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.
About the profession
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 Get Started
Take a personality test to see if Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers fits your profile
Career Match Test →Explore the Career Path section to see progression from junior to senior
Jump to Career Path →Start learning — check the Learning Path for free courses
Jump to Learning Path →Video
Occupation on screen: Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers (O*NET 53-2011.00). Closed captions in English and Spanish. CareerOneStop (U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration)
Personality Fit
Based on the Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers role, here are the RIASEC personality types that tend to thrive in this career. While these alignments are common, individual success depends on motivation, skill development, and finding the right work environment.
Realistic
Hands-on, practical, technical work
Investigative
Research, analysis, problem-solving
Conventional
Organizing, detail-oriented, structured
Not sure if these types match you? Take the full RIASEC assessment (4 min) to discover your personality profile and see how it aligns with hundreds of careers.
Career Path
Your career progression roadmap with salary growth at each level
Career Ladder
Junior Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineer → Associate Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineer → Senior Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineer → Lead Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineer
Where are you on this career path?
Click a level below to set your current position
Salary Growth
4
Levels
$239K
Top Salary
8+
Years
Learning Path
Skills you need to develop and courses to get there
🚀
Set your current level first
Go to the Career Path tab and select your current level to see your personalized learning plan.
Go to Career PathCareer levels
Timeline: 0-2 | Entry Level Base: $101,710 - $136,083/year With equity/bonuses: $111,881 - $163,300 Top markets (SF/NYC): $116,966 - $163,300 Execute core tasks using Operation…
Skills used in this career
Click any skill to see how to learn it and what salary boost it gives
Day in Life
Junior vs Senior, daily schedule breakdown
9am, Use instrumentation to guide flights when visibility is poor. 10am, Start engines, operate controls, and pilot airplanes to transport passengers, mail, or freight, adhering…
Income Dynamics
Conservative and aggressive scenarios for 10–15 years
Year 1: Entry level $71,197 - $122,475 Year 2-3: Junior level $136,083 - $161,932 Year 4-6: Mid level $161,932 - $175,569 Year 7-10: Senior level $175,569 - $215,069 Year 10+:…
Is this for me?
15 questions, answer honestly
You find the craft of a Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineer genuinely interesting, not just a paycheck You enjoy working with Operation and Control and Operations…
💰 Salary Range
BLS OEWS, May 2023Half of U.S. workers in this occupation earn more than this, half earn less.
Create a free account to see how well this career fits you.
Create Free Account🎯 Is Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers right for you?
Take these tests to find out if this career matches your personality:
Related Reading
Related Holland / RIASEC Types