Career Paths From Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers

Possible next moves, computed from skill overlap, O*NET occupational relatedness, preparation level, education, and pay — not a record of people who actually made these moves.

Commercial PilotsLateral Move95.9% skill match
Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers and Commercial Pilots share a similar Transferable Skills profile (96% match). Commercial Pilots sits at a similar preparation level, so this would be more of a lateral move. Job Zone is lower (3 vs 4). Median salary is about 47% lower.
Current median salary
$232,140
Target median salary
$123,220
Current Job Zone
4
Target Job Zone
3
Locomotive EngineersLateral Move93.3% skill match
Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers and Locomotive Engineers share a similar Transferable Skills profile (93% match). Locomotive Engineers sits at a similar preparation level, so this would be more of a lateral move. Job Zone is lower (2 vs 4). Median salary is about 65% lower.
Current median salary
$232,140
Target median salary
$81,410
Current Job Zone
4
Target Job Zone
2
Medical DosimetristsCareer Change87% skill match
Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers and Medical Dosimetrists share a similar Transferable Skills profile (87% match). Medical Dosimetrists is in a different occupational field, but draws on much of the same underlying skill set. Median salary is about 36% lower.
Current median salary
$232,140
Target median salary
$147,470
Current Job Zone
4
Target Job Zone
4
AnesthesiologistsCareer Change86.2% skill match
Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers and Anesthesiologists share a similar Transferable Skills profile (86% match). Anesthesiologists is in a different occupational field, but draws on much of the same underlying skill set. Job Zone is higher (5 vs 4). Median salary is about 69% higher.
Current median salary
$232,140
Target median salary
$391,490
Current Job Zone
4
Target Job Zone
5
Railroad Conductors and YardmastersLateral Move90.5% skill match
Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers and Railroad Conductors and Yardmasters share a similar Transferable Skills profile (90% match). Railroad Conductors and Yardmasters sits at a similar preparation level, so this would be more of a lateral move. Job Zone is lower (2 vs 4). Median salary is about 66% lower.
Current median salary
$232,140
Target median salary
$78,000
Current Job Zone
4
Target Job Zone
2
Environmental Science and Protection Technicians, Including HealthCareer Change86.2% skill match
Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers and Environmental Science and Protection Technicians, Including Health share a similar Transferable Skills profile (86% match). Environmental Science and Protection Technicians, Including Health is in a different occupational field, but draws on much of the same underlying skill set. Median salary is about 76% lower.
Current median salary
$232,140
Target median salary
$55,090
Current Job Zone
4
Target Job Zone
4
Railroad Brake, Signal, and Switch Operators and Locomotive FirersLateral Move90.6% skill match
Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers and Railroad Brake, Signal, and Switch Operators and Locomotive Firers share a similar Transferable Skills profile (91% match). Railroad Brake, Signal, and Switch Operators and Locomotive Firers sits at a similar preparation level, so this would be more of a lateral move. Job Zone is lower (2 vs 4). Median salary is about 70% lower.
Current median salary
$232,140
Target median salary
$68,840
Current Job Zone
4
Target Job Zone
2
Power Distributors and DispatchersCareer Change90.7% skill match
Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers and Power Distributors and Dispatchers share a similar Transferable Skills profile (91% match). Power Distributors and Dispatchers is in a different occupational field, but draws on much of the same underlying skill set. Job Zone is lower (3 vs 4). Median salary is about 54% lower.
Current median salary
$232,140
Target median salary
$106,730
Current Job Zone
4
Target Job Zone
3
Nuclear Power Reactor OperatorsCareer Change92.3% skill match
Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers and Nuclear Power Reactor Operators share a similar Transferable Skills profile (92% match). Nuclear Power Reactor Operators is in a different occupational field, but draws on much of the same underlying skill set. Job Zone is lower (3 vs 4). Median salary is about 47% lower.
Current median salary
$232,140
Target median salary
$122,890
Current Job Zone
4
Target Job Zone
3
Couriers and MessengersCareer Change86.8% skill match
Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers and Couriers and Messengers share a similar Transferable Skills profile (87% match). Couriers and Messengers is in a different occupational field, but draws on much of the same underlying skill set. Job Zone is lower (2 vs 4). Median salary is about 83% lower.
Current median salary
$232,140
Target median salary
$39,200
Current Job Zone
4
Target Job Zone
2
Food BatchmakersCareer Change90.3% skill match
Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers and Food Batchmakers share a similar Transferable Skills profile (90% match). Food Batchmakers is in a different occupational field, but draws on much of the same underlying skill set. Job Zone is lower (2 vs 4). Median salary is about 82% lower.
Current median salary
$232,140
Target median salary
$42,290
Current Job Zone
4
Target Job Zone
2
Coil Winders, Tapers, and FinishersCareer Change90.7% skill match
Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers and Coil Winders, Tapers, and Finishers share a similar Transferable Skills profile (91% match). Coil Winders, Tapers, and Finishers is in a different occupational field, but draws on much of the same underlying skill set. Job Zone is lower (2 vs 4). Median salary is about 79% lower.
Current median salary
$232,140
Target median salary
$48,220
Current Job Zone
4
Target Job Zone
2
Furnace, Kiln, Oven, Drier, and Kettle Operators and TendersCareer Change86.2% skill match
Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers and Furnace, Kiln, Oven, Drier, and Kettle Operators and Tenders share a similar Transferable Skills profile (86% match). Furnace, Kiln, Oven, Drier, and Kettle Operators and Tenders is in a different occupational field, but draws on much of the same underlying skill set. Job Zone is lower (2 vs 4). Median salary is about 79% lower.
Current median salary
$232,140
Target median salary
$48,040
Current Job Zone
4
Target Job Zone
2
Inspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers, and WeighersCareer Change88.1% skill match
Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers and Inspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers, and Weighers share a similar Transferable Skills profile (88% match). Inspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers, and Weighers is in a different occupational field, but draws on much of the same underlying skill set. Job Zone is lower (2 vs 4). Median salary is about 79% lower.
Current median salary
$232,140
Target median salary
$48,570
Current Job Zone
4
Target Job Zone
2
Food Cooking Machine Operators and TendersCareer Change94.3% skill match
Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers and Food Cooking Machine Operators and Tenders share a similar Transferable Skills profile (94% match). Food Cooking Machine Operators and Tenders is in a different occupational field, but draws on much of the same underlying skill set. Job Zone is lower (2 vs 4). Median salary is about 82% lower.
Current median salary
$232,140
Target median salary
$41,590
Current Job Zone
4
Target Job Zone
2

Computed from O*NET Transferable Skills, occupational relatedness and Job Zone data, plus BLS wage and projections data. Categories (Advancement / Lateral Move / Career Change) are derived algorithmically, not self-reported career histories.