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Boston Career Explorer

Transportation and Material Moving

Commercial Pilots

Pilot and navigate the flight of fixed-wing aircraft on nonscheduled air carrier routes, or helicopters. Requires Commercial Pilot certificate. Includes charter pilots with similar certification, and air ambulance and air tour pilots. Excludes regional, national, and international airline pilots.

Also called: Captain, Charter Pilot, Check Airman, Commercial Helicopter Pilot, Commercial Pilot, EMS Helicopter Pilot (Emergency Medical Service Helicopter Pilot)

Median pay in Greater Boston
Not published
Jobs in Greater Boston
460
Massachusetts 2024–2034
+5.3%
40 openings a year
Typical U.S. entry requirement
Postsecondary nondegree award
plus Moderate-term on-the-job training

Greater Boston: Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH metro area, May 2025. Growth and openings: Massachusetts statewide projection.

Pay range in Greater Boston

Yearly pay in Greater Boston by percentile
10th25thMedian75th90th
Not publishedNot publishedNot publishedNot publishedNot published

10% of workers earn less than the first figure and 10% earn more than the last.

What you’d do

  • Check aircraft prior to flights to ensure that the engines, controls, instruments, and other systems are functioning properly.
  • Co-pilot aircraft or perform captain's duties, as required.
  • Consider airport altitudes, outside temperatures, plane weights, and wind speeds and directions to calculate the speed needed to become airborne.
  • Use instrumentation to pilot aircraft when visibility is poor.
  • Monitor engine operation, fuel consumption, and functioning of aircraft systems during flights.
  • Order changes in fuel supplies, loads, routes, or schedules to ensure safety of flights.

AI and this job

AI exposure: how much of this job’s work AI tools can do or help with, based on national research. It is not a forecast of job loss.

Moderate exposure36 of 100

The index averages three national research measures, each shown as a percentile of all jobs:

  • AIOE 42
  • Language-model AIOE 29
  • GPTs-are-GPTs 38

Observed AI use today: Little or none (Anthropic Economic Index)

AI exposure is moderate, so AI tools may help with calculations like takeoff speed, and with watching engine and fuel readings. Observed AI use is little or none so far. Pre-flight checks, piloting in poor visibility, and acting as captain or co-pilot still rely on people. Massachusetts is projected to grow 5.3% from 2024 to 2034.

Likely to change

  • Takeoff and performance calculations
  • Monitoring engine and fuel readings

Still relies on people

  • Hands-on pre-flight checks of aircraft
  • Flying in poor visibility and acting as captain

Written with AI from the data on this page. Check with a career coach before making a decision.

Next steps from here

Related jobs that build on what you already do.

  • Aircraft Mechanics and Service Technicians

    Checking that aircraft systems work properly carries over. This job pays a median of $93,280 in Boston and is projected to grow 6.5%.

    Pay difference
    Not published
    AI exposure
    Lower
    MA growth
    +6.5%
    To get started
    Postsecondary nondegree award

  • Aircraft Service Attendants

    Your knowledge of aircraft and airport radio communication carries over. It needs only short on-the-job training, with a lower median pay of $44,190.

    Pay difference
    Not published
    AI exposure
    Lower
    MA growth
    +5.3%
    To get started
    High school diploma or equivalent

  • Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators

    Operating heavy equipment and staying alert to hazards carries over. It needs a high school diploma and pays a median of $76,940.

    Pay difference
    Not published
    AI exposure
    Lower
    MA growth
    +6.3%
    To get started
    High school diploma or equivalent

Training near Boston

College and school programs in the Boston metro area that lead to this job, with 2023-24 completions (IPEDS).

1 program near Boston

Related occupations

Talk to a career coach

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