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Salary comparison

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

Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers out-earn Agricultural Equipment Operators by $190K a year at the national median, per BLS OEWS May 2025. Agricultural Equipment Operators land at $41,730 and Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers at $232,140. 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 Operators is Montana ($58,770); for Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers it's Georgia ($618,090).

Agricultural Equipment Operators
Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers
Median salary
$41,730
$232,140
Hourly rate
$20.06/hr
$null/hr
Entry level (10th %)
$33,500
$106,710
Senior level (90th %)
$58,650
$463,830
Education required
No formal educational credential
No formal educational credential
U.S. employment
28,500
103,560
Job growth (10-year)
7.7%
3.9%
Category
Farming & Fishing
Transportation
Top-paying state
Montana
Georgia

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
$50,020
$255,240
Minnesota
$48,520
$211,470
Ohio
$47,220
$204,170
Illinois
$46,050
$293,490
Oregon
$44,150
$173,190
Michigan
$42,380
$428,570
Kentucky
$42,000
$350,950
Idaho
$38,920
$507,640
California
$38,820
$353,900
Washington
$38,470
$229,900
Colorado
$37,290
$307,490
Florida
$36,660
$225,020
Arizona
$36,600
$227,870
Georgia
$35,410
$618,090
Texas
$34,260
$215,150

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

Common questions

Who earns more, Agricultural Equipment Operators or Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers?

Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers earn more nationally. The median is $41,730 for Agricultural Equipment Operators versus $232,140 for Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers, a difference of $190K. Per BLS OEWS May 2025.

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

Agricultural Equipment Operators has the better 10-year outlook at 7.7% projected growth, compared to 3.9% for the other field. Both are from BLS Employment Projections.

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 Operators get paid the most?

Montana is the top-paying state for Agricultural Equipment Operators at $58,770/year, per BLS OEWS May 2025. 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 Operators earn $50,020 vs. $255,240 for Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers. 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 Operators by take-home payExplore →Best cities for Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers by take-home payExplore →How to become a agricultural equipment operatorsGuide →How to become a airline pilots, copilots, and flight engineersGuide →