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Commercial pilot
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.
Median pay
$123,220
Growth to 2035
+5%
about as fast as average
Openings a year
5,200
Time to qualify*
1.5 years
* From a bachelor's degree in an unrelated field.
Pay
Commercial pilot
Getting in
- Typical entry education
- Postsecondary nondegree award
- On-the-job training
- Moderate-term on-the-job training
- Prior experience
- None
What the work is like
Dealing with the public
Unpleasant or angry people
Time pressure
Cost of a mistake
Freedom to make decisions
Repeating the same tasks
Time sitting
Time standing
Outdoors in all weather
Hazardous conditions
Exposure to disease
Commercial pilot: 80% usually work over 40 hours a week
Core tasks
- 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.
- Order changes in fuel supplies, loads, routes, or schedules to ensure safety of flights.
- Contact control towers for takeoff clearances, arrival instructions, and other information, using radio equipment.
- Plan flights according to government and company regulations, using aeronautical charts and navigation instruments.
Also called: Captain · Charter Pilot · Check Airman · Commercial Helicopter Pilot · Commercial Pilot · EMS Helicopter Pilot (Emergency Medical Service Helicopter Pilot) · First Officer · Helicopter Pilot
Outlook and AI
Commercial pilots held 50,400 jobs in 2025. BLS projects 53,000 by 2035 (+5%, about as fast as average; all jobs: +3.5%).
Compare with
- Commercial pilot vs. Airline pilots, copilots, and flight engineers
- Commercial pilot vs. Air traffic controller
- Commercial pilot vs. Airfield operations specialist
- Commercial pilot vs. Aircraft mechanics and service technicians
- Commercial pilot vs. Transportation inspector
- Commercial pilot vs. Locomotive engineer
- Commercial pilot vs. Avionics technician
- Commercial pilot vs. Captains, mates, and pilots of water vessels
- Commercial pilot vs. Ship engineer
- Commercial pilot vs. Railroad conductors and yardmasters