How to Become a Commercial Pilot
Fly charter, cargo, medical, and agricultural missions, the professional path toward airline flight decks. It typically requires an associate degree + flight training, with a median salary of $123,220 per year and faster than average projected job growth.
Median pay
$123,220/yr
Middle half
$84,540 to $190,440
Job growth
Faster than average
Openings / yr
6,600
Majors that lead here
Key skills
- Aircraft Operation
- Navigation
- Weather Interpretation
- Monitoring
- Decision Making
Helpful certifications
- FAA Commercial Pilot certificate + instrument rating
- ATP (airline track)
Is this career a fit?
Remote-friendly
0/100
Work-life balance
38/100
Stress level
59/100
Related careers
- Airline Pilot$232,140 median
- Air Traffic Controller$148,080 median
- Aircraft Mechanic$79,870 median
Frequently asked questions
How much does a Commercial Pilot make?
The median pay for a Commercial Pilot is $123,220 a year, and the middle half of workers earn between $84,540 and $190,440 (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, May 2025). That covers everyone in the job, not only people starting out, so newer workers sit toward the lower end.
What degree do you need to become a Commercial Pilot?
The usual entry point is an associate degree + flight training. Common majors are Aviation Science and Aeronautics.
Is Commercial Pilot a growing field?
Projected job growth for this role from 2024 to 2034 is faster than average (BLS projections via O*NET), with roughly 6,600 U.S. openings a year.
What skills does a Commercial Pilot use most?
Common skills for this role are Aircraft Operation, Navigation, Weather Interpretation, Monitoring, and Decision Making.
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Take the major quizWhere these pay figures come from
Career pay is the annual wage of everyone working in that occupation, not only recent graduates, so it includes people who have done the job for decades. The middle half is the 25th to the 75th percentile. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and O*NET OnLine (median and percentile annual wages May 2025; employment projections 2024-2034).
All figures are national. What you earn depends on where you work, who you work for, and how far you take the degree.
Job-growth figures: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and O*NET OnLine (median and percentile annual wages May 2025; employment projections 2024-2034).