Entry Level Salary for an Airline Pilot
Airline pilot salaries depend partly on experience, partly on the carrier and partly on the kind of aircraft the pilot is flying. Smaller craft generally correspond with smaller salaries. Other factors may include the number of flight hours the airline provides for the pilot. According to a 2009 salary survey by FltOps, a website for pilots, first-year pilot salary tends to range from about $22,000 to $52,000.
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Lowest Paying
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According to FltOps, the lowest-paying carriers for first-year pilots on small planes is $21,600 for U.S. Airways and $27,392 for United. These pilots are guaranteed about 71 hours a month of flying time, which means that since pilots are paid more the hours they are flying than the hours they spend on other tasks, they will receive at least that number of flight hours per month.
Mid Range
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Several carriers pay salaries in the $30,000 to $40,000 range for first-time pilots on the smallest craft. American pays $30,984 and UPS pays $31,824, according FltOps figures. Both guarantee 75 flight hours per month. Air Tran pays $35,940 with 70 guaranteed flight hours, and Alaska first-year pilots earn $40,986 with 75 hours of flying time. Jet Blue pilots earn $42,300 a year with 75 hours of guaranteed flight time, and Delta pilots earn $45,502 with 70 hours of flight time.
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Top Range
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Two of the highest-paying airlines pay about $50,000 a year for first-year pilots flying their smallest planes. According to FltOps data, Southwest pilots earn $49,572, but they also have 90 hours of guaranteed flight time, which means they put in more flight hours than pilots at other airlines. Fed Ex, which pays $50,971, only has 65 hours of guaranteed flight time.
Considerations
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Different kinds of carriers have different requirements for pilots that may influence pay. Most pilots work 140 hours at least in non-flight hours, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Having to spend days away from home, take international flights or take overnight flights might also impact the amount of pay an entry-level pilot earns.
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References
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