Commercial Pilots
Also called: Captain, Commercial Pilot, Helicopter Pilot, PilotPilot 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.
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What the data says: AI could halve the time on 10 of its 24 tasks, and jobs are projected to grow 5.2% by 2035. How to think about this →
About this projection
BLS builds AI into its projections where the research supports it: “BLS generally applies adjustments based on this research conservatively, where there is convincing evidence for a change.”
It also notes a limit: “BLS projection methods are not designed to capture extremely rapid technological change.”
On its AI exposure groups, BLS says exposure “does not imply job loss.”
Recent conditions
- In 2024, 1.2% of people in this work were unemployed, against 3.8% across all occupations Census ACS 2024, all workers in the Census group “Aircraft pilots and flight engineers”
- From Sep 2025 to Aug 2026, 9.0 hires for every 10 job openings in transportation, warehousing, and utilities, which employs about 55% of people in this work, against 7.3 across all industries BLS JOLTS
One box per opening, filled for each hire; hires beyond the openings are added in a lighter shade. Higher can mean openings get filled, or that people leave often; lower, that jobs go unfilled, or hiring is slow.9.0 this industry7.3 all industries
Median pay by state BLS OEWS May 2025, state estimates
Tap a state for its figures.
Median pay in every state
| State | Median | Middle half earn | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $101,420 | $86,500 to $133,520 | 780 |
| Alaska | $100,120 | $80,170 to $128,760 | 1,000 |
| Arizona | $103,060 | $93,620 to $133,110 | 1,540 |
| Arkansas | $94,410 | $60,250 to $102,880 | 460 |
| California | $165,590 | $85,020 to $278,940 | 4,900 |
| Colorado | $139,680 | $98,050 to $210,470 | 1,240 |
| Connecticut | $232,160 | $172,500 to $315,450 | 460 |
| Delaware | $163,600 | $124,180 to $198,380 | 220 |
| Florida | $121,890 | $98,460 to $202,340 | 6,340 |
| Georgia | $145,100 | $102,090 to $173,870 | 1,020 |
| Hawaii | $113,030 | $65,670 to $148,550 | 350 |
| Idaho | $109,620 | $82,760 to $174,750 | 310 |
| Illinois | $126,100 | $64,370 to $200,440 | 1,170 |
| Indiana | $104,160 | $88,730 to $144,990 | 960 |
| Iowa | $101,800 | $91,550 to $159,040 | 300 |
| Kansas | $105,440 | $59,850 to $135,150 | 680 |
| Kentucky | $129,990 | $91,570 to $193,940 | 800 |
| Louisiana | $95,940 | $63,270 to $135,950 | 910 |
| Maine | $117,560 | $95,790 to $217,110 | 100 |
| Maryland | $131,210 | $81,620 to $173,790 | 360 |
| Massachusetts | not published | not published | 160 |
| Michigan | $126,670 | $82,160 to $156,940 | 1,390 |
| Minnesota | $98,630 | $60,610 to $164,150 | 910 |
| Mississippi | $103,640 | $88,100 to $131,650 | 240 |
| Missouri | $102,990 | $66,850 to $165,990 | 670 |
| Montana | $103,690 | $87,190 to $131,360 | 330 |
| Nebraska | $104,780 | $57,240 to $130,290 | 290 |
| Nevada | $105,340 | $62,590 to $175,770 | 1,100 |
| New Hampshire | not published | not published | 440 |
| New Jersey | $226,710 | $121,730 to $321,550 | 670 |
| New Mexico | $97,920 | $71,970 to $131,240 | 370 |
| New York | $177,430 | $103,390 to $257,810 | 1,070 |
| North Carolina | $127,310 | $79,670 to $175,900 | 1,520 |
| North Dakota | $133,010 | $92,870 to $234,990 | 370 |
| Ohio | $150,330 | $82,440 to $211,620 | 2,680 |
| Oklahoma | $126,180 | $95,990 to $164,370 | 540 |
| Oregon | $120,760 | $80,100 to $163,810 | 670 |
| Pennsylvania | $134,030 | $96,780 to $200,910 | 530 |
| Puerto Rico | $81,070 | $73,470 to $102,890 | 70 |
| Rhode Island | $98,820 | $66,180 to $166,380 | 80 |
| South Carolina | $105,740 | $77,710 to $127,170 | 290 |
| South Dakota | $83,710 | $59,420 to $113,430 | 320 |
| Tennessee | $117,480 | $82,770 to $169,920 | 1,030 |
| Texas | $137,960 | $101,090 to $196,400 | 4,120 |
| Utah | $99,610 | $80,480 to $134,080 | 540 |
| Vermont | $137,810 | $65,090 to $191,690 | 40 |
| Virginia | $104,890 | $80,160 to $156,660 | 1,130 |
| Washington | $117,730 | $84,540 to $200,480 | 890 |
| West Virginia | $105,950 | $76,810 to $150,990 | 40 |
| Wisconsin | $129,860 | $91,750 to $257,050 | 1,090 |
| Wyoming | $102,990 | $96,110 to $117,100 | 190 |
Nationally: $123,220. Shades run from the lowest state median to the highest; a territory below that range takes the lightest. How to read this
How AI touches the work
What AI could speed up, task by task, and where people already use it.
AI could halve the time on 10 of its 24 tasks
| AI rating | Its main tasks | Share of Claude conversations May 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| Not much | Check aircraft prior to flights to ensure that the engines, controls, instruments, and other systems are functioning properly. | Not published |
| AI + software | Consider airport altitudes, outside temperatures, plane weights, and wind speeds and directions to calculate the speed needed to become airborne. | Not published |
| Not much | Monitor engine operation, fuel consumption, and functioning of aircraft systems during flights. | Not published |
| Not much | Order changes in fuel supplies, loads, routes, or schedules to ensure safety of flights. | Not published |
| AI + software | Contact control towers for takeoff clearances, arrival instructions, and other information, using radio equipment. | Not published |
| Not much | Plan flights according to government and company regulations, using aeronautical charts and navigation instruments. | Not published |
See all 24 tasks
| AI + software | Obtain and review data such as load weights, fuel supplies, weather conditions, and flight schedules to determine flight plans and identify needed changes. | Not published |
| Not much | Start engines, operate controls, and pilot airplanes to transport passengers, mail, or freight according to flight plans, regulations, and procedures. | Not published |
| AI + software | Choose routes, altitudes, and speeds that will provide the fastest, safest, and smoothest flights. | Not published |
| Not much | Check baggage or cargo to ensure that it has been loaded correctly. | Not published |
| AI + software | Write specified information in flight records, such as flight times, altitudes flown, and fuel consumption. | Not published |
| AI + software | Coordinate flight activities with ground crews and air traffic control, and inform crew members of flight and test procedures. | Not published |
| Not much | Use instrumentation to pilot aircraft when visibility is poor. | Not published |
| AI + software | Supervise other crew members. | Not published |
| Not much | Co-pilot aircraft or perform captain's duties, as required. | Not published |
| AI + software | Request changes in altitudes or routes as circumstances dictate. O*NET flags this task's ratings as uncertain | Not published |
| Not much | Conduct in-flight tests and evaluations at specified altitudes and in all types of weather to determine the receptivity and other characteristics of equipment and systems. | Not published |
| Not much | Perform minor aircraft maintenance and repair work, or arrange for major maintenance. | Not published |
| AI + software | File instrument flight plans with air traffic control so that flights can be coordinated with other air traffic. | Not published |
| Not much | Rescue and evacuate injured persons. | Not published |
| Not much | Instruct other pilots and student pilots in aircraft operations. | Not published |
| Not much | Teach company regulations and procedures to other pilots. | Not published |
| Not much | Fly with other pilots or pilot-license applicants to evaluate their proficiency. | Not published |
| AI + software | Plan and formulate flight activities and test schedules and prepare flight evaluation reports. | Not published |
Ordered by how important O*NET's respondents rate each task (1 to 5) times the share who say it is part of their job. The ordering is ours. 0 of the 24 have a published share of Claude conversations; “not published” means too few conversations for Anthropic to publish a figure.
Where people already use AI
The tasks above say what AI could speed up. This shows what people are using it for. Its 24 tasks fall under 18 work activities that many occupations share, and Microsoft counted how often each one came up in 200,000 conversations with its Copilot assistant in 2024.
- #8 Read documents or materials to inform work processes
- #37 Determine operational methods or procedures
| Work activity | This occupation's tasks under it | People asked AI for help in 10,000 conversations |
AI did it for them in 10,000 conversations |
|---|---|---|---|
| Communicate with others about operational plans or activities | |||
| Operate transportation equipment or vehicles | |||
| Determine operational methods or procedures | |||
| Plan work activities | |||
| Maintain operational records | |||
| Train others on operational or work procedures | |||
| Read documents or materials to inform work processes | |||
| Test performance of equipment or systems |
Show all 18 activities
| Schedule operational activities | |||
| Resolve personnel or operational problems | |||
| Monitor operations to ensure adequate performance | |||
| Manage control systems or activities | |||
| Evaluate personnel capabilities or performance | |||
| Monitor equipment operation | |||
| Direct organizational operations, activities, or procedures | |||
| Maintain vehicles in working condition | |||
| Intervene in crisis situations or emergencies | |||
| Inspect vehicles |
How to read this
Work activities come from O*NET, which links every task to the broader activities it involves. Microsoft's figures are for the activity across everyone who used Copilot, not for commercial pilots specifically. Copilot is a general chat assistant; dedicated coding tools are not included, so programming help is under-counted here. Activities are listed by how many of this occupation's tasks fall under them.
The task ratings say whether AI could halve the time a task takes: on its own (“AI alone”), or with software built on it (“AI + software”). They were made by people in 2023 (Eloundou et al.). Claude's share is the task's share of all Claude.ai conversations in May 2026; Anthropic doesn't publish a task with too few conversations. None of these add up to the BLS exposure group, which combines five research measures.
More in the Guide: task ratings · task order · work activities · Copilot figures · Claude
High exposure doesn't mean fewer jobs
BLS projects most occupations in its two most exposed groups to grow: 141 of 206 rated Very high and 165 of 206 rated High. Each dot is one of the 831 occupations BLS rates.
Career moves into and out of this occupation
From moves between occupations found in online resumes, 2002–2016. Career changes only: a first job after school isn't a move.
Where people moved next
of 11,313 moves out
- 1 Managers, All Other (2010 group) an older group BLS has since split; no exposure group today 8%
- 2 Career/Technical Education Teachers, Postsecondary Very high -0.3% 6%
- 3 General and Operations Managers High +5.0% 5%
- 4 Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers Moderate +8.3% 5%
- 5 Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers Moderate +3.8% 3%
Where people moved in from
of 13,712 moves in
- 1 Managers, All Other (2010 group) an older group BLS has since split; no exposure group today 9%
- 2 Career/Technical Education Teachers, Postsecondary Very high -0.3% 6%
- 3 General and Operations Managers High +5.0% 4%
- 4 Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers Moderate +8.3% 4%
- 5 Dispatchers, Except Police, Fire, and Ambulance Very high -0.7% 3%
Resumes over-represent younger, white-collar job-seekers and moves into management. Schubert, Stansbury and Taska (resume data).
Education and training for the occupation
O*NET survey of workers in this occupation
- 15% less than high school
- 29% high school
- 17% some college
- 1% associate's
- 1% bachelor's
- 1% post-bachelor's certificate
- 36% not published
O*NET marks 36% of the answers as too uncertain to publish, so the parts shown don't add up to 100%.
O*NET 31.0 survey of workers in this occupation · 21 people answered.
Census survey (American Community Survey)
- 1% less than high school
- 7% high school
- 10% some college
- 8% associate's
- 55% bachelor's
- 15% master's
- 2% professional degree
Census ACS 2024, all workers in the Census group “Aircraft pilots and flight engineers” · 2,119 people surveyed.
Why the two can differ
O*NET asks about 20 people in each occupation, which makes its shares uncertain, but it reports the exact occupation and counts certificates. The Census survey reaches thousands, but it groups some occupations together and counts degrees only. More in the Guide
Median pay by highest degree full-time, year-round · Census ACS 2024, all workers in the Census group “Aircraft pilots and flight engineers”
2 programs: Airline/Commercial/Professional Pilot and Flight Crew and Flight Instructor.
Jobs that require a credential BLS Occupational Requirements Survey 2023
BLS publishes no credential figures for this occupation.
Look up certifications, training and licenses U.S. Department of Labor
- Certification Finder ↗ certifications CareerOneStop lists for this occupation
- Training Finder ↗ schools and programs, nationwide; narrow the place there
- License Finder ↗ licenses by state
- Apprenticeship Finder ↗ DOL lists 1 registered apprenticeship in this occupation (Air Transport Pilot). Apprenticeship.gov can't be linked to one occupation, so search for “Commercial Pilots” there.
These open in a new tab and send only the occupation's public code. More in the Guide
BLS AI exposure categories (Aug 2026) · BLS Employment Projections 2025–35 · O*NET 31.0 · Task ratings: Eloundou et al., Science (2024) · Microsoft "Working with AI" v1.1 · Anthropic Economic Index (2026-06-26) · Schubert, Stansbury and Taska · NCES CIP–SOC · Census ACS 2024 · BLS JOLTS
See it online, and explore any career: https://www.pathmosaic.com/card/53-2012.00