Fly passengers and cargo on scheduled airline routes, planning flights and operating the aircraft safely.
Airliner cockpits; long stretches at the controls, nights away from home.
Irregular; nights, weekends, holidays, and multi-day trips.
May 2024–25 BLS wage data · 2024–34 BLS employment projections.
Openings a year counts new jobs plus the ones that open when people retire or move on — a truer picture of your odds than growth alone.
“Median” means half earn more and half earn less. Your city, employer, and years on the job move it a lot — that is what the 10th-to-90th range shows.
Bachelor's degree
Training path: Ratings ladder — airlines now fund cadet programs.
Requires FAA licensing, including an airline transport pilot certificate and medical clearance.
The shortage rewrote the path: cadet programs pay for your ratings.
Run the Reality Check — build the life you want and see the salary it takes, then compare it to this one.
Browse verified internships, fellowships, and programs — many paid — that lead into fields like this.
Free resume templates, interview practice, and getting-hired guides in the Careers kit.
Standard Occupational Classification 53-2011. Pay, employment, and outlook from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (OEWS wage survey and 2024–34 employment projections). See something off? Tell us.