Compare Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers & Commercial Pilots United States

Comparison Airline Pilots, Copilots, and... Commercial Pilots
Salary

View the mid-level salary in both your current job and your selected occupation. (Annual salaries apply to people who work full-time year-round.)

Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers $211,800
Commercial Pilots $103,900

Similar skills & knowledge

These skills are commonly used in both your current job and your selected occupation.

Mechanical
Knowledge of machines and tools, including their designs, uses, repair, and maintenance.

Judgment and Decision Making
Thinking about the pros and cons of different options and picking the best one.

Operations Monitoring
Watching gauges, dials, or display screens to make sure a machine is working.

Instructing
Teaching people how to do something.

Active Listening
Listening to others, not interrupting, and asking good questions.

Operation and Control
Using equipment or systems.

English Language
Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.

Monitoring
Keeping track of how well people and/or groups are doing in order to make improvements.

Computers and Electronics
Knowledge of circuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.

Administration and Management
Knowledge of business and management principles involved in strategic planning, resource allocation, human resources modeling, leadership technique, production methods, and coordination of people and resources.

Geography
Knowledge of principles and methods for describing the features of land, sea, and air masses, including their physical characteristics, locations, interrelationships, and distribution of plant, animal, and human life.

Speaking
Talking to others.

Coordination
Changing what is done based on other people's actions.

Active Learning
Figuring out how to use new ideas or things.

Reading Comprehension
Reading work-related information.

Critical Thinking
Thinking about the pros and cons of different ways to solve a problem.

Transportation
Knowledge of principles and methods for moving people or goods by air, rail, sea, or road, including the relative costs and benefits.

Complex Problem Solving
Noticing a problem and figuring out the best way to solve it.

Management of Personnel Resources
Selecting and managing the best workers for a job.

Learning Strategies
Using the best training or teaching strategies for learning new things.


skills & knowledge Gaps

These are areas where you might have skill gaps. People working in your selected job generally need higher levels in these skill and knowledge areas than people working in your current job.

Customer and Personal Service Skills & Knowledge Gaps for Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers
Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers
Low
Customer and Personal Service Skills & Knowledge Gaps for Commercial Pilots
Commercial Pilots
High

Customer and Personal Service
Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.

Find Training for this Gap

Education and Training Skills & Knowledge Gaps for Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers
Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers
Low
Education and Training Skills & Knowledge Gaps for Commercial Pilots
Commercial Pilots
Medium

Education and Training
Knowledge of principles and methods for curriculum and training design, teaching and instruction for individuals and groups, and the measurement of training effects.

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Typical Level Of Training

See how much education people typically have in your selected job, and then use the link to find training programs in your local area.

Typical level Of training for Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers
Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers

Bachelor's degree

Typical level Of training for Commercial Pilots
Commercial Pilots

Postsecondary certificate

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Licensing

Many states require licenses for certain jobs. See if your selected occupation requires a license and if so, follow the link to find information for your state.

Licensing for Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers
Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers

License may be required in some states

Licensing for Commercial Pilots
Commercial Pilots

License may be required in some states


Certification

Certifications help you get ahead or qualify for different jobs. You usually have to pass a test to earn one, and then you can show employers that you have the skills and knowledge needed to do well on the job.

Certification for Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers
Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers

2 related certifications

Certification for Commercial Pilots
Commercial Pilots

31 related certifications

Find Certifications