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The differences between pilot instructors and commercial 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 instructor and a commercial pilot. Additionally, a commercial pilot has an average salary of $94,406, which is higher than the $90,143 average annual salary of a pilot instructor.
The top three skills for a pilot instructor include FAA, simulator and instructor pilot. The most important skills for a commercial pilot are FAA, flight operations, and pilot-in-command.
| Pilot Instructor | Commercial Pilot | |
| Yearly salary | $90,143 | $94,406 |
| Hourly rate | $43.34 | $45.39 |
| Growth rate | 6% | 6% |
| Number of jobs | 26,978 | 29,118 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 70% | Bachelor's Degree, 65% |
| Average age | 44 | 44 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 4 |
Pilot instructors and commercial pilots have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Pilot Instructor | Commercial Pilot | |
| Average salary | $90,143 | $94,406 |
| Salary range | Between $60,000 And $133,000 | Between $63,000 And $139,000 |
| Highest paying City | Trenton, NJ | Jackson, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | California |
| Best paying company | OBXtek | Realty World California |
| Best paying industry | Technology | Manufacturing |
There are a few differences between a pilot instructor and a commercial pilot in terms of educational background:
| Pilot Instructor | Commercial Pilot | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 70% | Bachelor's Degree, 65% |
| Most common major | Aviation | Aviation |
| Most common college | SUNY Farmingdale | SUNY Farmingdale |
Here are the differences between pilot instructors' and commercial pilots' demographics:
| Pilot Instructor | Commercial Pilot | |
| Average age | 44 | 44 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 93.5% Female, 6.5% | Male, 91.9% Female, 8.1% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 2.7% Unknown, 5.5% Hispanic or Latino, 7.1% Asian, 2.8% White, 81.6% 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% |