U.S. News and World Report scored being a pilot one of the best jobs with an overall 6.8 out of 10 rating.
- #3 in Best Social Service Jobs
- #14 in Best Paying Jobs
- #26 in 100 Best Jobs
“No single job suits all of us, but many of the best ones have a few attributes in common: They pay well, challenge us year after year, match our talents and skills, aren’t too stressful, offer room to advance throughout our careers, and provide a satisfying work-life balance. Whether the position is in demand is also a consideration among job seekers. U.S. News uses theses qualities to rank the 100 Best Jobs of 2021.”
The Bureau of Labor Statistics groups pilots into just two categories: airline and commercial. They define airline pilots as working scheduled airlines in the movement of people and cargo. Commercial pilots are defined as performing unscheduled flights for corporations, wealthy individuals, aerial tours, charter flights and agriculture. Air ambulance services is expected to be a large area of growth for commercial pilots. The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects a 4.8 percent employment growth for pilots between 2019 and 2029.
Pilots made a median salary of $121,430 in 2019. The top 25% quartile comp was $208,000. The lower 25% quartile comp was $83,880.
Reference: U.S. News and World Report, January 2021