Skilled Trades
Commercial Pilots
Pilot and navigate the flight of fixed-wing aircraft on nonscheduled air carrier routes, or helicopters. Requires Commercial Pilot certificate. Includes charter pilots with similar certification, and air ambulance and air tour pilots. Excludes regional, national, and international airline pilots.
Median salary (BLS)
$123,220
10th–90th percentile (BLS)
$59k – $267k
Job outlook
+5% (faster than average)
AI exposure
Early-career check: graduates of the matching programs below typically earn $70,000 ten years after starting college — an early-career figure, vs. the all-experience BLS median above. Source: U.S. Dept. of Education College Scorecard.
Plan a path to Commercial Pilots
Education
Typical entry: No degree (trade/license)
Plan my path to this →Typical progression
Junior Commercial Pilots
Entry / Junior
$58,850
~2 yrs to advance
Commercial Pilots
Established
$123,220
~3 yrs to advance
Senior Commercial Pilots
Senior
$194,920
Key skills
A typical day
- •Check aircraft prior to flights to ensure that the engines, controls, instruments, and other systems are functioning properly.
- •Co-pilot aircraft or perform captain's duties, as required.
- •Consider airport altitudes, outside temperatures, plane weights, and wind speeds and directions to calculate the speed needed to become airborne.
- •Use instrumentation to pilot aircraft when visibility is poor.
- •Monitor engine operation, fuel consumption, and functioning of aircraft systems during flights.
Fields of study
Any field
Top colleges for Skilled Trades
Explore all- Purdue University50% admit · $78,000 grad pay
- Ohio State University53% admit · $68,000 grad pay
- Pennsylvania State University55% admit · $70,000 grad pay
Reputation-based selection; stats shown are outcome data per school.