Working as an airline pilot can be an exciting job that allows for plenty of travel. It also offers generous benefits and can be a steady job. Learning what airline pilots earn can help you decide if pursuing this profession would be right for you.

In this article, we highlight how much airline pilots make, what their job responsibilities are, the job outlook for airline pilots and how these professionals can increase their salaries.

How much do airline pilots make?

The average salary in the United States for airline pilots is $52,782 per year. Airline pilot salaries can vary depending on several factors, including:

• Education level
• Location
• Airline
• Aircraft type
• Years of flight experience
• Seniority level in the airline

Airline pilot salaries by state

For those wondering how much airline pilots earn, salaries can vary according to where they operate. Here are the average salaries for each state. For the most up-to-date salary information from Indeed, visit indeed.com/salaries.

• Alabama: $50,297 per year
• Alaska: $53,459 per year
• Arizona: $52,803 per year
• Arkansas: $49,042 per year
• California: $57,194 per year
• Colorado: $54,774 per year
• Connecticut: $54,884 per year
• Delaware: $52,015 per year
• Florida: $50,786 per year
• Georgia: $51,953 per year
• Hawaii: $51,686 per year
• Idaho: $48,635 per year
• Illinois: $53,996 per year
• Indiana: $50,153 per year
• Iowa: $50,725 per year
• Kansas: $49,647 per year
• Kentucky: $49,036 per year
• Louisiana: $49,949 per year
• Maine: $50,851 per year
• Maryland: $55,020 per year
• Massachusetts: $56,737 per year
• Michigan: $51,385 per year
• Minnesota: $53,273 per year
• Mississippi: $47,776 per year
• Missouri: $52,099 per year
• Montana: $48,450 per year
• Nebraska: $50,283 per year
• Nevada: $51,998 per year
• New Hampshire: $51,170 per year
• New Jersey: $55,243 per year
• New Mexico: $50,840 per year
• New York: $56,493 per year
• North Carolina: $51,606 per year
• North Dakota: $51,015 per year
• Ohio: $50,898 per year
• Oklahoma: $48,967 per year
• Oregon: $53,306 per year
• Pennsylvania: $52,399 per year
• Rhode Island: $52,464 per year
• South Carolina: $50,148 per year
• South Dakota: $49,421 per year
• Tennessee: $50,687 per year
• Texas: $52,786 per year
• Utah: $50,631 per year
• Vermont: $50,067 per year
• Virginia: $54,240 per year
• Washington: $55,940 per year
• West Virginia: $48,597 per year
• Wisconsin: $51,077 per year
• Wyoming: $49,960 per year

Frequently asked questions about the salary of airline pilots

Here are some frequently asked questions to help those who are thinking about becoming an airline pilot:

Do airline pilots get hourly or monthly payments?

Airline pilots often receive hourly pay for each flight hour they log and a per diem allowance that covers the airline pilot’s incidental expenses, meals and overnight hotel stays. Some airlines may offer airline pilots a work guarantee of flying a minimum number of flight hours per month.

With this, they can expect to fly for a specified duration per month for that airline and earn a steady minimum income.

Are airline pilot salaries dependent on the type of aircraft they fly?

Airline pilots who fly legacy jet air carriers typically receive the highest hourly pay. It’s comparatively lower for non-jet aeroplanes.

The difference is owing to the different types of training that airline pilots must undergo to fly these planes. They receive different aircraft-type rating licences for flying jet planes and non-jet planes.

What is the job outlook for airline pilots?

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts a 14% job growth for airline pilots through 2030. The positive job outlook is because of a growing demand for airline pilots in the airline sector. The FAA regulations also require pilots to retire at age 65.

Due to this, major and regional airlines often have fewer pilots to operate their flights and must hire new people to fill in for the retiring pilots. To secure experienced candidates, airlines are willing to offer competitive pay packages and benefits.

What are the typical work hours of airline pilots?

Most airline pilots have variable work schedules, with new pilots having to remain on reserve status and be ready to fly at short notice.

Airline pilots often work around 100 hours per month. This is to prevent pilot fatigue that could lead to accidents. Apart from their flight hours, airline pilots may also put in up to 150 hours of other work-related duties every month. These can include the following tasks:

• Participating in simulator training
• Inspecting their aircraft before and after the flight
• Making sure that the fuel tank is full
• Checking weather conditions
• Maintaining accurate flight records
• Planning the flight and submitting these plans to air traffic control

Airline pilots often have overnight layovers between flights, and some portion of their time entails travelling back and forth from hotels to airports.

What educational credentials are necessary for airline pilots?

Airline pilots must have a bachelor’s degree in any discipline as well as a commercial pilot‘s license and an Airline Transport Pilot (ATP) certificate from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). However, many airline pilots start as commercial pilots, the requirement for which is a high school diploma or a GCE.

They usually complete their flight training with an independent FAA-certified flight instructor or at a flight training school. After passing a medical examination, written exams and practical flight tests, they can earn a student pilot certificate, a private pilot license and an instrument rating. To earn a commercial pilot’s license, they must log a minimum of 500 flight hours and pass a written exam and flight test.

What are additional requirements?

There are some additional requirements and testing needed to become an airline pilot. The next step is earning a multi-engine rating, which also requires passing written and flight tests. They can then earn the ATP certificate after logging in over 1,500 flight hours and passing another written exam and flight test.

To qualify to fly for regional or major airlines, they will also need to get a degree. After obtaining the ATP certification, airline pilots must maintain it by undergoing medical tests and flight exams at regular intervals. Experienced military pilots can fly for regional or major airlines by switching over to civil aviation.

Do airline pilots receive on-the-job training?

As per Federal Aviation Regulations (FARs), newly hired airline pilots must undergo a mandatory six to eight weeks of on-the-job training at a ground school. They can fly for the airlines only after they complete this training and earn the necessary rating for the aircraft that they fly for their employers

How to increase an airline pilot salary

To increase their salaries, airline pilots can take the following steps:

1. Wait for a raise per the payment schedule

Most airlines have an established pay schedule chart. Considering that fact, they increase the salaries of their airline pilots every year. New airline pilots can expect a big increase in salary after they’ve completed the mandatory one-year probationary period.

2. Get more flight experience

New airline pilots can expect a steady rise in their hourly wages as they log more flight hours. They make a significantly larger sum of money in their fifth year as an airline pilot than they did in the first. After five years, they may get an advanced position and higher pay as a first officer.

3. Become an airline captain

After gaining five to 15 years of flight experience, first officers can advance to becoming captains and earn a bigger salary. Along with the higher pay, captains have the primary responsibility for the flight, the crew and the passengers. This includes everyone’s safety as well as the functioning of the aircraft.

4. Work for major airlines

Major airlines typically pay airline pilots a higher hourly rate than regional airlines do, as they might have more frequent flights, so working for a major airline is often a helpful way to earn a higher paycheck.

You might still find higher salaries for regional airlines that hope to compete with the bigger ones, so consider reviewing your salary options with each. Regional airlines can also provide beneficial experiences for new airline pilots that they can use to eventually pursue roles with bigger companies.