National salary comparison — BLS OES 2024-2025 data
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Lawyers earn a national median of $145,760/year vs Pilots at $203,010/year. Pilots earn 39% more nationally. The gap is $57,250 per year — or $4,771 per month.
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Lawyer
$145,760
national median/year
$12,147/mo • $70/hr
VS
Pilot
$203,010
national median/year
$16,918/mo • $98/hr
Annual salary gap
$57,250
Pilots earn 39% more per year nationally. Over 30 years at 7% investment return that gap compounds to approximately $648,946.
Best states for Pilots
vs Lawyers
Alaska+$99,690
Hawaii+$99,690
Utah+$83,690
Oregon+$79,690
Washington+$79,690
Best states for Lawyers
vs Pilots
New York+$-39,690
Alabama+$-53,690
Arkansas+$-53,690
Louisiana+$-53,690
Massachusetts+$-53,690
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Pilots earn more nationally. The median annual salary for Lawyers is $145,760 versus $203,010 for Pilots — a difference of $57,250 per year or $4,771 per month.
The national median salary gap between Lawyers and Pilots is $57,250 per year. Pilots earn 39% more. Over a 30-year career this difference, if invested at 7% annual return, compounds to approximately $648,946.
Based on BLS OES 2024-2025 data, New York pays Lawyers the highest median salary at $188,320 per year.
Based on BLS OES 2024-2025 data, California pays Pilots the highest median salary at $238,010 per year.
Salary is one factor — Pilots earn more nationally. But career choice involves job satisfaction, work-life balance, education requirements, and job growth. Lawyers and Airline and Commercial Pilots both have different educational paths, licensing requirements, and long-term growth projections. Use salary as a starting point, not the only factor.
Based on a standard 2,080-hour work year, Lawyers earn approximately $70 per hour nationally and Pilots earn approximately $98 per hour. Actual hourly rates vary based on overtime, part-time work, and whether the role is salaried or hourly.
Methodology: Salary data from Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) 2024-2025. Figures represent median annual wages for wage and salary workers. Self-employed excluded. Hourly rates calculated at 2,080 hours per year. State salary figures from same BLS OES dataset. Updated annually.
