Jobs Similar to Commercial Pilots
The careers below use the most similar skills, knowledge and work activities to commercial pilots, according to O*NET 31.0. The closest are Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers, Captains, Mates, and Pilots of Water Vessels and Locomotive Engineers.
Commercial Pilots: $123,220 median pay · usual preparation: Training or associate.
Updated October 2026 · Data: O*NET 31.0 and BLS OEWS May 2025 · How we match careers
The 20 most similar careers
| # | Career | Similarity | Median pay (vs. Commercial Pilots) | Usual preparation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight EngineersSame group | 83% | $232,140+88% | Bachelor's degree |
| 2 | Captains, Mates, and Pilots of Water Vessels | 76% | $92,460−25% | Training or associate |
| 3 | Locomotive Engineers | 75% | $81,410−34% | High school |
| 4 | Aircraft Service Attendants | 75% | $40,450−67% | High school |
| 5 | Subway and Streetcar Operators | 75% | $86,380−30% | High school |
| 6 | Railroad Conductors and Yardmasters | 74% | $78,000−37% | High school |
| 7 | Motorboat Operators | 74% | $47,520−61% | High school |
| 8 | Gas Plant Operators | 74% | $87,820−29% | High school |
| 9 | Bus Drivers, Transit and Intercity | 73% | $59,050−52% | High school |
| 10 | Power Distributors and Dispatchers | 73% | $106,730−13% | Training or associate |
| 11 | Rail Yard Engineers, Dinkey Operators, and Hostlers | 72% | $60,600−51% | High school |
| 12 | Railroad Brake, Signal, and Switch Operators and Locomotive Firers | 72% | $68,840−44% | High school |
| 13 | Forest and Conservation Workers | 71% | $43,680−65% | High school |
| 14 | Bus Drivers, School | 71% | $47,920−61% | High school |
| 15 | Air Traffic ControllersSame group | 70% | $148,080+20% | Training or associate |
| 16 | Bridge and Lock Tenders | 70% | $57,700−53% | High school |
| 17 | Meter Readers, Utilities | 70% | $48,150−61% | High school |
| 18 | Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers | 70% | $58,640−52% | High school |
| 19 | Airfield Operations SpecialistsSame group | 70% | $56,850−54% | Training or associate |
| 20 | Light Truck Drivers | 70% | $44,860−64% | High school |
- 1Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers
83% similar · $232,140 (+88%) · Bachelor's degree · Same group
- 2Captains, Mates, and Pilots of Water Vessels
76% similar · $92,460 (−25%) · Training or associate
- 3Locomotive Engineers
75% similar · $81,410 (−34%) · High school
- 4Aircraft Service Attendants
75% similar · $40,450 (−67%) · High school
- 5Subway and Streetcar Operators
75% similar · $86,380 (−30%) · High school
- 6Railroad Conductors and Yardmasters
74% similar · $78,000 (−37%) · High school
- 7Motorboat Operators
74% similar · $47,520 (−61%) · High school
- 8Gas Plant Operators
74% similar · $87,820 (−29%) · High school
- 9Bus Drivers, Transit and Intercity
73% similar · $59,050 (−52%) · High school
- 10Power Distributors and Dispatchers
73% similar · $106,730 (−13%) · Training or associate
- 11Rail Yard Engineers, Dinkey Operators, and Hostlers
72% similar · $60,600 (−51%) · High school
- 12Railroad Brake, Signal, and Switch Operators and Locomotive Firers
72% similar · $68,840 (−44%) · High school
- 13Forest and Conservation Workers
71% similar · $43,680 (−65%) · High school
- 14Bus Drivers, School
71% similar · $47,920 (−61%) · High school
- 15Air Traffic Controllers
70% similar · $148,080 (+20%) · Training or associate · Same group
- 16Bridge and Lock Tenders
70% similar · $57,700 (−53%) · High school
- 17Meter Readers, Utilities
70% similar · $48,150 (−61%) · High school
- 18Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers
70% similar · $58,640 (−52%) · High school
- 19Airfield Operations Specialists
70% similar · $56,850 (−54%) · Training or associate · Same group
- 20Light Truck Drivers
70% similar · $44,860 (−64%) · High school
Similarity: weighted correlation of O*NET 31.0 transferable skills (35%), knowledge (25%), work activities (15%) and interests (15%). Pay and schooling do not change it. Pay change compares BLS May 2025 national medians; careers with only a broader BLS group wage are not compared. “Same group”: the same BLS occupation group (SOC minor group). Methodology
Similar jobs that pay more
Only careers that usually need no more preparation than commercial pilots.
Similar jobs that need less preparation
- Locomotive Engineers75% similar · High school
- Aircraft Service Attendants75% similar · High school
- Subway and Streetcar Operators75% similar · High school
- Railroad Conductors and Yardmasters74% similar · High school
- Motorboat Operators74% similar · High school
- Gas Plant Operators74% similar · High school
Thinking of a career change?
Similar is not the same as a good next step. Our career-change list for commercial pilots also weighs pay drops and extra schooling, and puts jobs outside the field first.
Jobs that can lead here
Careers where commercial pilots is one of the best career-change matches (match score in brackets).
- Captains, Mates, and Pilots of Water Vessels (86)
- Aircraft Service Attendants (80)
- Motorboat Operators (76)
- Subway and Streetcar Operators (74)
- Power Distributors and Dispatchers (73)
- Aviation Inspectors (70)
- Bus Drivers, School (70)
- Locomotive Engineers (70)
- Gas Plant Operators (69)
- Nuclear Power Reactor Operators (69)
Questions about jobs like commercial pilots
What jobs are most similar to commercial pilots?
By O*NET 31.0 data, the closest are Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers (83% similar), Captains, Mates, and Pilots of Water Vessels (76% similar), Locomotive Engineers (75% similar), Aircraft Service Attendants (75% similar) and Subway and Streetcar Operators (75% similar).
Which jobs like commercial pilots pay more?
Among the 20 most similar careers, Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers ($232,140, +88%; usually a bachelor's degree) and Air Traffic Controllers ($148,080, +20%; usually training or an associate degree) have the highest BLS median pay compared with commercial pilots ($123,220). Without more preparation than commercial pilots usually need: Air Traffic Controllers.
How is the similarity percentage worked out?
We compare how important each transferable skill, knowledge area, work activity and interest area is in both jobs (O*NET 31.0 ratings) with a weighted correlation. 100% would mean the same profile. Unlike our career-change matches, pay and extra schooling do not lower the similarity on this page.