Salaries for Private Airplane Captains
Private airplane captains provide travel for those who do not wish to use commercial airlines for transportation. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), 2,520 of the 68,580 pilots employed nationwide worked in the nonscheduled airport transportation industry in 2010. Salaries for these private airplane captains varied based on factors such as location, experience and employer.
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Average Salary
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The average salary of private airline pilots was $89,870 per year as of May 2010, according to the BLS. This salary was substantially lower than the average salary earned by airline captains across all industries. The average salary of airline pilots, copilots and flight engineers nationwide was $115,300 per year, according to the bureau. The average for those working for commercial airlines was even higher at $116,930 per year.
Pay Scale
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Placing the salary of private airline captains within the larger pay scale for all airline pilots, copilots and flight engineers nationwide provides additional insight and context. The BLS indicates that the median salary for pilots was $103,210 per year in 2010. Pilots who earned $54,980 or less per year landed at the bottom of the pay scale. Those at the high end of the pay scale made more than $166,400 per year. The middle 50 percent made between $80,130 and $139,330 annually.
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Location
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The geographic location in which the airline pilot works provides some indication of what he can expect to make. The BLS indicates that the highest-paid pilots worked in the state of New York, earning an average salary of $142,390 per year in 2010. Those employed in Texas made $122,660 per year. Illinois pilots made an average of $116,000 per year, while those in Hawaii made $122,800.
Job Outlook
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According to the BLS, the number of jobs for airline pilots across all industries is expected to grow by about 12 percent from 2008 to 2018. The bureau indicates that the growth of the economy and the population should fuel growth in this field as continued demand for air transportation should grow as well.
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References
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