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Job outlook for pilot captains in the United States
Are pilot captain jobs in demand?
Yes, pilot captain jobs are in demand. Pilot captain demand is projected to grow 6% from 2018 to 2028.
Pilot captain job and salary trends over time
Compare the number of pilot captain jobs and the average pilot captain salary over time.
Pilot captain jobs over time
Pilot captain job growth rate over time
| Year | # of jobs | % of population |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 484 | 0.00% |
| 2020 | 420 | 0.00% |
| 2019 | 428 | 0.00% |
| 2018 | 428 | 0.00% |
| 2017 | 435 | 0.00% |
Average pilot captain salary over time
Pilot captain salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $68,096 | $32.74 | +8.4% |
| 2024 | $62,826 | $30.20 | +4.7% |
| 2023 | $60,023 | $28.86 | +4.4% |
| 2022 | $57,469 | $27.63 | +2.0% |
| 2021 | $56,345 | $27.09 | +1.4% |
Pilot captain jobs by state
The map below shows you the number of pilot captain job openings in each state. The darker areas on the map show where pilot captains earn the highest salaries across all 50 states.
Average salary: Job openings:
Most common states for pilot captains
| Rank | State | Population | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Florida | 20,984,400 | 117 | 1% |
| 2 | Colorado | 5,607,154 | 43 | 1% |
| 3 | South Carolina | 5,024,369 | 36 | 1% |
| 4 | Oklahoma | 3,930,864 | 29 | 1% |
| 5 | Nevada | 2,998,039 | 25 | 1% |
| 6 | Oregon | 4,142,776 | 21 | 1% |
| 7 | Iowa | 3,145,711 | 16 | 1% |
| 8 | Nebraska | 1,920,076 | 11 | 1% |
| 9 | Idaho | 1,716,943 | 10 | 1% |
| 10 | Alaska | 739,795 | 8 | 1% |
| 11 | District of Columbia | 693,972 | 7 | 1% |
| 12 | Montana | 1,050,493 | 6 | 1% |
| 13 | North Dakota | 755,393 | 5 | 1% |
| 14 | Michigan | 9,962,311 | 36 | 0% |
| 15 | New Jersey | 9,005,644 | 33 | 0% |
| 16 | Missouri | 6,113,532 | 29 | 0% |
| 17 | Louisiana | 4,684,333 | 21 | 0% |
| 18 | Kentucky | 4,454,189 | 12 | 0% |
| 19 | Kansas | 2,913,123 | 9 | 0% |
| 20 | Wyoming | 579,315 | 1 | 0% |
Most common cities for pilot captains
| Rank | City | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl | Avg. salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Palm Springs | 1 | 2% | $66,660 |
| 2 | Fort Smith | 1 | 1% | $65,733 |
Pilot Captain job outlook: Expert opinions
We spoke to pilot captain professors and experts from several universities and companies to get their opinions on where the pilot captain job market for recent graduates is heading and how young graduates entering the pilot captain industry can be adequately prepared. Here are their thoughts.
Our panel of pilot captain experts
Russ Leighton
CAPA
What type of skills will young Pilot Captains need?
Russ Leighton: The outlook for U.S. Airlines in a post-pandemic economy is still unknown. Right now, it is likely that thousands of pilots will be furloughed as most U.S. carriers have drastically cutback operations, especially internationally. This will make applying for the very few job opportunities that do exist extremely competitive. Candidates with more flight experience and bachelor's degrees will have a better likelihood of success. Military pilots and civilian pilots with aviation degrees will have the best chances of success.
Pilot captain jobs
Updated November 13, 2020