U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics U.S. Bureau of Labor StatisticsPilot and navigate the flight of small fixed or rotary winged aircraft, primarily for the transport of cargo and passengers. Requires Commercial Rating. Include aircraft instructors with similar certification.
National estimates for this occupation
Industry profile for this occupation
State profile for this occupation
Metropolitan area profile for this occupation
Employment estimate and mean wage estimates for this occupation:
| Employment (1) | Employment RSE (3) |
Mean hourly wage |
Mean annual wage (2) |
Wage RSE (3) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 29,180 | 4.0 % | (4) | $73,060 | 4.0 % |
Percentile wage estimates for this occupation:
| Percentile | 10% | 25% | 50% (Median) |
75% | 90% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Annual Wage (2) | $32,520 | $46,330 | $65,840 | $88,050 | $120,550 |
Industries with the highest published employment and wages for this occupation are provided. For a list of all industries with employment in this occupation, see the Create Customized Tables function.
Industries with the highest levels of employment in this occupation:
| Industry | Employment | Hourly mean wage | Annual mean wage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nonscheduled Air Transportation | 10,340 | (8) | (8) |
| Technical and Trade Schools | 3,180 | (4) | $57,880 |
| Support Activities for Air Transportation | 2,660 | (4) | $64,950 |
| Other Ambulatory Health Care Services | 2,060 | (4) | $63,170 |
| Scheduled Air Transportation | 1,340 | (8) | (8) |
Top paying industries for this occupation:
| Industry | Employment | Hourly mean wage | Annual mean wage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aerospace Product and Parts Manufacturing | 690 | (4) | $106,130 |
| Wired Telecommunications Carriers | 40 | (4) | $104,180 |
| Spectator Sports | 70 | (4) | $96,250 |
| Scientific Research and Development Services | 80 | (4) | $92,730 |
| Machinery, Equipment, and Supplies Merchant Wholesalers | (8) | (4) | $91,350 |
States with the highest published employment concentrations and wages for this occupation are provided. For a list of all States with employment in this occupation, see the Create Customized Tables function.
States with the highest concentration of workers in this occupation:
| State | Employment | Hourly mean wage | Annual mean wage | Employment per thousand workers |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alaska | 590 | (4) | $74,450 | 1.900 |
| Montana | 280 | (4) | $56,820 | 0.657 |
| Louisiana | 950 | (4) | $68,110 | 0.508 |
| South Dakota | 200 | (4) | $54,100 | 0.501 |
| Arkansas | 550 | (4) | $68,610 | 0.480 |
Top paying States for this occupation:
| State | Employment | Hourly mean wage | Annual mean wage | Employment per thousand workers |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Georgia | 1,780 | (4) | $124,390 | 0.459 |
| Hawaii | 260 | (4) | $108,220 | 0.448 |
| New York | (8) | (4) | $97,320 | (8) |
| Connecticut | 360 | (4) | $96,390 | 0.219 |
| New Hampshire | 90 | (4) | $93,750 | 0.145 |
Metropolitan areas with the highest published employment concentrations and wages for this occupation are provided. For a list of all Metropolitan areas with employment in this occupation, see the Create Customized Tables function.
Metropolitan areas with the highest concentration of workers in this occupation:
| MSA | Employment | Hourly mean wage | Annual mean wage | Employment per thousand workers |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Houma-Bayou Cane-Thibodaux, LA | 220 | (4) | $70,050 | 2.319 |
| Jonesboro, AR | 70 | (4) | $44,540 | 1.562 |
| Columbus, OH | 1,370 | (4) | $52,240 | 1.513 |
| Anchorage, AK | 200 | (4) | $93,130 | 1.213 |
| Flagstaff, AZ | 70 | (4) | $73,330 | 1.168 |
Top paying metropolitan areas for this occupation:
| MSA | Employment | Hourly mean wage | Annual mean wage | Employment per thousand workers |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Honolulu, HI | 190 | (4) | $110,480 | 0.440 |
| Savannah, GA | 160 | (4) | $108,830 | 1.082 |
| Bradenton-Sarasota-Venice, FL | 40 | (4) | $106,710 | 0.154 |
| West Palm Beach-Boca Raton-Boynton Beach, FL Metropolitan Division | 150 | (4) | $105,870 | 0.292 |
| Cheyenne, WY | (8) | (4) | $105,490 | (8) |
These estimates are calculated with data collected from employers in all industry sectors in metropolitan and nonmetropolitan areas in every State and the District of Columbia. The top five employment and wage figures are provided above. The complete list is available in the downloadable XLS files.
Percentile wage estimates show the percentage of workers in an occupation that earn less than a given wage and the percentage that earn more. The median wage is the 50th percentile wage estimate--50 percent of workers earn less than the median and 50 percent of workers earn more than the median. More about percentile wages.
(1) Estimates for detailed occupations do not sum to the totals because the totals include occupations not shown separately. Estimates do not include self-employed workers.
(2) Annual wages have been calculated by multiplying the hourly mean wage by a "year-round, full-time" hours figure of 2,080 hours; for those occupations where there is not an hourly mean wage published, the annual wage has been directly calculated from the reported survey data.
(3) The relative standard error (RSE) is a measure of the reliability of a survey statistic. The smaller the relative standard error, the more precise the estimate.
(4) Wages for some occupations that do not generally work year-round, full time, are reported either as hourly wages or annual salaries depending on how they are typically paid.
(8) Estimate not released.
Other OES estimates and related information:
May 2009 National Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates
May 2009 State Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates
May 2009 Metropolitan and Nonmetropolitan Area Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates
May 2009 National Industry-Specific Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates
List of Occupations in SOC Code Number Order
List of Occupations in Alphabetical Order
Download May 2009 Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates in Zipped XLS files
Last Modified Date: May 14, 2010
