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Salary comparison

Adhesive Bonding Machine Operators and Tenders vs. Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers: Who Earns More?

Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers out-earn Adhesive Bonding Machine Operators and Tenders by $186K a year at the national median, per BLS OEWS May 2025. Adhesive Bonding Machine Operators and Tenders land at $46,460 and Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers at $232,140. The education gap is real: adhesive bonding machine operators and tender programs typically require high school diploma or equivalent, while airline pilots, copilots, and flight engineer programs require no formal educational credential. Top-paying state for Adhesive Bonding Machine Operators and Tenders is Utah ($65,500); for Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers it's Georgia ($618,090).

Adhesive Bonding Machine Operators and Tenders
Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers
Median salary
$46,460
$232,140
Hourly rate
$22.34/hr
$null/hr
Entry level (10th %)
$31,460
$106,710
Senior level (90th %)
$60,810
$463,830
Education required
High school diploma or equivalent
No formal educational credential
U.S. employment
11,500
103,560
Job growth (10-year)
1%
3.9%
Category
Production & Manufacturing
Transportation
Top-paying state
Utah
Georgia

Pay by state

States where both occupations have BLS data, sorted by Adhesive Bonding Machine Operators and Tenders median pay.

State
Adhesive Bonding Machine Operators and Tenders
Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers
Idaho
$57,670
$507,640
Washington
$56,580
$229,900
Minnesota
$56,540
$211,470
Kentucky
$52,140
$350,950
Colorado
$49,920
$307,490
Ohio
$49,390
$204,170
Connecticut
$49,280
$199,870
Texas
$48,450
$215,150
Georgia
$46,350
$618,090
Michigan
$45,470
$428,570
Nevada
$45,320
$192,460
New York
$42,130
$255,240
Arizona
$41,600
$227,870
California
$40,440
$353,900
Florida
$34,650
$225,020

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

Common questions

Who earns more, Adhesive Bonding Machine Operators and Tenders or Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers?

Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers earn more nationally. The median is $46,460 for Adhesive Bonding Machine Operators and Tenders versus $232,140 for Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers, a difference of $186K. Per BLS OEWS May 2025.

Which has better job growth, Adhesive Bonding Machine Operators and Tenders or Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers?

Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers has the better 10-year outlook at 3.9% projected growth, compared to 1% for the other field. Both are from BLS Employment Projections.

Which requires more education, Adhesive Bonding Machine Operators and Tenders or Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers?

Adhesive Bonding Machine Operators and Tenders typically requires high school diploma or equivalent. Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers requires no formal educational credential. Education requirements vary by employer and state licensing board.

Where do Adhesive Bonding Machine Operators and Tenders get paid the most?

Utah is the top-paying state for Adhesive Bonding Machine Operators and Tenders at $65,500/year, per BLS OEWS May 2025. Major metro areas within that state typically pay even more than the state average.

How does Adhesive Bonding Machine Operators and Tenders vs. Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers pay differ by state?

The gap varies significantly by state. In Idaho, Adhesive Bonding Machine Operators and Tenders earn $57,670 vs. $507,640 for Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers. See the state comparison table on this page for the full picture.

Full Adhesive Bonding Machine Operators and Tenders salary breakdownView →Full Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers salary breakdownView →Best cities for Adhesive Bonding Machine Operators and Tenders by take-home payExplore →Best cities for Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers by take-home payExplore →How to become a adhesive bonding machine operators and tendersGuide →How to become a airline pilots, copilots, and flight engineersGuide →