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Role hub · Commercial Pilots

Commercial Pilot: what the job is, what it pays, and how to get hired.

The work, the skills that matter, the tools in demand and the pay range, from U.S. government data, plus every TryHired page for the role.

Maid DizdarevicCareer coach · 8x LinkedIn Top Voice
Updated Oct 24, 2026 · Data: BLS OEWS May 2025 · O*NET 31.0
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Median percentile pay

Half of commercial pilots earn more than this and half earn less.

Annual
$123,220
Hourly
n/a
Source
BLS May 2025
Quick answer

Commercial Pilots pilot and navigate the flight of fixed-wing aircraft on nonscheduled air carrier routes, or helicopters. The median pay is $123,220 a year (BLS, May 2025). The most commonly reported education requirement is a high school diploma or equivalent (29% of workers surveyed by O*NET).

Median pay
$123,220
BLS May 2025
Employed in the U.S.
47,630
BLS May 2025
Preparation
Job Zone 3 of 5
medium preparation
Most common education
High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED)
29% of workers
Explore the role

Every page for Commercial Pilots

SalaryCommercial Pilot salary

Pay by percentile, state and metro, with a negotiation script.

Open →How to becomeCommercial Pilot how to become

Education, training and the skills to build first.

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The work

What commercial pilots do day to day

Data Core tasks rated most important by workers in the role (O*NET).

  1. Check aircraft prior to flights to ensure that the engines, controls, instruments, and other systems are functioning properly.
  2. Co-pilot aircraft or perform captain's duties, as required.
  3. Consider airport altitudes, outside temperatures, plane weights, and wind speeds and directions to calculate the speed needed to become airborne.
  4. Use instrumentation to pilot aircraft when visibility is poor.
  5. Monitor engine operation, fuel consumption, and functioning of aircraft systems during flights.
  6. Order changes in fuel supplies, loads, routes, or schedules to ensure safety of flights.
  7. Contact control towers for takeoff clearances, arrival instructions, and other information, using radio equipment.
  8. Plan flights according to government and company regulations, using aeronautical charts and navigation instruments.
Skills that matter

Ranked by importance to the job

Data O*NET importance ratings. The first three are core.

Operation and ControlcoreOperations MonitoringcoreMonitoringcoreCritical ThinkingJudgment and Decision MakingActive ListeningReading ComprehensionSpeakingComplex Problem Solving

Knowledge areas: Customer and Personal Service, English Language, Transportation, Geography, Public Safety and Security, Mechanical.

Tools and technology

Software commercial pilots use

Data Examples reported for the role; employer demand flags from O*NET.

  • Adobe Creative Cloud softwareGraphics or photo imaging softwareHot technology
  • AeroPlannerInformation retrieval or search software
  • Aeronautical chartsCharting software
  • ArduPilot Mission PlannerAviation ground support software
  • Calibration softwareAnalytical or scientific software
  • CloudCompareAnalytical or scientific software
  • ESRI Site Scan for ArcGISMap creation software
  • FLIR Thermal Studio SuiteAnalytical or scientific software
  • Flight simulation softwareFlight control software
  • Kitty HawkAnalytical or scientific software
  • LP360Analytical or scientific software
  • LitchiAnalytical or scientific software

Also called: Captain, Charter Pilot, Check Airman, Commercial Helicopter Pilot, EMS Helicopter Pilot (Emergency Medical Service Helicopter Pilot).

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Method

How this page is built

Tasks, skills, tools, education and related roles come from O*NET 31.0. Pay and employment come from the BLS OEWS May 2025 national estimates. The skill-match score is our calculation: Skill match is the correlation between the two occupations' skill profiles: for each of 35 O*NET skills (10 essential, 25 transferable) we multiply importance by level, subtract the average across all occupations, and correlate the two profiles. 100 means identical shape; 0 or below means unrelated. Only occupations that O*NET itself lists as related are compared.

What this page can't tell you
  • How a specific employer defines the job.
  • Pay for self-employed workers (OEWS covers employees).
  • Your own chances: data describes the occupation, not you.
Sources
  1. O*NET 31.0 Database, U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA), used under the CC BY 4.0 license. TryHired selected, ranked and combined the data; O*NET is not responsible for these pages.
  2. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 estimates (public domain).