Career Explorer Transport and logistics
Human edge, growing
Airline pilots, copilots, and flight engineers
Pilot and navigate the flight of fixed-wing aircraft, usually on scheduled air carrier routes, for the transport of passengers and cargo. Requires Federal Air Transport certificate and rating for specific aircraft type used. Includes regional, national, and international airline pilots and flight instructors of airline pilots.
Among the most resilient careers: more resilient than 96% of the 831 careers we score. AI exposure is low (the Bureau of Labor Statistics rates it moderate), and US jobs are projected to change by +8.3% by 2035, faster than average. The work leans on ethical judgement and physical dexterity.
AI struggles with much of this work, and US employers are expected to hire more people into it than average.
- Median pay (2025)
- $232,140
- Job growth to 2035
- +8.3%
- Openings a year
- 11,200
- People doing it (2025)
- 105,000
- Usual route in
- Bachelor's degree, then moderate on-the-job training
Where people already use AI for this work
- Communicate with others about operational plans or activities
- Determine operational methods or procedures
- Provide information to guests, clients, or customers
From Microsoft Research, Working with AI (2025).
Work AI rarely helps with
- Operate transportation equipment or vehicles
- Monitor equipment operation
- Notify others of emergencies or problems
What the work looks like
- Use instrumentation to guide flights when visibility is poor.
- Start engines, operate controls, and pilot airplanes to transport passengers, mail, or freight, adhering to flight plans, regulations, and procedures.
- Work as part of a flight team with other crew members, especially during takeoffs and landings.
- Respond to and report in-flight emergencies and malfunctions.
- Inspect aircraft for defects and malfunctions, according to pre-flight checklists.
From O*NET 31.0, US Department of Labor.
What the Bureau of Labor Statistics expects
- More of these jobs, as increased flight frequency, due to growing air travel demand and air cargo activity, results in more demand for pilots.
Careers using similar strengths, with a stronger outlook
- Physician assistantsHuman edge, growing, Index 97, +21.1%
- Physical therapist assistantsHuman edge, growing, Index 99, +23.0%
- Occupational therapy assistantsHuman edge, growing, Index 99, +21.5%
Also known as: Airline Captain, Captain, First Officer (FO), Pilot, Airbus Captain, Airline Pilot, Check Airman, Co-Pilot.
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Sources: US Bureau of Labor Statistics Employment Projections 2025 to 2035; O*NET 31.0; Microsoft Research (2025); Anthropic Economic Index (2026); Eloundou and colleagues (Science, 2024); Felten, Raj and Seamans (2023). How we score. Updated 12 October 2026.