National salary comparison — BLS OES 2024-2025 data
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Pilots earn a national median of $203,010/year vs Nurses at $89,010/year. Pilots earn 56% more nationally. The gap is $114,000 per year — or $9,500 per month.
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Pilot
$203,010
national median/year
$16,918/mo • $98/hr
VS
Nurse
$89,010
national median/year
$7,418/mo • $43/hr
Annual salary gap
$114,000
Pilots earn 56% more per year nationally. Over 30 years at 7% investment return that gap compounds to approximately $1,292,224.
Best states for Nurses
vs Pilots
West Virginia+$-85,690
Mississippi+$-87,690
Arkansas+$-88,800
New Mexico+$-89,690
North Dakota+$-89,690
Best states for Pilots
vs Nurses
Virginia+$139,690
Maryland+$132,690
New York+$128,690
Illinois+$127,690
New Jersey+$126,690
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Pilots earn more nationally. The median annual salary for Pilots is $203,010 versus $89,010 for Nurses — a difference of $114,000 per year or $9,500 per month.
The national median salary gap between Pilots and Nurses is $114,000 per year. Pilots earn 56% more. Over a 30-year career this difference, if invested at 7% annual return, compounds to approximately $1,292,224.
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 Nurses the highest median salary at $131,470 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 Registered Nurses 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 Nurses earn approximately $43 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.
