National salary comparison — BLS OES 2024-2025 data
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Project Managers earn a national median of $98,580/year vs Pilots at $203,010/year. Pilots earn 106% more nationally. The gap is $104,430 per year — or $8,703 per month.
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Project Manager
$98,580
national median/year
$8,215/mo • $47/hr
VS
Pilot
$203,010
national median/year
$16,918/mo • $98/hr
Annual salary gap
$104,430
Pilots earn 106% more per year nationally. Over 30 years at 7% investment return that gap compounds to approximately $1,183,745.
Best states for Pilots
vs Project Managers
Hawaii+$129,690
Alaska+$125,690
California+$115,690
Illinois+$109,690
Maryland+$109,690
Best states for Project Managers
vs Pilots
Arkansas+$-79,690
Mississippi+$-79,690
West Virginia+$-79,690
North Dakota+$-81,690
Alabama+$-83,690
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Pilots earn more nationally. The median annual salary for Project Managers is $98,580 versus $203,010 for Pilots — a difference of $104,430 per year or $8,703 per month.
The national median salary gap between Project Managers and Pilots is $104,430 per year. Pilots earn 106% more. Over a 30-year career this difference, if invested at 7% annual return, compounds to approximately $1,183,745.
Based on BLS OES 2024-2025 data, California pays Project Managers the highest median salary at $122,320 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. Project Management Specialists 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, Project Managers earn approximately $47 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.
