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Commercial Pilots

Flies passengers and cargo safely from place to place.

Typical education to startPostsecondary nondegree award
Job outlook2025–2035: +5%
Median pay$123,220 a year (2025)
Interest codeCRE Conventional, Realistic, Enterprising

Read the full guide

Pilots plan flights, check the aircraft and weather, fly, and handle problems in the air. Airline pilots start as first officers and become captains; other pilots fly cargo, charters, medical helicopters or teach flying.

Open the airline pilot guide

The guide checks the courses against your plan, with things to try each year. Free account needed.

High school courses that build toward it

  • English 10 · English

    Builds reading and writing, which this job uses.

  • Computer Science Principles · Computer Science

    Builds computers and electronics, which this job uses.

  • Human Geography · Social Studies

    Builds geography, which this job uses.

  • Business Law · Career and Technical

    Builds law and government, which this job uses.

  • Physics · Science

    Builds physics, which this job uses.

  • Physical Education · Health and PE

    Builds working with customers and clients, which this job uses.

Ranked by how much the job relies on what each course teaches, from O*NET's knowledge ratings. Your school's own courses and the counselor have the final word.

Commercial Pilots on O*NET OnLine · O*NET 31.0 (U.S. Department of Labor, CC BY 4.0); BLS Employment Projections 2025.