Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers
Pilot and navigate the flight of fixed-wing aircraft, usually on scheduled air carrier routes, for the transport of passengers and cargo. Requires Federal Air Transport certificate and rating for specific aircraft type used. Includes regional, national, and international airline pilots and flight instructors of airline pilots.
How to read this profile
BLS projects U.S. employment for Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers to increase by 8.3% between 2024 and 2034, from 104,600 to 113,300 jobs. Its estimate of 11,200 annual openings includes replacement needs, so it does not represent current vacancies, contract postings, or freelance demand. The wage ($232,140), education (Bachelor's degree), and related experience (Less than 5 years) figures on this profile describe typical U.S. employees. O*NET skills describe the occupation; they do not assess an individual worker's proficiency.
Base employment (2024)
104,600
Projected employment (2034)
113,300
Projected change (2024–2034)
8%
Annual openings (projected average)
11,200
Pay & Preparation
$232,140
Bachelor's degree
Less than 5 years
Moderate-term on-the-job training
Essential Skills
Operation and Control (4.88/5) • Operations Monitoring (4.62/5) • Monitoring (4.12/5) • Critical Thinking (4.12/5) • Active Listening (4.12/5) • Judgment and Decision Making (4/5)
O*NET describes occupational requirements; these ratings do not measure current job-posting frequency or an individual worker’s proficiency.
BLS projections are long-term estimates; annual openings include growth and replacement needs and are not current vacancies.
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