National salary comparison — BLS OES 2024-2025 data
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Plumbers earn a national median of $61,550/year vs Pilots at $203,010/year. Pilots earn 230% more nationally. The gap is $141,460 per year — or $11,788 per month.
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Plumber
$61,550
national median/year
$5,129/mo • $30/hr
VS
Pilot
$203,010
national median/year
$16,918/mo • $98/hr
Annual salary gap
$141,460
Pilots earn 230% more per year nationally. Over 30 years at 7% investment return that gap compounds to approximately $1,603,491.
Best states for Pilots
vs Plumbers
California+$159,690
Virginia+$159,690
Maryland+$153,690
Washington+$151,690
Colorado+$145,690
Best states for Plumbers
vs Pilots
North Dakota+$-97,690
West Virginia+$-101,690
Mississippi+$-103,690
Arkansas+$-105,690
Wyoming+$-105,690
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Pilots earn more nationally. The median annual salary for Plumbers is $61,550 versus $203,010 for Pilots — a difference of $141,460 per year or $11,788 per month.
The national median salary gap between Plumbers and Pilots is $141,460 per year. Pilots earn 230% more. Over a 30-year career this difference, if invested at 7% annual return, compounds to approximately $1,603,491.
Based on BLS OES 2024-2025 data, Alaska pays Plumbers the highest median salary at $82,320 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. Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters 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, Plumbers earn approximately $30 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.
