Transportation and Logistics · Career brief

Commercial Pilots

Is it a good career to pursue?

The 30-second read

Commercial Pilots at a glance

Six signals to look at before you spend time on the full guide.

1Pay

$123,220

High national median pay

2025 national median. Top 10% for pay among careers on ChooseField.

2Demand

5.2%

Steady projected growth

Projected employment growth for 2025–2035. Above the middle of ChooseField careers for growth.

3Openings

5,200

Moderate opening volume

Average openings per year in 2025–2035, including replacement hiring. Near the middle of ChooseField careers for openings.

4Route in

Certificate / award

A four-year degree is not the typical entry route

Postsecondary nondegree award. Prior related work is not typically required.

5The work

Structured / detail

Accuracy, process, and organized information matter

Check aircraft prior to flights to ensure that the engines, controls, instruments, and other systems are functioning properly.

6The catch

Know this first

What could make this a poor fit

Unknown: review standing, lifting, repetitive movement, and posture with a practitioner. No overall physical-demand rating is assigned.

ChooseField take

The standout national signal is pay; it ranks in the top quarter of ChooseField careers. It makes the most sense if structured, detail-oriented work appeals to you and you are comfortable with a certificate or nondegree award. Main tradeoff: Unknown: review standing, lifting, repetitive movement, and posture with a practitioner. No overall physical-demand rating is assigned.

Before choosing, compare:Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers Captains, Mates, and Pilots of Water Vessels Motorboat Operators

National labor-market measures: BLS 2025 wages and 2025–2035 projections. Work-profile signals: O*NET. See sources and caveats.

Compare Commercial Pilots with another field Explore rankings in Transportation and Logistics Open shareable infographic

Want the evidence behind the snapshot?

Market and path

Pay, outlook, and the route in

National median pay (2025)

$123,220

A midpoint for workers nationwide, not a starting salary.

2025–2035 outlook

5.2%employment growth5,200openings per year

Openings include replacement hiring, not only newly created jobs.

Typical entry route

Postsecondary nondegree award; More than one month and up to 12 months of on-the-job training, in addition to any qualifying education or licensing

BLS reports the usual education, related experience, and on-the-job training, not a guaranteed minimum for every employer.

2025 employment

50,400

Estimated workers in this occupation across the United States.

Source: BLS 2025 wages and 2025–2035 occupational projections ↗ · Commercial pilots (53-2012).

Actual responsibilities

What you would be trusted to own

Selected O*NET task statements, not a list of traits that applies to almost every career.

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.
Order changes in fuel supplies, loads, routes, or schedules to ensure safety of flights.

Work profile

What the work emphasizes

O*NET importance scores. Bars are relative to the highest score shown within this chart.

Operating Vehicles, Mechanized Devices, or Equipment4.9
Inspecting Equipment, Structures, or Materials4.9
Controlling Machines and Processes4.8
Making Decisions and Solving Problems4.8
Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events4.7

Interest profile

Career interests

O*NET interest scores describe work someone may enjoy, not personality requirements. Bars are relative to the highest score shown within this chart.

Relative mix of the interest scores below, not percentages of your workday.

Conventional4.8
Realistic4.8
Enterprising3.9
Social2.6
Investigative2.6
Artistic1.1

Preparation

What the training must make you competent at

Subject matter

Transportation Geography Public Safety and Security Mechanical

Before choosing the major or training

Run a cheaper test first

Plan a realistic route or delivery problem with time, cost, safety, and disruption constraints, then revise it when one assumption changes.
Ask an early-career worker which beginner task consumes the most time, what makes new hires quit, and what school or training failed to simulate.

The fuller career guide

How the evidence fits together

Pay and demand: reading the benchmark

The pay and outlook figures describe Commercial pilots nationally. They do not establish the salary or number of vacancies available in your area.

Median pay is the middle wage across workers, not a starting offer. Projected openings include replacements as well as growth; neither measure predicts an individual worker's job security.

Before choosing a program

O*NET lists Monitoring, Critical Thinking, Active Listening among this occupation's skills. Ask a program to show the assignments, supervised practice, and assessment that develop these skills. Compare those examples with local job descriptions.

Common questions

Questions people ask about this career

Can I enter this occupation without related work experience?

BLS does not assign a related-experience requirement to the occupation. Employers may still ask for placements, supervised practice, a portfolio, or experience with particular tools. Check entry-level vacancies separately from experienced roles.

What should I check before paying for training?

Get the full prerequisite and completion timeline, total cost, placement arrangements, and any licensing eligibility in writing. Ask local employers whether they hire graduates from the route you are considering and whether paid training is available.

Adjacent options