National salary comparison — BLS OES 2024-2025 data
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Pilots earn a national median of $203,010/year vs Paralegals at $59,200/year. Pilots earn 71% more nationally. The gap is $143,810 per year — or $11,984 per month.
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Pilot
$203,010
national median/year
$16,918/mo • $98/hr
VS
Paralegal
$59,200
national median/year
$4,933/mo • $28/hr
Annual salary gap
$143,810
Pilots earn 71% more per year nationally. Over 30 years at 7% investment return that gap compounds to approximately $1,630,129.
Best states for Paralegals
vs Pilots
Arkansas+$-111,810
Mississippi+$-111,810
West Virginia+$-111,810
New Mexico+$-115,810
North Dakota+$-115,810
Best states for Pilots
vs Paralegals
Alaska+$161,810
California+$161,810
Washington+$157,810
Hawaii+$155,810
New Jersey+$153,810
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Pilots earn more nationally. The median annual salary for Pilots is $203,010 versus $59,200 for Paralegals — a difference of $143,810 per year or $11,984 per month.
The national median salary gap between Pilots and Paralegals is $143,810 per year. Pilots earn 71% more. Over a 30-year career this difference, if invested at 7% annual return, compounds to approximately $1,630,129.
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 Paralegals the highest median salary at $76,200 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 Paralegals and Legal Assistants 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 Paralegals earn approximately $28 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.
