Line pilot vs private pilot

The differences between line 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 line pilot and a private pilot. Additionally, a private pilot has an average salary of $100,673, which is higher than the $96,403 average annual salary of a line pilot.

The top three skills for a line pilot include EMS, helicopter and federal aviation. The most important skills for a private pilot are FAA, pilot license, and single engine.

Line pilot vs private pilot overview

	Line Pilot	Private Pilot
Yearly salary	$96,403	$100,673
Hourly rate	$46.35	$48.40
Growth rate	6%	6%
Number of jobs	47,582	5,013
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 63%	Bachelor's Degree, 67%
Average age	44	44
Years of experience	4	4

Line pilot vs private pilot salary

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

	Line Pilot	Private Pilot
Average salary	$96,403	$100,673
Salary range	Between $67,000 And $137,000	Between $74,000 And $135,000
Highest paying City	-	-
Highest paying state	-	-
Best paying company	-	-
Best paying industry	-	-

Differences between line pilot and private pilot education

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

	Line Pilot	Private Pilot
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 63%	Bachelor's Degree, 67%
Most common major	Aviation	Aviation
Most common college	SUNY Farmingdale	Stanford University

Line pilot vs private pilot demographics

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

	Line Pilot	Private Pilot
Average age	44	44
Gender ratio	Male, 89.3% Female, 10.7%	Male, 83.9% Female, 16.1%
Race ratio	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%	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 line pilot and private pilot duties and responsibilities

Line pilot example responsibilities.

Serve as a professional pilot managing a flight crew and ensuring safe transportation of VIP's internationally.
Charter pilot, piston twins, turbine twins, AC690B, BE90 PIC.
Ensure compliance with FAA regulations and safe operation of AS350 aircraft.
Update avionics electronic devices with the latest software upgrades and reprogram electronic GPS devices.
Plan and prepare for various training missions, learned syllabus requirements and weather information.
Provide primary jet training (aerial and grind) to USAF and international students.

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.

Line pilot vs private pilot skills

Common line pilot skills

EMS, 43%
Helicopter, 26%
Federal Aviation, 23%
NVG, 5%
PIC, 1%
FAA, 1%

Common private pilot skills

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

Line Pilot vs. similar jobs

Line Pilot related careers

Line Pilot related jobs

What similar roles do

Updated January 8, 2025

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