53
Commercial Pilots is a notable career in the 53 category. This page provides verified data from BLS OEWS 2024 + O*NET 29.0 (2024), helping you compare Commercial Pilots against similar careers and make data-driven decisions.
Education Administrators, All Other
11
Personal Service Managers, All Other
11
Managers, All Other
11
Buyers and Purchasing Agents
13
Business Operations Specialists, All Other
13
| soc | 53-2012 |
| title | Commercial Pilots |
| onet code | 53-2012.00 |
| description | Pilot and navigate the flight of fixed-wing aircraft on nonscheduled air carrier routes, or helicopters. Requires Commercial Pilot certificate. Includes charter pilots with similar certification, and air ambulance and air tour pilots. Excludes regional, national, and international airline pilots. |
| job zone | 3 |
| major group | 53 |
| tot emp | 51,830 |
| a mean | 142,960 |
| a median | 122,670 |
| a pct10 | 59,330 |
| a pct25 | 81,660 |
| a pct75 | 175,050 |
| a pct90 | N/A |
| h mean | N/A |
| h median | N/A |
The day-to-day work of a commercial pilots typically centers on check aircraft prior to flights to ensure that the engines, controls, instruments, and other systems are functioning properly. Every task listed below is classified as Core in O*NET — they collectively define the role. Task descriptions below are quoted from the U.S. Department of Labor's O*NET 29.0 occupation profile.
Workers in this occupation rely most on Operation and Control, Operations Monitoring, and Monitoring. Across the top 10 skills, the average O*NET importance score is 3.97 out of 5 — highly rated for this role. Importance reflects how essential each skill is for adequate job performance.
Among working commercial pilots, the most common entry qualification is a Post (36.4%). Bachelor's-degree-or-higher credentials are reported by 1% of incumbents. Most workers enter without a four-year degree, making this a relatively accessible career path.
Median annual pay is highest in Connecticut at $227,140 and lowest in New Hampshire at $60,920 — a 3.7× spread. The top five states (Connecticut, New York, Texas, Delaware, Georgia) average $171,512. Figures reflect BLS OEWS May 2024 state-level wage estimates; percentiles shown are for full-time wage-earners in each state.
| State | Median | Mean | 10th % | 90th % | Employed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Connecticut | $227,140 | $245,200 | $151,320 | — | 360 |
| New York | $172,500 | $205,840 | $72,710 | — | 1,070 |
| Texas | $162,930 | $172,030 | $63,140 | — | 5,030 |
| Delaware | $155,640 | $164,410 | $86,610 | — | 100 |
| Georgia | $139,350 | $165,480 | $79,990 | — | 920 |
| Massachusetts | $137,150 | $148,470 | $75,890 | — | 300 |
| Maine | $134,990 | $162,810 | $70,960 | — | 110 |
| Nevada | $132,490 | $149,230 | $50,440 | — | 1,590 |
| Michigan | $130,560 | $134,770 | $63,550 | $224,740 | 1,400 |
| Florida | $130,530 | $142,890 | $60,520 | — | 6,100 |
| Maryland | $130,510 | $139,340 | $79,990 | $222,580 | 400 |
| Pennsylvania | $129,540 | $136,440 | $66,550 | $218,160 | 740 |
| North Carolina | $126,740 | $136,910 | $63,050 | — | 1,470 |
| Wyoming | $126,570 | $154,970 | $49,150 | — | 150 |
| Missouri | $124,060 | $126,560 | $73,730 | $203,580 | 810 |
| Washington | $123,530 | $155,450 | $57,280 | — | 1,060 |
| Colorado | $122,700 | $130,580 | $50,900 | $205,570 | 1,170 |
| California | $122,100 | $168,930 | $59,790 | — | 5,530 |
| Louisiana | $120,710 | $129,310 | $77,590 | $165,290 | 880 |
| South Carolina | $119,810 | $127,730 | $49,500 | $197,470 | 310 |
| Tennessee | $119,330 | $133,850 | $66,590 | $203,660 | 1,020 |
| Minnesota | $117,960 | $129,970 | $55,630 | $205,380 | 1,540 |
| Ohio | $116,050 | $119,380 | $52,490 | $210,290 | 3,850 |
| Virginia | $115,490 | $134,000 | $55,740 | $226,420 | 1,110 |
| Oregon | $112,620 | $148,790 | $51,820 | — | 740 |
| North Dakota | $111,120 | $132,640 | $60,070 | $209,580 | 230 |
| Alaska | $110,930 | $133,750 | $65,400 | — | 1,870 |
| Oklahoma | $108,200 | $134,230 | $56,620 | $216,630 | 360 |
| Alabama | $106,840 | $104,420 | $50,700 | $138,380 | 1,140 |
| Illinois | $105,290 | $157,490 | $60,860 | — | 1,010 |
| Kansas | $103,400 | $110,860 | $45,170 | $171,100 | 730 |
| Wisconsin | $103,290 | $123,400 | $56,950 | $209,100 | 960 |
| Montana | $103,110 | $108,940 | $55,130 | $142,970 | 290 |
| Idaho | $103,090 | $124,710 | $60,340 | $205,780 | 320 |
| West Virginia | $102,640 | $108,810 | $60,180 | $165,290 | 60 |
| Hawaii | $102,390 | $104,310 | $41,750 | $169,190 | 450 |
| Arizona | $102,280 | $121,860 | $55,130 | $201,150 | 1,330 |
| Rhode Island | $101,330 | $124,860 | $64,990 | — | 40 |
| Kentucky | $101,290 | $122,050 | $63,190 | $225,060 | 540 |
| Utah | $101,160 | $118,090 | $47,690 | $209,400 | 680 |
| Iowa | $101,040 | $118,860 | $54,310 | $178,260 | 440 |
| Nebraska | $100,150 | $102,890 | $38,050 | $179,990 | 310 |
| Mississippi | $99,920 | $129,030 | $70,480 | $227,930 | 300 |
| Indiana | $96,730 | $105,550 | $53,510 | $163,580 | 660 |
| Vermont | $95,660 | $120,070 | $54,170 | $227,500 | 30 |
| New Mexico | $85,140 | $95,060 | $56,010 | $148,920 | 410 |
| Arkansas | $84,140 | $104,520 | $43,930 | $200,000 | 410 |
| South Dakota | $75,740 | $89,990 | $49,770 | $153,600 | 290 |
| New Hampshire | $60,920 | $76,080 | $21,300 | $154,220 | 390 |
Recruiters and job boards use several alternate titles for commercial pilots. Knowing these variants widens your job search — listings for Advanced Air Mobility Operator (AAM Operator) or Advanced Air Mobility Pilot (AAM Pilot) frequently describe the same role. The list below is a sample of the most common industry variants.
This data helps you understand how Commercial Pilots compares to others in the 53 category. Use it to make informed decisions based on verified data from BLS OEWS 2024 + O*NET 29.0.
careers with the closest data values to Commercial Pilots
The CertifyWize editorial team aggregates and verifies careers data from BLS OEWS 2024 + O*NET 29.0. Every statistic on this site is cross-referenced against the official source before publication, with quarterly re-verification cycles.
Read our full methodology or contact us with corrections.