Fly passengers and cargo on scheduled airline routes, planning flights and operating the aircraft safely.
You may also see this posted as: Airline Captain, Captain, First Officer (FO), Pilot, Airbus Captain, Check Airman.
Airliner cockpits; long stretches at the controls, nights away from home.
Irregular; nights, weekends, holidays, and multi-day trips.
Realistic
working with tools, equipment, materials, or the physical world
Conventional
organizing information, following systems, and getting details right
Enterprising
leading, persuading, selling, or turning an idea into action
O*NET job zone 4 of 5
High preparation—usually a four-year degree plus experience—is common.
Examples employers report—not a checklist you must already know.
May 2025 BLS wage & employment 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.
Statewide medians are a better starting point than the national number. Your city and experience still matter.
Bachelor's degree
Training path: Ratings ladder — airlines now fund cadet programs.
Related work experience: Less than 5 years.
On-the-job training: Moderate-term on-the-job training.
Requires FAA licensing, including an airline transport pilot certificate and medical clearance.
Licensing rules and available programs change by state. These federal tools take you to the current official listings.
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 and employment from the BLS May 2025 OEWS survey; outlook and openings from the 2024–34 employment projections; job context from the Occupational Outlook Handbook; tasks, interests, work styles, software examples, and job zone from O*NET 30.3. See something off? Tell us.