Commercial Airline Pilot Salary

Being a commercial pilot isn't easy. You have to log in several hours of flight experience and then give an examination to get the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) license. The salary at the entry-level stands at USD 30,000 to USD 35,000 annually. However, people who have more than 10 years of experience are known to earn more than USD 100,000 annually. A commercial pilot shoulders a huge responsibility of ferrying passengers from their origin to the destination. Pilots are also required to have excellent interpersonal skills as they have to interact with the cabin crew and at times with the passengers.

The job may sound very exciting with images of flying to exotic location and meeting new people flashing in front of the eyes. Although this might be true to some extent, the job entails hard work and spending time away from home. The prevailing economic conditions have also made a dent in the commercial pilot salary. Statistics indicate that a pilot with less than a year of experience can expect to earn around USD 35,000 annually. This number may vary according to the size of the employer, for example large airlines will pay a little higher salaries than small operators.

Becoming a pilot is not easy, aspiring pilots are required to log in a minimum of 1,500 hours of flight time. They will then have to undergo a physical exam where their vision, hearing and other attributes will be checked for any physical disabilities. Commercial pilots also have to undergo 40 hours of instrument flying before they can give the FAA license test and get a pilot job. Most candidates will have prior flight experience with the military and this also contributes towards getting gainful employment. Pilots with experience are known to earn enviable pay packets that can go beyond the USD 100,000 a year mark.

Nowadays airline jobs are a little hard to get due to the prevailing economic conditions. This is one of the main reasons behind low salary packages even with large airlines. If you check the median wages of pilots with more than 5 years of experience they will be making a comfortable USD 65,000 to USD 75,000 annually. The airline pilot salary graphs shows an upward trend as candidates gain experience. In some cases commercial pilots who become captains earn salaries that touch the USD 130,000 mark.

The kind of aircraft you fly and the route you fly will also play a part in the pilot salary. Individuals flying big commercial jets can expect to earn average salary that ranges between USD 95,000 to USD 105,000 per year. Not only this, pilots also earn hundreds of dollars in allowances above their salaries. This allowance is known as 'per diem' and is given to pilots for every hour they spend away from home. With most employers the allowance ranges between USD 1-3 per hour.

Airline pilots also get some perks above their annual wages in the form of health benefits, dental, vision, etc. Statistics have indicated that like most salary ranges for jobs, the salary of a commercial airline pilot also depends on the location of the job. Pilots are likely to get paid better wages in cities like New York where the average salary range is between USD 46,000 to USD 170,000, the figures being reflective of the individuals credentials and experience in the industry.

The salary is expected to get better in the coming decade with the American economy showing signs of recovery. The Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts that the airline industry is expected to grow 19 percent through 2018 and this is a good sign for this profession.