How to hire a pilot

How to hire a pilot, step by step

Here's a step-by-step pilot hiring guide:

• Step 1: Identify your hiring needs
• Step 2: Create an ideal candidate profile
• Step 3: Make a budget
• Step 4: Write a pilot job description
• Step 5: Post your job
• Step 6: Interview candidates
• Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new pilot
• Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

What does a pilot do?

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   The pilot hiring process starts by determining what type of worker you actually need. Certain roles might require a full-time employee, whereas part-time workers or contractors can do others.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

   Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

   Yes

   No

   Hiring the perfect pilot also involves considering the ideal background you'd like them to have. Depending on what industry or field they have experience in, they'll bring different skills to the job. It's also important to consider what levels of seniority and education the job requires and what kind of salary such a candidate would likely demand.

   The following list breaks down different types of pilots and their corresponding salaries.

   Type of Pilot	Description	Hourly rate
   Pilot	Airline and commercial pilots fly and navigate airplanes, helicopters, and other aircraft. Airline pilots fly for airlines that transport people and cargo on a fixed schedule... Show more	$27-56
   Aviator	An aviator, also known as a pilot, operates aircraft for commercial or private use. Although their duties vary upon their company or industry of employment, it usually entails performing regular inspections before and after every flight, coordinating with staff, maintaining an active communication line with air traffic controller, determining routes and schedules, analyzing flight plans, and monitoring the weather conditions... Show more	$36-58
   Pilot Instructor	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.	$28-63

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • PIC
   • Pilot-In-Command
   • Flight Operations
   • ATP
   • Helicopter
   • Federal Aviation
   • DOD
   • Safety Standards
   • GPS
   • EMS
   • UAV
   • UAS
   • Mission Planning
   • Flight Training

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Pilot company Lear 35 and manage the department.
   • Manage the UAV payload on the ground and in the air to meet customer expectations.
   • Serve as a professional pilot managing a flight crew and ensuring safe transportation of VIP's internationally.
   • Supervise aircraft maintenance activity on P-3C patrol and UH-1N helicopter aircraft.
   • Transport people and parts to offshore facilities in VFR and IFR conditions
   • Serve as remote pic and visual observer on a team on various projects involving UAV applications.

   More pilot duties

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your pilot job description is one of the best ways to attract top talent. A pilot can vary based on:

   • Location. For example, pilots' average salary in minnesota is 47% less than in california.
   • Seniority. Entry-level pilots 51% less than senior-level pilots.
   • Certifications. A pilot with certifications usually earns a higher salary.
   • Company. Working for an established firm or a new start-up company can make a big difference in a pilot's salary.

   Average pilot salary

   $83,128yearly

   $39.97 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level pilot salary

   $58,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 23, 2025

   Average pilot salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	California	$118,389	$57
   2	New York	$101,913	$49
   3	Florida	$91,419	$44
   4	Texas	$91,110	$44
   5	Utah	$85,802	$41
   6	Colorado	$82,083	$39
   7	Illinois	$81,363	$39
   8	Arizona	$80,157	$39
   9	Washington	$79,378	$38
   10	Maryland	$76,793	$37
   11	Ohio	$76,606	$37
   12	North Carolina	$75,223	$36
   13	Virginia	$70,269	$34
   14	Michigan	$68,234	$33
   15	Georgia	$65,666	$32
   16	Pennsylvania	$64,250	$31
   17	Alabama	$58,972	$28
   18	Minnesota	$58,262	$28

   Average pilot salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	HP	$114,883	$55.23
   2	Mercy Health	$99,825	$47.99
   3	Bell Flight	$94,405	$45.39
   4	Woolpert	$90,811	$43.66	1
   5	Alaska Airlines	$90,222	$43.38
   6	Spirit Airlines	$90,205	$43.37
   7	SkyWest Airlines	$90,163	$43.35	2
   8	Air Wisconsin Airlines	$89,622	$43.09
   9	PSA Airlines	$89,384	$42.97	5
   10	NetJets	$89,117	$42.84
   11	Mesa Airlines	$88,633	$42.61	2
   12	Wiggins Airways	$88,579	$42.59
   13	City of Seattle	$88,400	$42.50
   14	M.I.T. International, Inc.	$87,937	$42.28
   15	Piedmont Airlines	$87,707	$42.17	159
   16	AT&T	$87,275	$41.96
   17	Colony Brands	$87,228	$41.94
   18	CommutAir	$86,512	$41.59
   19	Air Methods	$86,290	$41.49	141
   20	General Atomics	$85,853	$41.28	4

4. Writing a pilot job description

   A pilot job description should include a summary of the role, required skills, and a list of responsibilities. It's also good to include a salary range and the first name of the hiring manager. To help get you started, here's an example of a pilot job description:

   Pilot job description example

   A&A is a leader in the commercial janitorial industry. With offices across the country, A&A services a diverse portfolio including commercial office buildings, schools, hospitals, government facilities, industrial buildings and many more. Founded in 1973, A&A has been committed to providing clean and safe environments for building occupants supporting our pledge to always put People First™.
   
   As a national service industry provider, we are seeking a Drone Pilot to join our team. The focus of the role is to provide day to day outstanding cleaning and maintenance service to our customers.
   
   Full-time position Flexible schedule
   Job Skills: Further this role will encompass the following responsibilities: We're looking for someone with sound judgment and discipline. Success will require attention to detail, a safety-oriented attitude, flexibility, and enthusiasm for drone technology. The ideal candidate is someone who enjoys working in a fast-paced environment and can deliver results under pressure. We are looking for someone with their Part 107 FAA certification (preferable). A&A Maintenance will train you in soft washing, then train you on all facets of our drone soft washing system. Ultimately, this individual will be expected to conduct flight operations for our soft washing projects. This individual will also conduct flight readiness activities and operational planning as required. Must haves:
   Valid DL
   Smart Phone
   Ability to travel and flexible schedule
   Clean Background
   Honest
   Dependable We offer a diverse work experience that empowers colleagues for career success. In addition to skill and experience, we also seek to attract and retain colleagues whose beliefs and behaviors are in alignment with our core values of collaboration, innovation, caring, integrity and accountability. We are an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer. Gender/Ethnicity/Disability/Protected Veteran - we highly value and are committed to all forms of diversity in the workplace. We proudly support and encourage people with military experience (active, veterans, reservists and National Guard) as well as military spouses to apply. We provide reasonable accommodations to qualified individuals with disabilities.'

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   To find the right pilot for your business, consider trying out a few different recruiting strategies:

   • Consider internal talent. One of the most important sources of talent for any company is its existing workforce.
   • Ask for referrals. Reach out to friends, family members, and current employees and ask if they know or have worked with pilots they would recommend.
   • Recruit at local colleges. Attend job fairs at local colleges to recruit pilots who meet your education requirements.
   • Social media platforms. LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter now have more than 3.5 billion users, and you can use social media to reach potential job candidates.

   Post your job online:

   • Post your pilot job on Zippia to find and recruit pilot candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   Your first interview with pilot candidates should focus on their interest in the role and background experience. As the hiring process goes on, you can learn more about how they'd fit into the company culture in later rounds of interviews.

   It's also good to ask about candidates' unique skills and talents. You can move on to the technical interview if a candidate is good enough for the next step.

   The right interview questions can help you assess a candidate's hard skills, behavioral intelligence, and soft skills.

7. Send a job offer and onboard your new pilot

   Once you've decided on a perfect pilot candidate, it's time to write an offer letter. In addition to salary, it should include benefits and perks available to the employee. Qualified candidates may be considered for other positions, so make sure your offer is competitive. Candidates may wish to negotiate. Once you've settled on the details, formalize your agreement with a contract.

   It's also important to follow up with applicants who do not get the job with an email letting them know that the position is filled.

   To prepare for the new pilot first day, you should share an onboarding schedule with them that covers their first period on the job. You should also quickly complete any necessary paperwork, such as employee action forms and onboarding documents like I-9, benefits enrollment, and federal and state tax forms. Finally, Human Resources must ensure a new employee file is created for internal record keeping.

8. Go through the hiring process checklist

   • Determine employee type (full-time, part-time, contractor, etc.)
   • Submit a job requisition form to the HR department
   • Define job responsibilities and requirements
   • Establish budget and timeline
   • Determine hiring decision makers for the role
   • Write job description
   • Post job on job boards, company website, etc.
   • Promote the job internally
   • Process applications through applicant tracking system
   • Review resumes and cover letters
   • Shortlist candidates for screening
   • Hold phone/virtual interview screening with first round of candidates
   • Conduct in-person interviews with top candidates from first round
   • Score candidates based on weighted criteria (e.g., experience, education, background, cultural fit, skill set, etc.)
   • Conduct background checks on top candidates
   • Check references of top candidates
   • Consult with HR and hiring decision makers on job offer specifics
   • Extend offer to top candidate(s)
   • Receive formal job offer acceptance and signed employment contract
   • Inform other candidates that the position has been filled
   • Set and communicate onboarding schedule to new hire(s)
   • Complete new hire paperwork (i9, benefits enrollment, tax forms, etc.)

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