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Commercial Pilots vs Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers: what changes?

Consider Commercial Pilots if you want to pilot and navigate the flight of fixed-wing aircraft on nonscheduled air carrier routes, or helicopters. Consider Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers if you would rather drive a tractor-trailer combination or a truck with a capacity of at least 26,001 pounds Gross Vehicle Weight (GVW). Both list postsecondary nondegree award; compare training and prior experience separately.

Try this next: Compare three local entry-level postings for Commercial Pilots and Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers. List the duties, credentials, prior experience, and paid training each employer actually asks for. Try a supervised class or sample project from each field before choosing a program.

BLS 2025 wages and 2025–2035 projections. National medians are not starting offers. Occupation size is not a count of vacancies. View the BLS data.

Compare the practical differences
What this means in practice

The facts most likely to affect your decision

Start with earnings, the route into the job, training, available openings, and a day-to-day reality.

Commercial Pilots

National median pay (2025)
$123,220
Route into the job
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
Prior related experience
No prior related occupation is typically required; employer requirements vary.
Training and licensing
More than one month and up to 12 months of on-the-job training, in addition to any qualifying education or licensing.
Work to investigate
Check aircraft prior to flights to ensure that the engines, controls, instruments, and other systems are functioning properly.
Annual openings (2025–2035)
5,200
Know before you choose

Review the full career brief for day-to-day working conditions.

See the full Commercial Pilots brief

Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers

National median pay (2025)
$58,640
Route into the job
Postsecondary nondegree award; One month or less of on-the-job training, in addition to any qualifying education or licensing
Prior related experience
No prior related occupation is typically required; employer requirements vary.
Training and licensing
One month or less of on-the-job training, in addition to any qualifying education or licensing.
Work to investigate
Check all load-related documentation for completeness and accuracy.
Annual openings (2025–2035)
214,500
Know before you choose

Operating or riding in vehicles is a recurring part of the work rather than an occasional trip.

See the full Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers brief
See scores, detailed data, and how the comparison works

How the national numbers differ

1

Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers has the edge on annual openings

Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers is at 214,500 annual openings, compared with 5,200 annual openings for Commercial Pilots.

2

Commercial Pilots has the edge on median pay

Commercial Pilots is at $123,220, compared with $58,640 for Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers.

3

Typical preparation differs.

Commercial Pilots: 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 Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers: Postsecondary nondegree award; One month or less of on-the-job training, in addition to any qualifying education or licensing Preparation categories do not establish admission difficulty, calendar time, tuition, time without earnings, or licensing difficulty.

4

Commercial Pilots has the edge on projected growth

Commercial Pilots is at 5.2% projected growth, compared with 3.8% projected growth for Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers.

68.2/ 100

Commercial Pilots

vs
70.2/ 100

Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers

Each available metric is ranked from 0 to 100 against the careers on ChooseField. The weighted average uses this profile: pay 30%, growth 25%, openings 30%, preparation level 15%. Missing values are not scored as zero; their weights are redistributed across available metrics. Occupation size has zero weight: employment is not accessible vacancies. Preparation categories do not measure admission difficulty or years without earnings. The score summarizes national measures; local opportunities and personal fit still need separate consideration.

Detailed evidence

Commercial Pilots vs Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers

DimensionCommercial PilotsHeavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers
Median pay (2025)$123,220$58,640
Pay percentile89.9 percentile45.3 percentile
Projected growth (2025–2035)5.2%3.8%
Annual openings (2025–2035)5,200214,500
2025 employment50,4002,221,200
How you qualifyPostsecondary nondegree award; More than one month and up to 12 months of on-the-job training, in addition to any qualifying education or licensingPostsecondary nondegree award; One month or less of on-the-job training, in addition to any qualifying education or licensing
O*NET preparation groupJob Zone 3Job Zone 2
Related work experienceNo prior related occupation is typically required; employer requirements vary.No prior related occupation is typically required; employer requirements vary.
On-the-job trainingMore than one month and up to 12 months of on-the-job training, in addition to any qualifying education or licensing.One month or less of on-the-job training, in addition to any qualifying education or licensing.

The table reports national benchmarks and reviewed work descriptions. It does not rate personal suitability, job security, or physical safety.

Read Commercial Pilots briefRead Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers brief

Try another comparison

Commercial Pilots vs Captains, Mates, and Pilots of Water Vessels

Compare pay, growth, education, and the tradeoffs that affect the decision.

Commercial Pilots
$123,220 · 5.2% growth
Captains, Mates, and Pilots of Water Vessels
$92,460 · 4% growth
Compare careers →

Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers vs Motorboat Operators

Compare pay, growth, education, and the tradeoffs that affect the decision.

Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers
$58,640 · 3.8% growth
Motorboat Operators
$47,520 · 4.9% growth
Compare careers →

Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers vs Captains, Mates, and Pilots of Water Vessels

Compare pay, growth, education, and the tradeoffs that affect the decision.

Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers
$58,640 · 3.8% growth
Captains, Mates, and Pilots of Water Vessels
$92,460 · 4% growth
Compare careers →
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