Private pilot demographics and statistics in the US
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Private pilot demographics by:
Private pilot gender statistics
16.1% of private pilots are women and 83.9% of private pilots are men.
- Male, 83.9%
- Female, 16.1%
Private pilot gender ratio
| Gender | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Male | 83.9% |
| Female | 16.1% |
Private pilot gender pay gap
Women earn 95¢ for every $1 earned by men
Male income
$95,652
Female income
$90,631
Private pilot gender ratio over time
This data breaks down the percentage of men and women in private pilot positions over time. Currently, 16.1% of private pilots are female.
Private pilot gender ratio by year
| Year | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 86.74% | 13.26% |
| 2011 | 91.23% | 8.77% |
| 2012 | 83.72% | 16.28% |
| 2013 | 88.58% | 11.42% |
| 2014 | 87.12% | 12.88% |
| 2015 | 88.53% | 11.47% |
| 2016 | 82.71% | 17.29% |
| 2017 | 83.83% | 16.17% |
| 2018 | 83.79% | 16.21% |
| 2019 | 86.32% | 13.68% |
| 2020 | 84.67% | 15.33% |
| 2021 | 83.86% | 16.14% |
Private pilot related jobs gender ratio
We compared private pilots with similar job titles to see how gender ratios vary. As you can see, airline transport pilot and combat control have the biggest gender ratio gaps.
| Job title | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| Airline Flight Attendant | 16% | 84% |
| International Flight Attendant | 21% | 79% |
| Flight Attendant | 21% | 79% |
| Private Pilot | 84% | 16% |
| Agricultural Aviation Pilot | 98% | 2% |
| Combat Control | 98% | 2% |
| Airline Transport Pilot | 98% | 2% |
Male
Female
100%
75%
50%
25%
0%
0%
25%
50%
75%
100%
Private pilot demographics by race
The most common ethnicity among private pilots is White, which makes up 81.7% of all private pilots. Comparatively, 7.0% of private pilots are Hispanic or Latino and 5.5% of private pilots are Unknown.
- White, 81.7%
- Hispanic or Latino, 7.0%
- Unknown, 5.5%
- Asian, 2.8%
- Black or African American, 2.7%
- American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3%
Private pilot race
| Private pilot race | Percentages |
|---|---|
| White | 81.7% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 7.0% |
| Unknown | 5.5% |
| Asian | 2.8% |
| Black or African American | 2.7% |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 0.3% |
Private pilot race and ethnicity over time
See how private pilot racial and ethnic diversity trended since 2010 according to the United States Census Bureau data.
Private pilot race and ethnicity by year
| Year | White | Black or African American | Asian | Hispanic or Latino |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 87.72% | 2.26% | 1.40% | 6.16% |
| 2011 | 89.00% | 2.20% | 1.03% | 5.64% |
| 2012 | 88.20% | 2.79% | 1.56% | 5.50% |
| 2013 | 87.34% | 2.23% | 1.81% | 6.03% |
| 2014 | 87.94% | 2.42% | 1.59% | 5.76% |
| 2015 | 87.34% | 2.10% | 1.75% | 6.35% |
| 2016 | 86.62% | 1.84% | 1.66% | 6.73% |
| 2017 | 87.25% | 2.93% | 1.89% | 5.83% |
| 2018 | 85.54% | 2.12% | 1.98% | 7.37% |
| 2019 | 86.47% | 1.65% | 2.20% | 6.98% |
| 2020 | 82.89% | 2.50% | 2.79% | 7.34% |
| 2021 | 81.71% | 2.69% | 2.76% | 7.04% |
Private pilot wage gap by race
According to our data, unknown private pilots have the highest average salary compared to other ethnicities. Asian private pilots have the lowest average salary at $85,979.
| Ethnicity | Salary |
|---|---|
| Unknown | $101,951 |
| White | $99,959 |
| Black or African American | $96,958 |
| Asian | $85,979 |
| Hispanic or Latino | $94,251 |
Average private pilot age
See how the average age of private pilots varies based on ethnicity and gender.
Male
Female
Private pilot age by race and gender
| Race | Male age | Female age |
|---|---|---|
| Unknown | 46 | |
| White | 44 | 40 |
| Black or African American | 46.5 | |
| Asian | 34 | |
| Hispanic or Latino | 44 |
Private pilot age breakdown
The average age of private pilots is 40+ years years old, representing 61% of the private pilot population.
Private pilot age breakdown
| Private Pilot Years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| 40+ years | 61% |
| 30-40 years | 27% |
| 20-30 years | 11% |
Private pilot educational attainment
The most common degree for private pilots is bachelor's degree, with 67% of private pilots earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are associate degree degree at 13% and associate degree degree at 10%.
- Bachelor's, 67%
- Associate, 13%
- High School Diploma, 10%
- Master's, 7%
- Other Degrees, 3%
Private pilots by degree level
| Private pilot degree | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Bachelor's | 67% |
| Associate | 13% |
| High School Diploma | 10% |
| Master's | 7% |
| Other Degrees | 3% |
Private pilot jobs you might like
Private pilot wage gap by degree level
| Education | Salary |
|---|---|
| Master's Degree | $104,735 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $101,790 |
Private pilot employment statistics
Most private pilots work for a private in the education industry.
Company size where private pilots work
Below, you can see the size of companies where private pilots work.
Private pilot jobs by employer size
| Company size | Percentages |
|---|---|
| < 50 employees | 4% |
| 50 - 100 employees | 25% |
| 100 - 500 employees | 21% |
| 500 - 1,000 employees | 2% |
| 1,000 - 10,000 employees | 30% |
| > 10,000 employees | 18% |
Private pilot jobs by company type
Employees with the private pilot job title have their preferences when it comes to working for a company. For instance, most private pilots prefer to work at private companies over education companies.
Private pilot jobs by sector
| Company type | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Education | 27% |
| Public | 25% |
| Private | 42% |
| Government | 6% |
Private pilot jobs by industry
The most common industries for private pilots are education, transportation and professional.
Private pilot industry statistics
| Industry | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Education | 22% |
| Transportation | 10% |
| Fortune 500 | 8% |
| Professional | 8% |
| Technology | 8% |
| Non Profits | 7% |
| Manufacturing | 5% |
| Government | 5% |
| Media | 5% |
| Health Care | 5% |
| Finance | 5% |
| Hospitality | 3% |
| Insurance | 3% |
| Telecommunication | 2% |
| Utilities | 2% |
| Retail | 2% |
Private pilot turnover and employment statistics
Private pilot unemployment rate over time
The unemployment rate for private pilots between 2008 and the most recent data has varied, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Private pilot unemployment rate by year
| Year | Private pilot unemployment rate |
|---|---|
| 2010 | 3.56% |
| 2011 | 2.99% |
| 2012 | 2.30% |
| 2013 | 2.29% |
| 2014 | 2.11% |
| 2015 | 1.19% |
| 2016 | 0.95% |
| 2017 | 1.24% |
| 2018 | 0.65% |
| 2019 | 0.93% |
| 2020 | 1.69% |
| 2021 | 2.31% |
Average private pilot tenure
The average private pilot stays at their job for 1-2 years, based on the 225 private pilots resumes in Zippia's database.
Private pilot tenure statistics
| Number of years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Less than 1 year | 18% |
| 1-2 years | 26% |
| 3-4 years | 15% |
| 5-7 years | 17% |
| 8-10 years | 11% |
| 11+ years | 12% |
Private pilot LGBT ratio compared to similar jobs
Review the percent of private pilots that are members of the LGBT community. You can see how this compares to similar jobs in the chart below.
| Job title | LGBT | Job openings |
|---|---|---|
| Valet Parker | 3.71% | 3,214 |
| Auto Detailer | 4.91% | 11,018 |
| Feeder | 5.16% | 695 |
| Private Pilot | 8.59% | - |
| Combat Control | 13.04% | 30,959 |
| Bus Attendant | 15.05% | 51,391 |
| In-Flight Crew Member | 31.52% | 73,346 |
Similar private pilot jobs LGBT demographics
| Profession | Percentages of LGBT | Job openings |
|---|---|---|
| Valet Parker | 3.71% | 3,214 |
| Auto Detailer | 4.91% | 11,018 |
| Feeder | 5.16% | 695 |
| Combat Control | 13.04% | 30,959 |
| Bus Attendant | 15.05% | 51,391 |
| In-Flight Crew Member | 31.52% | 73,346 |
Foreign languages spoken by private pilots
The most common foreign language among private pilots is French at 27.3%. The second-most popular foreign language spoken is Japanese at 18.2% and Spanish is the third-most popular at 18.2%.
- French, 27.3%
- Japanese, 18.2%
- Spanish, 18.2%
- Czech, 9.1%
- Greek, 9.1%
- Other, 18.1%
Private pilot languages spoken
| Foreign language | Percentages |
|---|---|
| French | 27.3% |
| Japanese | 18.2% |
| Spanish | 18.2% |
| Czech | 9.1% |
| Greek | 9.1% |
| Other | 18.1% |