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Job outlook for pilot instructors in the United States
Pilot instructor job growth summary. After extensive research, interviews, and analysis, Zippia's data science team found that:
The projected pilot instructor job growth rate is 6% from 2018-2028.
About 7,700 new jobs for pilot instructors are projected over the next decade.
Pilot instructor salaries have increased 21% for pilot instructors in the last 5 years.
There are over 3,927 pilot instructors currently employed in the United States.
There are 26,978 active pilot instructor job openings in the US.
The average pilot instructor salary is $90,143.
Are pilot instructor jobs in demand?
Yes, pilot instructor jobs are in demand. Pilot instructor demand is projected to grow 6% from 2018 to 2028.
Pilot instructor job and salary trends over time
Compare the number of pilot instructor jobs and the average pilot instructor salary over time.
Pilot instructor jobs over time
Pilot instructor job growth rate over time
| Year | # of jobs | % of population |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 3,927 | 0.00% |
| 2020 | 3,408 | 0.00% |
| 2019 | 3,473 | 0.00% |
| 2018 | 3,477 | 0.00% |
| 2017 | 3,534 | 0.00% |
Average pilot instructor salary over time
Pilot instructor salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $90,143 | $43.34 | +8.4% |
| 2024 | $83,168 | $39.98 | +4.7% |
| 2023 | $79,458 | $38.20 | +4.4% |
| 2022 | $76,076 | $36.57 | +2.0% |
| 2021 | $74,588 | $35.86 | +1.4% |
Pilot instructor jobs by state
The map below shows you the number of pilot instructor job openings in each state. The darker areas on the map show where pilot instructors earn the highest salaries across all 50 states.
Average salary: Job openings:
Most common states for pilot instructors
| Rank | State | Population | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Colorado | 5,607,154 | 516 | 9% |
| 2 | Alaska | 739,795 | 58 | 8% |
| 3 | Virginia | 8,470,020 | 595 | 7% |
| 4 | South Carolina | 5,024,369 | 373 | 7% |
| 5 | Montana | 1,050,493 | 75 | 7% |
| 6 | Delaware | 961,939 | 69 | 7% |
| 7 | Wyoming | 579,315 | 43 | 7% |
| 8 | Georgia | 10,429,379 | 676 | 6% |
| 9 | North Carolina | 10,273,419 | 653 | 6% |
| 10 | Oregon | 4,142,776 | 265 | 6% |
| 11 | Iowa | 3,145,711 | 175 | 6% |
| 12 | New Jersey | 9,005,644 | 448 | 5% |
| 13 | Massachusetts | 6,859,819 | 321 | 5% |
| 14 | Maryland | 6,052,177 | 297 | 5% |
| 15 | Nevada | 2,998,039 | 139 | 5% |
| 16 | North Dakota | 755,393 | 37 | 5% |
| 17 | District of Columbia | 693,972 | 32 | 5% |
| 18 | Vermont | 623,657 | 30 | 5% |
| 19 | California | 39,536,653 | 1,749 | 4% |
| 20 | New Mexico | 2,088,070 | 85 | 4% |
Most common cities for pilot instructors
| Rank | City | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl | Avg. salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mobile | 1 | 1% | $63,314 |
| 2 | Olathe | 1 | 1% | $82,233 |
| 3 | Glendale | 1 | 0% | $88,636 |
| 4 | Minneapolis | 1 | 0% | $61,768 |