Pilot instructor demographics and statistics in the US
Pilot instructor demographics research summary. Zippia estimates pilot instructor demographics and statistics in the United States by using a database of 30 million profiles. Our pilot instructor estimates are verified against BLS, Census, and current job openings data for accuracy. Zippia's data science team found the following key facts about pilot instructors after extensive research and analysis:
- There are over 3,927 pilot instructors currently employed in the United States.
- 6.5% of all pilot instructors are women, while 93.5% are men.
- The average pilot instructor age is 44 years old.
- The most common ethnicity of pilot instructors is White (81.6%), followed by Hispanic or Latino (7.1%), Unknown (5.5%) and Asian (2.8%).
- In 2022, women earned 93% of what men earned.
- 9% of all pilot instructors are LGBT.
- Pilot instructors are 68% more likely to work at private companies in comparison to public companies.
On this page
Pilot instructor demographics by:
Pilot instructor gender statistics
6.5% of pilot instructors are women and 93.5% of pilot instructors are men.
- Male, 93.5%
- Female, 6.5%
Pilot instructor gender ratio
| Gender | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Male | 93.5% |
| Female | 6.5% |
Pilot instructor gender pay gap
Women earn 93¢ for every $1 earned by men
Male income
$84,290
Female income
$78,531
Pilot instructor gender ratio over time
This data breaks down the percentage of men and women in pilot instructor positions over time. Currently, 6.5% of pilot instructors are female.
Pilot instructor gender ratio by year
| Year | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 94.77% | 5.23% |
| 2011 | 96.64% | 3.36% |
| 2012 | 93.44% | 6.56% |
| 2013 | 95.55% | 4.45% |
| 2014 | 94.93% | 5.07% |
| 2015 | 95.53% | 4.47% |
| 2016 | 92.98% | 7.02% |
| 2017 | 93.49% | 6.51% |
| 2018 | 93.47% | 6.53% |
| 2019 | 94.58% | 5.42% |
| 2020 | 93.87% | 6.13% |
| 2021 | 93.50% | 6.50% |
Pilot instructor related jobs gender ratio
We compared pilot instructors with similar job titles to see how gender ratios vary. As you can see, airline transport pilot and combat control have the biggest gender ratio gaps.
| Job title | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| Airline Flight Attendant | 16% | 84% |
| International Flight Attendant | 21% | 79% |
| Flight Attendant | 21% | 79% |
| Pilot Instructor | 94% | 7% |
| Agricultural Aviation Pilot | 98% | 2% |
| Combat Control | 98% | 2% |
| Airline Transport Pilot | 98% | 2% |
Male
Female
100%
75%
50%
25%
0%
0%
25%
50%
75%
100%
Pilot instructor demographics by race
The most common ethnicity among pilot instructors is White, which makes up 81.6% of all pilot instructors. Comparatively, 7.1% of pilot instructors are Hispanic or Latino and 5.5% of pilot instructors are Unknown.
- White, 81.6%
- Hispanic or Latino, 7.1%
- Unknown, 5.5%
- Asian, 2.8%
- Black or African American, 2.7%
- American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3%
Pilot instructor race
| Pilot instructor race | Percentages |
|---|---|
| White | 81.6% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 7.1% |
| Unknown | 5.5% |
| Asian | 2.8% |
| Black or African American | 2.7% |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 0.3% |
Pilot instructor race and ethnicity over time
See how pilot instructor racial and ethnic diversity trended since 2010 according to the United States Census Bureau data.
Pilot instructor race and ethnicity by year
| Year | White | Black or African American | Asian | Hispanic or Latino |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 87.64% | 2.27% | 1.41% | 6.21% |
| 2011 | 88.92% | 2.22% | 1.04% | 5.69% |
| 2012 | 88.12% | 2.80% | 1.57% | 5.56% |
| 2013 | 87.26% | 2.24% | 1.82% | 6.08% |
| 2014 | 87.85% | 2.44% | 1.60% | 5.82% |
| 2015 | 87.25% | 2.11% | 1.75% | 6.41% |
| 2016 | 86.54% | 1.86% | 1.66% | 6.78% |
| 2017 | 87.16% | 2.95% | 1.90% | 5.88% |
| 2018 | 85.46% | 2.14% | 1.98% | 7.42% |
| 2019 | 86.38% | 1.66% | 2.21% | 7.03% |
| 2020 | 82.81% | 2.52% | 2.80% | 7.39% |
| 2021 | 81.63% | 2.70% | 2.76% | 7.09% |
Pilot instructor wage gap by race
According to our data, unknown pilot instructors have the highest average salary compared to other ethnicities. Asian pilot instructors have the lowest average salary at $73,283.
| Ethnicity | Salary |
|---|---|
| Unknown | $91,649 |
| White | $89,306 |
| Black or African American | $85,804 |
| Asian | $73,283 |
| Hispanic or Latino | $82,673 |
Average pilot instructor age
See how the average age of pilot instructors varies based on ethnicity and gender.
Male
Female
Pilot instructor age by race and gender
| Race | Male age | Female age |
|---|---|---|
| Unknown | 46 | |
| White | 44 | 40 |
| Black or African American | 46.5 | |
| Asian | 34 | |
| Hispanic or Latino | 44 |
Pilot instructor age breakdown
The average age of pilot instructors is 40+ years years old, representing 61% of the pilot instructor population.
Pilot instructor age breakdown
| Pilot Instructor Years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| 40+ years | 61% |
| 30-40 years | 27% |
| 20-30 years | 11% |
Pilot instructor educational attainment
The most common degree for pilot instructors is bachelor's degree, with 70% of pilot instructors earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are master's degree degree at 15% and master's degree degree at 12%.
- Bachelor's, 70%
- Master's, 15%
- Associate, 12%
- High School Diploma, 2%
- Other Degrees, 1%
Pilot instructors by degree level
| Pilot instructor degree | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Bachelor's | 70% |
| Master's | 15% |
| Associate | 12% |
| High School Diploma | 2% |
| Other Degrees | 1% |
Pilot instructor jobs you might like
Pilot instructor wage gap by degree level
| Education | Salary |
|---|---|
| Master's Degree | $94,948 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $91,459 |
Pilot instructor employment statistics
Most pilot instructors work for a private in the transportation industry.
Company size where pilot instructors work
Below, you can see the size of companies where pilot instructors work.
Pilot instructor jobs by employer size
| Company size | Percentages |
|---|---|
| < 50 employees | 4% |
| 50 - 100 employees | 20% |
| 100 - 500 employees | 17% |
| 500 - 1,000 employees | 11% |
| 1,000 - 10,000 employees | 22% |
| > 10,000 employees | 26% |
Pilot instructor jobs by company type
Employees with the pilot instructor job title have their preferences when it comes to working for a company. For instance, most pilot instructors prefer to work at private companies over public companies.
Pilot instructor jobs by sector
| Company type | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Education | 7% |
| Public | 16% |
| Private | 68% |
| Government | 9% |
Pilot instructor jobs by industry
The most common industries for pilot instructors are transportation, technology and professional.
Pilot instructor industry statistics
| Industry | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Transportation | 25% |
| Technology | 13% |
| Professional | 11% |
| Government | 8% |
| Fortune 500 | 8% |
| Education | 7% |
| Manufacturing | 5% |
| Media | 3% |
| Health Care | 3% |
| Finance | 3% |
| Telecommunication | 2% |
| Energy | 2% |
| Retail | 2% |
| Insurance | 2% |
| Agriculture | 1% |
| Start-up | 1% |
| Internet | 1% |
| Utilities | 1% |
| Hospitality | 1% |
| Automotive | 1% |
Pilot instructor turnover and employment statistics
Pilot instructor unemployment rate over time
The unemployment rate for pilot instructors between 2008 and the most recent data has varied, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Pilot instructor unemployment rate by year
| Year | Pilot instructor unemployment rate |
|---|---|
| 2010 | 3.56% |
| 2011 | 2.99% |
| 2012 | 2.30% |
| 2013 | 2.29% |
| 2014 | 2.11% |
| 2015 | 1.19% |
| 2016 | 0.95% |
| 2017 | 1.24% |
| 2018 | 0.65% |
| 2019 | 0.93% |
| 2020 | 1.69% |
| 2021 | 2.31% |
Average pilot instructor tenure
The average pilot instructor stays at their job for 1-2 years, based on the 982 pilot instructors resumes in Zippia's database.
Pilot instructor tenure statistics
| Number of years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Less than 1 year | 8% |
| 1-2 years | 28% |
| 3-4 years | 24% |
| 5-7 years | 15% |
| 8-10 years | 8% |
| 11+ years | 18% |
Pilot instructor LGBT ratio compared to similar jobs
Review the percent of pilot instructors that are members of the LGBT community. You can see how this compares to similar jobs in the chart below.
| Job title | LGBT | Job openings |
|---|---|---|
| Parking Lot Attendant | 3.71% | 49,080 |
| Bagger | 4.53% | 3,411 |
| Detailer | 4.91% | 6,789 |
| Pilot Instructor | 8.59% | - |
| Joint Terminal Attack Controller | 13.04% | 15,215 |
| Ship Steward | 15.05% | 42,173 |
| Purser | 31.52% | 108 |
Similar pilot instructor jobs LGBT demographics
| Profession | Percentages of LGBT | Job openings |
|---|---|---|
| Parking Lot Attendant | 3.71% | 49,080 |
| Bagger | 4.53% | 3,411 |
| Detailer | 4.91% | 6,789 |
| Joint Terminal Attack Controller | 13.04% | 15,215 |
| Ship Steward | 15.05% | 42,173 |
| Purser | 31.52% | 108 |
Foreign languages spoken by pilot instructors
The most common foreign language among pilot instructors is Spanish at 48.1%. The second-most popular foreign language spoken is Japanese at 7.4% and French is the third-most popular at 7.4%.
- Spanish, 48.1%
- Japanese, 7.4%
- French, 7.4%
- Russian, 7.4%
- Swedish, 3.7%
- Other, 26.0%
Pilot instructor languages spoken
| Foreign language | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Spanish | 48.1% |
| Japanese | 7.4% |
| French | 7.4% |
| Russian | 7.4% |
| Swedish | 3.7% |
| Other | 26.0% |
