National salary comparison — BLS OES 2024-2025 data
Compare a different job:
VS
QUICK ANSWER
Pilots earn a national median of $203,010/year vs IT Managers at $169,510/year. Pilots earn 17% more nationally. The gap is $33,500 per year — or $2,792 per month.
Built by Pierre — MBA, Business Strategist & AI Consultant, Founder of DayblipAbout the author →
Pilot
$203,010
national median/year
$16,918/mo • $98/hr
VS
IT Manager
$169,510
national median/year
$14,126/mo • $81/hr
Annual salary gap
$33,500
Pilots earn 17% more per year nationally. Over 30 years at 7% investment return that gap compounds to approximately $379,732.
Best states for IT Managers
vs Pilots
Virginia+$-21,500
Idaho+$-23,500
Massachusetts+$-23,500
New Mexico+$-23,500
California+$-25,500
Best states for Pilots
vs IT Managers
Alaska+$69,500
Hawaii+$59,500
Florida+$39,500
Illinois+$39,500
Georgia+$37,500
Share Your Result
Surprised by this number? Share it with friends and family
Pilots earn more nationally. The median annual salary for Pilots is $203,010 versus $169,510 for IT Managers — a difference of $33,500 per year or $2,792 per month.
The national median salary gap between Pilots and IT Managers is $33,500 per year. Pilots earn 17% more. Over a 30-year career this difference, if invested at 7% annual return, compounds to approximately $379,732.
Based on BLS OES 2024-2025 data, California pays Pilots the highest median salary at $238,010 per year.
Based on BLS OES 2024-2025 data, California pays IT Managers the highest median salary at $212,510 per year.
Salary is one factor — Pilots earn more nationally. But career choice involves job satisfaction, work-life balance, education requirements, and job growth. Airline and Commercial Pilots and Computer and Information Systems Managers 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, Pilots earn approximately $98 per hour nationally and IT Managers earn approximately $81 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.
