Plane captain vs private pilot

The differences between plane captains and private 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 plane captain and a private pilot. Additionally, a private pilot has an average salary of $100,673, which is higher than the $51,391 average annual salary of a plane captain.

The top three skills for a plane captain include hand tools, cleanliness and maintenance manuals. The most important skills for a private pilot are FAA, pilot license, and single engine.

Plane captain vs private pilot overview

	Plane Captain	Private Pilot
Yearly salary	$51,391	$100,673
Hourly rate	$24.71	$48.40
Growth rate	6%	6%
Number of jobs	2,555	5,013
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 40%	Bachelor's Degree, 67%
Average age	44	44
Years of experience	4	4

Plane captain vs private pilot salary

Plane captains and private pilots have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Plane Captain	Private Pilot
Average salary	$51,391	$100,673
Salary range	Between $33,000 And $78,000	Between $74,000 And $135,000
Highest paying City	-	-
Highest paying state	-	-
Best paying company	-	-
Best paying industry	-	-

Differences between plane captain and private pilot education

There are a few differences between a plane captain and a private pilot in terms of educational background:

	Plane Captain	Private Pilot
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 40%	Bachelor's Degree, 67%
Most common major	Aviation	Aviation
Most common college	SUNY Farmingdale	Stanford University

Plane captain vs private pilot demographics

Here are the differences between plane captains' and private pilots' demographics:

	Plane Captain	Private Pilot
Average age	44	44
Gender ratio	Male, 87.6% Female, 12.4%	Male, 83.9% Female, 16.1%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 2.6% Unknown, 5.5% Hispanic or Latino, 6.7% Asian, 2.7% White, 82.2% 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 plane captain and private pilot duties and responsibilities

Plane captain example responsibilities.

Train, direct, and manage firefighting crews, fire-rescue teams, and damage-control parties.
Lead a platoon that earn numerous awards for jamming opposition force artillery nets and conducting counterattacks on opposition electronic warfare platoons.
Experience operation of FMS, HGS, EFIS & GPS.
Clean exterior or interior of aircraft, using portable platform ladders, brushes, rags, water hose, and vacuum.
Experience in HAZMAT handling and storage.
Conduct FOD inspections of assign aircraft and surrounding areas

Private pilot example responsibilities.

Serve as a professional pilot managing a flight crew and ensuring safe transportation of VIP's internationally.
Complete FAA certify private private pilot training.
Assist with all aspects of administration, logistics and equipment inventory, ensuring successful financial execution.
Ferry and sightseeing flights done at request of management in accordance with 14 CFR part 91.

Plane captain vs private pilot skills

Common plane captain skills

Hand Tools, 19%
Cleanliness, 11%
Maintenance Manuals, 7%
FOD, 7%
Hydraulic Systems, 7%
Engine Oil, 6%

Common private pilot skills

FAA, 59%
Pilot License, 31%
Single Engine, 10%

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Updated January 8, 2025

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