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Agricultural Equipment Operators vs. Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers: Who Earns More?

Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineerss out-earn Agricultural Equipment Operatorss by $184K a year at the national median, per BLS OEWS May 2024. Agricultural Equipment Operatorss land at $42,580 and Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineerss at $226,600. The education gap is real: agricultural equipment operator programs typically require no formal educational credential, while airline pilots, copilots, and flight engineer programs require no formal educational credential. Top-paying state for Agricultural Equipment Operatorss is Montana ($53,900); for Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineerss it's Kentucky ($413,070).

Agricultural Equipment Operators
Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers
Median salary
$42,580
$226,600
Hourly rate
$20.47/hr
$null/hr
Entry level (10th %)
$31,240
$98,560
Senior level (90th %)
$57,790
$0
Education required
No formal educational credential
No formal educational credential
U.S. employment
30,940
99,300
Job growth (10-year)
N/A
N/A
Category
Farming & Fishing
Transportation
Top-paying state
Montana
Kentucky

Pay by state

States where both occupations have BLS data, sorted by Agricultural Equipment Operators median pay.

State
Agricultural Equipment Operators
Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers
New York
$51,100
$290,170
Ohio
$49,070
$277,580
Minnesota
$48,390
$184,560
Illinois
$46,810
$296,570
Virginia
$45,740
$279,820
Kentucky
$44,700
$413,070
Michigan
$42,600
$307,070
Pennsylvania
$41,660
$172,710
California
$40,130
$321,460
Washington
$39,980
$382,350
Oregon
$39,730
$214,520
Florida
$35,510
$220,350
Georgia
$34,770
$357,390
Arizona
$34,270
$198,800
Texas
$29,930
$214,670

Source: BLS OEWS May 2024. Highlighted value is higher in each row.

Common questions

Who earns more, Agricultural Equipment Operatorss or Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineerss?

Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineerss earn more nationally. The median is $42,580 for Agricultural Equipment Operatorss versus $226,600 for Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineerss, a difference of $184K. Per BLS OEWS May 2024.

Which has better job growth, Agricultural Equipment Operators or Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers?

BLS Employment Projections data is not available for one or both occupations. Check the individual career pages for current outlook figures.

Which requires more education, Agricultural Equipment Operators or Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers?

Agricultural Equipment Operators typically requires no formal educational credential. Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers requires no formal educational credential. Education requirements vary by employer and state licensing board.

Where do Agricultural Equipment Operatorss get paid the most?

Montana is the top-paying state for Agricultural Equipment Operatorss at $53,900/year, per BLS OEWS May 2024. Major metro areas within that state typically pay even more than the state average.

How does Agricultural Equipment Operators vs. Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers pay differ by state?

The gap varies significantly by state. In New York, Agricultural Equipment Operatorss earn $51,100 vs. $290,170 for Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineerss. See the state comparison table on this page for the full picture.

Full Agricultural Equipment Operators salary breakdownView →Full Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers salary breakdownView →Best cities for Agricultural Equipment Operatorss by take-home payExplore →Best cities for Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineerss by take-home payExplore →How to become a agricultural equipment operatorsGuide →How to become a airline pilots, copilots, and flight engineersGuide →