average pay of commercial pilot
The BLS distinguishes between commercial pilots and those who fly passengers, which it designates as airline pilots. As of May 2012, airline pilots, copilots and flight engineers earn an average annual salary of $114,200. The average salary of commercial pilots, as of May 2013, was $74,470, according to the BLS. A commercial pilot just starting out can expect to earn as little as $20,00 during her first year on the job, according to the BLS. On average, though, the bottom ten percent earned around $36,850 in 2013.