Pilot captain vs private pilot

The differences between pilot captains 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 pilot captain and a private pilot. Additionally, a private pilot has an average salary of $100,673, which is higher than the $68,096 average annual salary of a pilot captain.

The top three skills for a pilot captain include PIC, FAA and IFR. The most important skills for a private pilot are FAA, pilot license, and single engine.

Pilot captain vs private pilot overview

	Pilot Captain	Private Pilot
Yearly salary	$68,096	$100,673
Hourly rate	$32.74	$48.40
Growth rate	6%	6%
Number of jobs	5,093	5,013
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 71%	Bachelor's Degree, 67%
Average age	44	44
Years of experience	4	4

Pilot captain vs private pilot salary

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

	Pilot Captain	Private Pilot
Average salary	$68,096	$100,673
Salary range	Between $57,000 And $81,000	Between $74,000 And $135,000
Highest paying City	Newark, NJ	-
Highest paying state	New Jersey	-
Best paying company	Wiggins Airways	-
Best paying industry	Transportation	-

Differences between pilot captain and private pilot education

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

	Pilot Captain	Private Pilot
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 71%	Bachelor's Degree, 67%
Most common major	Aviation	Aviation
Most common college	SUNY Farmingdale	Stanford University

Pilot captain vs private pilot demographics

Here are the differences between pilot captains' and private pilots' demographics:

	Pilot Captain	Private Pilot
Average age	44	44
Gender ratio	Male, 92.6% Female, 7.4%	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, 81.4% 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 pilot captain and private pilot duties and responsibilities

Pilot captain example responsibilities.

Lead a platoon that earn numerous awards for jamming opposition force artillery nets and conducting counterattacks on opposition electronic warfare platoons.
Evaluate trainee knowledge of aircraft systems and company procedures and adherence to FAA standards.
Perform UAS and grind equipment testing, troubleshooting, and maintenance.
Provide UAV mission support and flight instruction, annual proficiency reviews, and flight evaluations.
Present at events such as, tournament dinners, NCAA banquets and recognition events on behalf of the team.
Plan and conduct emergency drills, equipment checks, and safety meetings in accordance with USCG regulations and company policy.

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.

Pilot captain vs private pilot skills

Common pilot captain skills

PIC, 37%
FAA, 25%
IFR, 16%
Icao, 5%
Flight Safety, 5%
Flight Operations, 5%

Common private pilot skills

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

Pilot Captain vs. similar jobs

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Updated January 8, 2025

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