Career
Commercial pilots
Fly aircraft for charter, rescue, farming and more.
Here's what you actually need to know.
The work
What people in this job do
- Check aircraft prior to flights to ensure that the engines, controls, instruments, and other systems are functioning properly.
- Co-pilot aircraft or perform captain's duties, as required.
- Consider airport altitudes, outside temperatures, plane weights, and wind speeds and directions to calculate the speed needed to become airborne.
- Use instrumentation to pilot aircraft when visibility is poor.
- Monitor engine operation, fuel consumption, and functioning of aircraft systems during flights.
The outlook
How the forecast changed this year
The deeper question
What kind of person does this path ask you to become?
What this work centers on
O*NET interest profile, scored 1–7.
The work
Do you want most of your days spent on information & systems, then objects & tools?
Responsibility
Are you willing to be the one responsible for this?
“Check aircraft prior to flights to ensure that the engines, controls, instruments, and other systems are functioning properly.”
Development
What would you need to build over the next 5–10 years?
Operation and Control, Operations Monitoring, Monitoring, Critical Thinking.
Trade-offs
What does it ask of you in exchange?
Under 2 years of education after high school (postsecondary nondegree award), for a median of $123,220 a year and 5,200 openings nationally each year.
Paths in
Degrees that lead here
- AviationSee the degree →
- Airline/Commercial/Professional Pilot and Flight CrewCIP 49.0102
- Flight InstructorCIP 49.0108
Paths across
Careers that use similar skills
- Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers$232,140 · +8.3%
- Air Traffic Controllers$148,080 · +1.7%
- Airfield Operations Specialists$56,850 · +7.8%
- Aircraft Mechanics and Service Technicians$79,870 · +5.4%
- Aviation Inspectors
Ask anything about this career.
“Would this make sense if I don't want to sit at a desk all day?” Answers will come from the sources on this page, with citations. Coming soon.
Not sure this fits who you are? Start with Vocational Finder →
Sources
- BLS Employment Projections, 2025–35, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Retrieved 2026-10-01.
- BLS Employment Projections, 2024–34 (archived), U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Retrieved 2026-10-01.
- O*NET 31.0 Database (August 2026), National Center for O*NET Development / U.S. Department of Labor. Retrieved 2026-10-01.
- CIP 2020 to SOC 2018 Crosswalk, NCES and BLS. Retrieved 2026-10-01.