Flies specially equipped aircraft to check that airport landing systems, navigation beacons and instrument approach procedures work within tolerance. BLS does not publish separate figures for commercial pilots; it counts them within commercial pilot (SOC 53-2012), whose median pay is $123,220 a year (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Typical entry-level education: Postsecondary nondegree award.
- SOC 53-2012
- Transportation and Material Moving
- Last updated October 9, 2026
At a glance
Flight Inspection Pilot in four numbers
- Median pay
- $123,220a yearBLS OEWS, May 2025Lowest 10% $59KTop 10% $267K
US median, all jobs: $50,980
- Projected growth
- +5.2%Faster than averageBLS EP, 2025–2035This career+5.2%All jobs+3.5%
Projected employment change, 2025–2035 Item Value This career +5.2% All jobs +3.5% - Openings a year
- 5,20050,400 jobs todayBLS EP, 2025–2035
- Jobs in 202550.4K
- Projected 203553K
Employment, 2025–2035 Item Value Jobs in 2025 50.4K Projected 2035 53K - Typical education
- Certificateneeded to enterBLS EP, 2025–2035; mix: O*NET
- Less than high school15.1%
- High school28.6%
- Certificate36.4%
- Some college16.9%
- Associate's1.1%
- Post-bacc certificate1.2%
Highest education held by commercial pilots Segment Value Less than high school 15.1% High school 28.6% Certificate 36.4% Some college 16.9% Associate's 1.1% Post-bacc certificate 1.2%
Also advertised as: Airspace System Inspection Pilot, Flight Check Pilot, Navaid Flight Inspection Pilot, Flight Inspection Captain.
Pay
How much do Commercial Pilots make?
Every flight inspection pilot in the US, by percentile of annual wage
Median
$123,220
Middle half earn $84,540 to $190,440
- 10th
- $58,850
- 25th
- $84,540
- 75th
- $190,440
- 90th
- $266,620
All US occupations: $50,980
| Percentile | Value |
|---|---|
| 10th | $58,850 |
| 25th | $84,540 |
| Median | $123,220 |
| 75th | $190,440 |
| 90th | $266,620 |
| All US occupations | $50,980 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025
- Median annual wage
- $123,220
- Median hourly wage
- N/A
- Mean annual wage
- $146,080
- People employed
- 47,630
Versus all US occupations
At $123,220, Commercial Pilots earn 142% above the $50,980 median across all US occupations, a difference of $72,240 a year.
Versus transportation and material moving occupations
Inside the Transportation and Material Moving group, where the middle occupation pays $62,840, this is 96% above the group median.
Pay range
The top 10% earn $266,620 or more while the bottom 10% earn $58,850, a gap of 4.5×. That is an unusually wide spread, which usually tracks specialisation, employer type and years of experience.
Rank in the bank
This median pays more than 86% of the 1,741 occupations in the NueCareer career bank.
Highest-paying state
Connecticut pays the most at $232,160, and still leads at $224,071 once local prices are taken into account.
Pay by state
Which states pay Commercial Pilots the most?
State medians come from the same OEWS release as the national figures. The cost-of-living column divides each state median by that state's BEA Regional Price Parity, restating pay in national-average dollars so a high-cost state and a low-cost one can be compared directly.
| State | Median | COL-adjusted | Employed |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1Connecticut | $232,160 | $224,071 | 460 |
| 2New Jersey | $226,710 | $208,364 | 670 |
| 3New York | $177,430 | $164,407 | 1,070 |
| 4California | $165,590 | $149,557 | 4,900 |
| 5Delaware | $163,600 | $163,915 | 220 |
| 6Ohio | $150,330 | $162,039 | 2,680 |
| 7Georgia | $145,100 | $150,686 | 1,020 |
| 8Colorado | $139,680 | $135,543 | 1,240 |
| 9Texas | $137,960 | $142,143 | 4,120 |
| 10Vermont | $137,810 | $140,683 | 40 |
Job outlook
Is Flight Inspection Pilot a growing career?
Employment change over 2025–2035, against every US occupation
Faster than average. +5.2% projected growth vs 3.5% for all occupations.
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Commercial Pilots | +5.2% |
| All US occupations | +3.5% |
Source: BLS EP, 2025–2035
Faster than average
BLS projects employment of Commercial Pilots to change 5.2% over 2025–2035, against 3.5% projected for all occupations. That is 2,600 more jobs.
Annual openings
About 5,200 openings are projected each year, 10.3% of the 50,400 jobs that existed in 2025. Most come from workers leaving the occupation, not from growth alone.
Getting in
How to become a Flight Inspection Pilot
FAA flight inspection postings on USAJOBS require at least a commercial pilot certificate with multi-engine and instrument ratings or an Airline Transport Pilot certificate, plus documented flight hours. Many hires come from airline, corporate, military or FAA safety inspector backgrounds.
New pilots train first as a second-in-command on inspection missions and work toward qualification as an Airspace System Inspection Pilot, who can sign off on the results. The work rewards pilots who enjoy precise instrument flying and understanding how navigation signals behave, and some background in avionics or air traffic procedures helps.
- 1
Typical entry-level education
Postsecondary nondegree award
- 2
Work experience in a related occupation
None
- 3
Typical on-the-job training
Moderate-term on-the-job training
- 4
Preparation needed (O*NET job zone)
Some preparation
BLS Employment Projections, 2025–2035; job zone from O*NET 31.0 Database.
What education people in the job have
O*NET incumbent survey: the highest level of education reported by people already working as commercial pilots.
- Post-Secondary Certificate36.4%
- High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED)28.6%
- Some College Courses16.9%
- Less than a High School Diploma15.1%
- Post-Baccalaureate Certificate1.2%
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Post-Secondary Certificate | 36.4% |
| High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED) | 28.6% |
| Some College Courses | 16.9% |
| Less than a High School Diploma | 15.1% |
| Post-Baccalaureate Certificate | 1.2% |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
The work
What does a Flight Inspection Pilot do?
Every instrument landing system, VOR beacon and published instrument approach in the national airspace has to be flown and measured before it is put into service and checked again on a schedule. Flight inspection pilots fly aircraft fitted with precise receivers and recording equipment along those signals, repeating runs at set distances and altitudes while an onboard technician analyzes the data.
The pilots work for the FAA's Flight Program Operations and for a few contractors and military units. They validate new satellite-based approaches, inspect navigation aids after a facility is installed or repaired, and respond quickly after storms or accidents when an airport's equipment must be rechecked. Inspection standards are set out in the U.S. Standard Flight Inspection Manual.
Day-to-day tasks
- Fly repeated approach and orbit patterns to measure instrument landing system signals
- Validate new instrument approach and departure procedures before publication
- Inspect navigation beacons and lighting systems after installation or repair
- Coordinate with air traffic control and airport staff to fly inspection patterns in busy airspace
- Review recorded signal data with the onboard flight inspection technician
- Complete inspection reports that determine whether a facility can remain in service
- Maintain currency and proficiency on the inspection aircraft fleet
Typical tasks, researched by NueCareer from the sources below.
Working conditions and hours
Flight inspection pilots are based at FAA locations such as Oklahoma City, Atlantic City and Anchorage and travel heavily, often for multi-day trips across a region. Flights involve repeated low approaches and patterns at the same airport rather than point-to-point travel. Work is scheduled around facility needs, with some short-notice trips after outages.
Where the work happens
Indoors, climate-controlled
NeverEvery dayOutdoors in all weather
NeverEvery day
Physical demands
Sitting
NeverAlmost all the timeSeated for more than half the working day.
Standing
NeverAlmost all the timeBending or twisting
NeverAlmost all the time
Working with people
Contact with other people
NoneConstantFace-to-face discussions
NeverEvery dayDealing with the public
Not importantExtremely important
Pressure and stakes
Strict deadlines
NeverEvery dayConflict situations
NeverEvery dayCost of a mistake
Not seriousExtremely serious
Autonomy
Freedom to decide
NoneA lotA lot of freedom to make decisions without checking first.
Conditions: O*NET Work Context survey. Each item has its own scale, so each dot is read against the two answers that end its own line.
Core skills
O*NET importance, 1 to 5
- Monitoring4.1
- Critical Thinking4.0
- Active Listening3.9
- Reading Comprehension3.8
- Speaking3.8
- Active Learning3.6
- Learning Strategies3.1
- Writing3.0
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Monitoring | 4.1 |
| Critical Thinking | 4.0 |
| Active Listening | 3.9 |
| Reading Comprehension | 3.8 |
| Speaking | 3.8 |
| Active Learning | 3.6 |
| Learning Strategies | 3.1 |
| Writing | 3.0 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
Transferable skills
O*NET importance, 1 to 5
- Operation and Control4.8
- Operations Monitoring4.4
- Judgment and Decision Making3.9
- Complex Problem Solving3.6
- Coordination3.3
- Troubleshooting3.1
- Systems Analysis3.1
- Social Perceptiveness3.0
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Operation and Control | 4.8 |
| Operations Monitoring | 4.4 |
| Judgment and Decision Making | 3.9 |
| Complex Problem Solving | 3.6 |
| Coordination | 3.3 |
| Troubleshooting | 3.1 |
| Systems Analysis | 3.1 |
| Social Perceptiveness | 3.0 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
Tools and software
- Graphics or photo imaging software · in demand
- Office suite software · in demand
- Analytical or scientific software
- Aviation ground support software
- Calendar and scheduling software
- Charting software
- Data base user interface and query software
- Development environment software
- Flight control software
- Information retrieval or search software
- Map creation software
- Project management software
“In demand” marks an O*NET Employer-Based Hot Technology, software named in real job postings for this occupation.
Personality fit
What personality type suits a Flight Inspection Pilot?
NueCareer estimate (Holland code RCI) built on O*NET's Commercial Pilot profile, scored 1 to 7
| Axis | Flight Inspection Pilot |
|---|---|
| Realistic | 5 |
| Investigative | 3 |
| Artistic | 1 |
| Social | 3 |
| Enterprising | 4 |
| Conventional | 5 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
What the work is built around
Day to day this is work built around hands-on, practical work with tools, machines or the outdoors, combined with organising, following procedures and working precisely with data.
- Realistic5.2
- Conventional5.0
- Enterprising3.9
- Investigative3.2
- Social2.6
- Artistic1.1
Closest MBTI types
NueCareer fit scores: cosine similarity between each MBTI type's interest vector and this occupation's O*NET interest profile. Not a BLS or O*NET figure; the method is documented on our methodology page.
Explore further
Careers related to Flight Inspection Pilot
O*NET related occupations
- Transportation and Material Moving
- Transportation and Material Moving
- Transportation and Material Moving
- Transportation and Material Moving
- Installation, Maintenance, and Repair
- Transportation and Material Moving
More transportation and material moving careers
Median annual pay, with commercial pilots highlighted
- Airline Pilot$232,140
- Commercial Pilot$123,220
- Flight Inspection Pilot$123,220
- Locomotive Engineer$81,410
- Railroad Conductor and Yardmaster$78,000
- Crane and Tower Operator$68,080
- Flight Attendant$63,580
- Truck Driver$58,640
- Refuse and Recyclable Material Collector$49,690
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Airline Pilot | $232,140 |
| Commercial Pilot | $123,220 |
| Flight Inspection Pilot | $123,220 |
| Locomotive Engineer | $81,410 |
| Railroad Conductor and Yardmaster | $78,000 |
| Crane and Tower Operator | $68,080 |
| Flight Attendant | $63,580 |
| Truck Driver | $58,640 |
| Refuse and Recyclable Material Collector | $49,690 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025
Lists Flight Inspection Pilot appears on
Questions
Flight Inspection Pilot: frequently asked questions
How much do Commercial Pilots make?
BLS does not publish a separate wage for commercial pilots. It counts them within commercial pilot, whose median pay is $123,220 a year (BLS OEWS, May 2025). The middle half of that occupation earn between $84,540 and $190,440, and the top 10% earn $266,620 or more.
Do you need a degree to become a Flight Inspection Pilot?
Not a degree, but you do need credentialed training: BLS lists a postsecondary non-degree award (a certificate or license program) as the typical entry route for Commercial Pilots. BLS also lists moderate-term on-the-job training as typical on-the-job training. In O*NET's survey of people already doing the job, 36.4% hold post-secondary certificate.
Is Flight Inspection Pilot a growing career?
Yes. Employment is projected to grow 5.2% over 2025–2035, faster than the 3.5% average for all occupations (BLS EP, 2025–2035). BLS still projects about 5,200 openings a year, mostly from workers retiring or moving to other work.
What does a Flight Inspection Pilot do?
Every instrument landing system, VOR beacon and published instrument approach in the national airspace has to be flown and measured before it is put into service and checked again on a schedule. A typical task: fly repeated approach and orbit patterns to measure instrument landing system signals. Employers most often ask for Graphics or photo imaging software, Office suite software.
Which states pay Commercial Pilots the most?
The highest state medians for Commercial Pilots are Connecticut ($232,160), New Jersey ($226,710), New York ($177,430) (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
What personality type suits a Flight Inspection Pilot?
O*NET scores Commercial Pilots highest on the Realistic, Conventional and Enterprising interest areas, so the work mixes hands-on, practical work with tools, machines or the outdoors with organising, following procedures and working precisely with data. On NueCareer's MBTI-to-interest mapping the closest types are ISTJ, ESTJ. Personality is a fit signal, not a gate. The free NueCareer quiz scores your own profile against all 1,731 careers in the bank.