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The differences between pilot instructors and flight instructors 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 flight instructor. Additionally, a pilot instructor has an average salary of $90,143, which is higher than the $51,324 average annual salary of a flight instructor.
The top three skills for a pilot instructor include FAA, simulator and instructor pilot. The most important skills for a flight instructor are aircraft systems, syllabus, and CFI.
| Pilot Instructor | Flight Instructor | |
| Yearly salary | $90,143 | $51,324 |
| Hourly rate | $43.34 | $24.68 |
| Growth rate | 6% | 2% |
| Number of jobs | 26,978 | 25,735 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 70% | Bachelor's Degree, 63% |
| Average age | 44 | 46 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 4 |
The key role of a Pilot Instructor is to teach students procedures and techniques about how to fly aircraft. They offer instruction for both on the ground and in the sky, prepare lesson plans, and assess and monitor students performance.
A Flight Instructor is responsible for teaching students how to fly aircrafts. They prepare lesson plans and evaluate and monitor students performance.
Pilot instructors and flight instructors have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Pilot Instructor | Flight Instructor | |
| Average salary | $90,143 | $51,324 |
| Salary range | Between $60,000 And $133,000 | Between $32,000 And $80,000 |
| Highest paying City | Trenton, NJ | Atwater, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | California |
| Best paying company | OBXtek | Cirrus Aircraft |
| Best paying industry | Technology | Manufacturing |
There are a few differences between a pilot instructor and a flight instructor in terms of educational background:
| Pilot Instructor | Flight Instructor | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 70% | Bachelor's Degree, 63% |
| Most common major | Aviation | Aviation |
| Most common college | SUNY Farmingdale | Stanford University |
Here are the differences between pilot instructors' and flight instructors' demographics:
| Pilot Instructor | Flight Instructor | |
| Average age | 44 | 46 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 93.5% Female, 6.5% | Male, 90.9% Female, 9.1% |
| 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, 7.0% Unknown, 4.9% Hispanic or Latino, 9.9% Asian, 11.4% White, 66.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3% |
| LGBT Percentage | 9% | 16% |