Airline & Commercial Pilot
Airline and commercial pilots fly and navigate airplanes, helicopters, and other aircraft.
What the job is
- The work
- Airline and commercial pilots fly and navigate airplanes, helicopters, and other aircraft.
BLS
Airline and Commercial Pilots — Summary (Quick Facts)U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (OOH)- Checked
- 21 Oct 2026
- Work environment
- Pilots usually have variable work schedules, with overnight layovers that are more common for airline pilots.
BLS
Airline and Commercial Pilots — Summary (Quick Facts)U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (OOH)- Checked
- 21 Oct 2026
- Good fit for
- Calm decision-makers with good vision, clear communication and a real love of flying.
- Career cluster
- Supply Chain & Transportation
Key numbers
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Outlook Handbook, pay for May 2025 (aircraft pilots and flight engineers).
- Median pay
- $210,020 a year
BLS
Airline and Commercial Pilots — Summary (Quick Facts)U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (OOH)- Checked
- 21 Oct 2026
- Jobs in 2025
- 154,900
- Typical entry
- See How to Become One
- Work experience
- See How to Become One
- Training after hire
- Moderate-term on-the-job training
Job outlook, 2025–35
- Projected growth
- +7%, which BLS calls "much faster than average"
BLS
Airline and Commercial Pilots — Summary (Quick Facts)U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (OOH)- Checked
- 21 Oct 2026
- Jobs added
- +11,300 over 2025–35
- All U.S. jobs
- 3.5% over the same period, for comparison
How to become one
- The usual route
- Airline pilots typically need a bachelor’s degree and experience as a commercial or military pilot. Commercial pilots typically need flight training. Both also must meet Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) requirements.
BLS
Airline and Commercial Pilots — Summary (Quick Facts)U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (OOH)- Checked
- 21 Oct 2026
- In short
- Pilots climb a ladder of FAA certificates: student, private, instrument rating, commercial (at least 250 flight hours), multi-engine and finally the airline transport pilot (ATP) certificate, usually 1,500 hours and age 23. Airline pilots typically also have a bachelor's degree; an aviation degree or military flying can lower the ATP hours.
- License
- FAA certificates (federal). Pilot certificates are federal: the FAA issues them, and the same rules apply in every state. Pilots also pass periodic medical and practical flight exams to keep flying.
- By state
- State rules on the roadmap
- Paying for it
- File the FAFSA (opens by October 1) for grants, work-study and federal loans; a Pell Grant pays up to $7,395 a year (2026–27). Average public four-year tuition and fees: $11,950 in-state vs $31,880 out-of-state (2025–26). Residency rules and regional discounts · Save with 2+2 transfer
- Your state
-
StateChoose a state
- AlabamaState guide
- AlaskaState guide
- ArizonaState guide
- ArkansasState guide
- CaliforniaState guide
- ColoradoState guide
- ConnecticutState guide
- DelawareState guide
- District of ColumbiaState guide
- FloridaState guide
- GeorgiaState guide
- HawaiiState guide
- IdahoState guide
- IllinoisState guide
- IndianaState guide
- IowaState guide
- KansasState guide
- KentuckyState guide
- LouisianaState guide
- MaineState guide
- MarylandState guide
- MassachusettsState guide
- MichiganState guide
- MinnesotaState guide
- MississippiState guide
- MissouriState guide
- MontanaState guide
- NebraskaState guide
- NevadaState guide
- New HampshireState guide
- New JerseyState guide
- New MexicoState guide
- New YorkState guide
- North CarolinaState guide
- North DakotaState guide
- OhioState guide
- OklahomaState guide
- OregonState guide
- PennsylvaniaState guide
- Rhode IslandState guide
- South CarolinaState guide
- South DakotaState guide
- TennesseeState guide
- TexasState guide
- UtahState guide
- VermontState guide
- VirginiaState guide
- WashingtonState guide
- West VirginiaState guide
- WisconsinState guide
- WyomingState guide
Step-by-step roadmap
The routes step by step, the exam gates and the state license step are on one page.
Pilot: FAA certificates from private to commercial, 250 hours, then 1,500 hours for the ATP
See the roadmap
Route 1: Flight school: private → instrument → commercial → ATP · Route 2: Aviation degree → restricted ATP at 1,000 hours · Route 3: Military pilot → airline
More careers in Supply Chain & Transportation
Open the cluster hubEvery career page in this cluster, with entry, license, pay and outlook side by side.
Every number links to the BLS page it came from, checked 20 Oct 2026. Education Margdarshan does not recommend paid courses.