Pilot vs commercial pilot

The differences between pilots 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 and a commercial pilot. Additionally, a commercial pilot has an average salary of $94,406, which is higher than the $83,128 average annual salary of a pilot.

The top three skills for a pilot include PIC, pilot-in-command and flight operations. The most important skills for a commercial pilot are FAA, flight operations, and pilot-in-command.

Pilot vs commercial pilot overview

	Pilot	Commercial Pilot
Yearly salary	$83,128	$94,406
Hourly rate	$39.97	$45.39
Growth rate	6%	6%
Number of jobs	3,049	29,118
Job satisfaction	5	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 59%	Bachelor's Degree, 65%
Average age	44	44
Years of experience	4	4

Pilot vs commercial pilot salary

Pilots and commercial pilots have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Pilot	Commercial Pilot
Average salary	$83,128	$94,406
Salary range	Between $58,000 And $118,000	Between $63,000 And $139,000
Highest paying City	San Francisco, CA	Jackson, CA
Highest paying state	California	California
Best paying company	HP	Realty World California
Best paying industry	Transportation	Manufacturing

Differences between pilot and commercial pilot education

There are a few differences between a pilot and a commercial pilot in terms of educational background:

	Pilot	Commercial Pilot
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 59%	Bachelor's Degree, 65%
Most common major	Aviation	Aviation
Most common college	SUNY Farmingdale	SUNY Farmingdale

Pilot vs commercial pilot demographics

Here are the differences between pilots' and commercial pilots' demographics:

	Pilot	Commercial Pilot
Average age	44	44
Gender ratio	Male, 70.7% Female, 29.3%	Male, 91.9% Female, 8.1%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 2.7% Unknown, 5.6% Hispanic or Latino, 7.2% Asian, 2.8% White, 81.5% 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%

Differences between pilot and commercial pilot duties and responsibilities

Pilot example 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.

Commercial pilot example responsibilities.

Serve as a professional pilot managing a flight crew and ensuring safe transportation of VIP's internationally.
Instruct pilots in recurrent flight training and grind school for aircraft systems, FAA regulations, company policies and procedures.
Grind school, IFR and advance simulator training.
Monitor and ensure compliance with establish policies, directives, and FAA operation specifications.
Assist with all aspects of administration, logistics and equipment inventory, ensuring successful financial execution.
Arm airborne helicopter escort and SAR operations.

Pilot vs commercial pilot skills

Common pilot skills

PIC, 16%
Pilot-In-Command, 13%
Flight Operations, 8%
ATP, 7%
Helicopter, 5%
Federal Aviation, 5%

Common commercial pilot skills

FAA, 24%
Flight Operations, 12%
Pilot-In-Command, 11%
PIC, 11%
Flight Planning, 6%
Customer Service, 6%

Pilot vs. similar jobs

Pilot related careers

Pilot related jobs

Pilot jobs by location

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Transportation Industry
Pilot
Pilot vs Commercial Pilot

Updated January 8, 2025

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