Airline Pilot Pay

[Traderd]

BLS is out with new data. In the transportation category, looks like the airline guys are making the big(bigger) bucks.

http://www.bls.gov/news.release/ocwage.htm

Shows a mean annual of about $129K (pilots, co-pilots and flight engineers). I'm guessing the SWA/legacy/cargo guys average about $400K (?) and the regional pay pulls the mean down a substantial amount.

Tractor trailer truck drivers have a mean annual of about $41K; locomotive engineers about $54K.

In medicine anesthesiologists do $235K, Family and GP $184K and surgeons $233K. One can see why the PA's are becoming more popular; $94K.

Interesting read even with all the caveats that go into a mean value derived from the entire country by the BLS. I'm certain your mileage may vary.

 

[airgator]

No airline's captains are averaging $400. Yeah there are guys pulling that but it's not the average.

 

[swaforme]

To make 400K at SWA you would have to fly 179 trips or credits per month at max Capt rate. Doable but very difficult. There may be a few but certainly not many.

 

[slaquer5]

To make 400K at SWA you would have to fly 179 trips or credits per month at max Capt rate. Doable but very difficult. There may be a few but certainly not many.

Or Do do SWAPA. work.

 

[IAHERJ]

At UAL, the highest paid pilots have traditionally been the EWR 777 line check airmen. They were pulling down around 400K a year as they performed line checks on days off. Now the 737 line captains are the highest paid as 200% open time pick-up has been offered so often that there are guys pulling in 30-40K a month. Again, not all, but many. I'm a 737 CA and I'm NOT pulling that kind of money in. I haven't had the opportunity to enjoy a 200% trip....

 

[redflyer65]

We had a United newhire the other day in the jumpseat and he said they were way over staffed on the 737. Hadn't hardly flown.

Just wondering if that was base specific? He was EWR.

 

[IAHERJ]

Seat specific. We have ample FO's and are training as many captains as we can (pairing CA/CA in the sim).

 

[SIG600]

We had a United newhire the other day in the jumpseat and he said they were way over staffed on the 737. Hadn't hardly flown.

Just wondering if that was base specific? He was EWR.

73 EWR specific.

 

[formerdal]

I would be surprised if the AVERAGE legacy salary was $175,000....

 

[sshrae]

I think that website is a bit off. I know an anesthesiologist who is pretty fresh out of fellowship who makes over 450k, and surgeons for the most part I know make much more than 230k.