineer monitors and controls various aircraft systems, such as airplanes and helicopters. They ensure that all components of the plane are in proper working order, as well as diagnose and rectify problems that may arise.
A pilot is an individual who works in the aviation industry to operate aircraft and transport passengers and cargos from one location to another. Pilots can fly and navigate different types of aircrafts such as helicopters, large commercial aircraft, or cargo planes. They must perform pre-flight inspections and check flight logs to secure safety for all crews and passengers who are on board. Pilots can also decide to work as flight instructors or establish an aviation school when they have gained enough experience in the aviation industry.
Flight engineers and pilots have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Flight Engineer | Pilot | |
| Average salary | $85,035 | $83,128 |
| Salary range | Between $55,000 And $129,000 | Between $58,000 And $118,000 |
| Highest paying City | Gilbert, AZ | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | Arizona | California |
| Best paying company | Learjet | HP |
| Best paying industry | Technology | Transportation |
There are a few differences between a flight engineer and a pilot in terms of educational background:
| Flight Engineer | Pilot | |
| Most common degree | Associate Degree, 41% | Bachelor's Degree, 59% |
| Most common major | Aviation | Aviation |
| Most common college | University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign | SUNY Farmingdale |
Here are the differences between flight engineers' and pilots' demographics:
| Flight Engineer | Pilot | |
| Average age | 44 | 44 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 94.7% Female, 5.3% | Male, 70.7% Female, 29.3% |
| 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, 2.7% Unknown, 5.6% Hispanic or Latino, 7.2% Asian, 2.8% White, 81.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3% |
| LGBT Percentage | 9% | 9% |