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Accountants and Auditors vs. Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers: Who Earns More?

Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers out-earn Accountants and Auditors by $148K a year at the national median, per BLS OEWS May 2025. Accountants and Auditors land at $83,680 and Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers at $232,140. The education gap is real: accountants and auditor programs typically require bachelor's degree, while airline pilots, copilots, and flight engineer programs require no formal educational credential. Top-paying state for Accountants and Auditors is District of Columbia ($111,530); for Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers it's Georgia ($618,090).

Accountants and Auditors
Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers
Median salary
$83,680
$232,140
Hourly rate
$40.23/hr
$null/hr
Entry level (10th %)
$56,020
$106,710
Senior level (90th %)
$144,090
$463,830
Education required
Bachelor's degree
No formal educational credential
U.S. employment
1,449,500
103,560
Job growth (10-year)
4.6%
3.9%
Category
Business & Finance
Transportation
Top-paying state
District of Columbia
Georgia

Pay by state

States where both occupations have BLS data, sorted by Accountants and Auditors median pay.

State
Accountants and Auditors
Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers
New York
$102,640
$255,240
California
$97,050
$353,900
Colorado
$97,030
$307,490
Washington
$96,550
$229,900
Alaska
$83,460
$232,140
Georgia
$81,900
$618,090
Minnesota
$81,600
$211,470
Texas
$80,920
$215,150
Illinois
$80,230
$293,490
Arizona
$79,970
$227,870
Ohio
$79,320
$204,170
Florida
$79,250
$225,020
Michigan
$78,820
$428,570
Kentucky
$75,270
$350,950
Idaho
$74,730
$507,640

Source: BLS OEWS May 2025. Highlighted value is higher in each row.

Common questions

Who earns more, Accountants and Auditors or Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers?

Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers earn more nationally. The median is $83,680 for Accountants and Auditors versus $232,140 for Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers, a difference of $148K. Per BLS OEWS May 2025.

Which has better job growth, Accountants and Auditors or Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers?

Accountants and Auditors has the better 10-year outlook at 4.6% projected growth, compared to 3.9% for the other field. Both are from BLS Employment Projections.

Which requires more education, Accountants and Auditors or Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers?

Accountants and Auditors typically requires bachelor's degree. Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers requires no formal educational credential. Education requirements vary by employer and state licensing board.

Where do Accountants and Auditors get paid the most?

District of Columbia is the top-paying state for Accountants and Auditors at $111,530/year, per BLS OEWS May 2025. Major metro areas within that state typically pay even more than the state average.

How does Accountants and Auditors vs. Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers pay differ by state?

The gap varies significantly by state. In New York, Accountants and Auditors earn $102,640 vs. $255,240 for Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers. See the state comparison table on this page for the full picture.

Full Accountants and Auditors salary breakdownView →Full Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers salary breakdownView →Best cities for Accountants and Auditors by take-home payExplore →Best cities for Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers by take-home payExplore →How to become a accountants and auditorsGuide →How to become a airline pilots, copilots, and flight engineersGuide →