The truth about salaries.....

clayfenderstrat · May 10th, 2008, 17:58

I have looked around the forum, and everyone will tell you something different. Can you guys give me a ballpark of how much I will be making as a careers pilot? I am 17 and a am about halfway through my PPL, and hope to go to Purdue to get a 4 year degree in flying. I am really passionate about flying, but would like to know how much I will make from my first year as a pilot until I retire (like what kind of a ladder am I looking at, and how much could I expect to make).

Thanks for all of your help.

Clay

Hckey2477 · May 10th, 2008, 18:06

That really all depends on you my friend. Your motivation and willingness to succeed is what it all comes down to. There are so many factors it is hard to tell what you can expect. But if you work hard, there is a lot of money to be made out there. Good luck

MQAAord · May 10th, 2008, 18:11

airlinepilotcentral.com has pay calculators that let you see hourly rate and turn that hourly rate into rough approximate earnings.

No one can give you specific answers, because there are SO many variables to where to you work, how long you stay there, etc. Also there's pay differences between corporate and airline.

Also, by the time you're actually out there working, I guarantee the figures and numbers you see today will have changed.

Clocks · May 10th, 2008, 18:13

No one is going to be able to answer this with any accuracy.

But if you just want an extremely rough estimate (everyone please don't quote this with how inaccurate it is 'cause you made so much more/less...I know its an inaccurate ridiculous approximation).

1. 20,000 (regional FO)
2. 28,000 (regional FO)
3. 30,000 (regional FO)
4. 33,000 (regional FO)
5. 55,000 (regional CA)
6. 56,000 (regional CA)
7. 58,000 (regional CA)
9. 60,000 (regional CA)
10. 61,000 (regional CA)
11. 31,000 (major FO)
12. 56,000 (major FO)
13. 66,000 (major FO)
14. 74,000 (major FO)
15. 82,000 (major FO)
16. 138,000 (major CA)
17. 139,000 (major CA)
18. $141,000 (major CA)
19. etc etc up to around $200,000 (major CA)

Your mileage may vary...

surreal1221 · May 10th, 2008, 18:26

You'll make too little.

surreal1221 · May 10th, 2008, 18:35

Just get into it to be able to live paycheck the paycheck, pay the alimony, pay the mortgage, pay the car payment, and buy $6.50 gas for your V6.

That's all.

Number1atNumber2 · May 10th, 2008, 18:45

It's good you're passionate about flying. Getting a degree is definatly a good thing, but the licenses and flight time are what matters most. An aviation degree won't necessarily help you get the job, flight time is what matters. I've never seen a pilot job opening value an aviation degree over more flight experience.

I'd recommend majoring in something else. For one, it shows you have other skills. And two, if heaven forbid you lose your medical and can't fly you'll have something to fall back on.

And yes, the pay scale will probably change by the time you've graduated. But, the first few year pay will probably SUCK.

And keep in mind with the pay calculators that the pay is based on FLIGHT TIME, not hours you're at work, like most other jobs.
Also, the most you can fly a year at an airline is 1000 hours.

Cheechako · May 11th, 2008, 12:16

Quote:

Originally Posted by surreal1221

Just get into it to be able to live paycheck the paycheck, pay the alimony, pay the mortgage, pay the car payment, and buy $6.50 gas for your V6.

That's all.

Along with 70% of America!!

Cheechako · May 11th, 2008, 12:20

Quote:

Originally Posted by Number1atNumber2

And keep in mind with the pay calculators that the pay is based on FLIGHT TIME, not hours you're at work, like most other jobs.
Also, the most you can fly a year at an airline is 1000 hours.

True, 121 pilots can only fly 1000 hours a year. Work rules, vacation, sick leave, training pay, etc. oftentimes bump your pay over 1000/year.

1000 x hourly rate is a good way to get a ballpark salary.

Doug Taylor · May 11th, 2008, 12:23

I think I did about 91 hours of "time" last month but that probably only comprised of about 55 to 60 hours of flight time, if that.

meyers9163 · May 11th, 2008, 12:26

Quote:

Originally Posted by clayfenderstrat

I have looked around the forum, and everyone will tell you something different. Can you guys give me a ballpark of how much I will be making as a careers pilot? I am 17 and a am about halfway through my PPL, and hope to go to Purdue to get a 4 year degree in flying. I am really passionate about flying, but would like to know how much I will make from my first year as a pilot until I retire (like what kind of a ladder am I looking at, and how much could I expect to make).

Thanks for all of your help.

Clay

First of all Purdue is a great program. I would highly recommend them as long as you can get into that program. As well be sure to double major. As far as what others have said its very difficult to give you a real figure as to what you will make. Fact of the matter is go to Airlinepilotcentral.com and take the hourly wages multiply it by 1000 (max hours you can fly a year) and that will ROUGHLY give you a figure. However many MANY factors that contribute to all of this of course.

I would highly recommend just doing some research. As clocks gave you a rough estimate to figure out what you would make. However it depends if you do 135 stuff, 121, stick it out and instruct etc. Many ways to look at it. Also depends where the industry is in 5 years when you are done with Purdue and what yours hours are upon completoin of the program. YOu could be looking at the airlines in 4-5 years or 5-6. ALOT can and indeed will change.

However again if you have a passion for flying its probably not a fluke. Many of us would say we got bit by a bug and thus pursued our careers and goals. However realize like any industry you start at the bottom and thus the bottom pay. Sometimes it does not seem fair when you graduate after 4 years and only make 20k your 1st year, followed by 24-29k your 2nd, 30k your 3rd etc.....