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Salary comparison

Aircraft Cargo Handling Supervisors vs. Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers: Who Earns More?

Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers out-earn Aircraft Cargo Handling Supervisors by $174K a year at the national median, per BLS OEWS May 2025. Aircraft Cargo Handling Supervisors land at $58,170 and Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers at $232,140. The education gap is real: aircraft cargo handling supervisor programs typically require no formal educational credential, while airline pilots, copilots, and flight engineer programs require no formal educational credential. Top-paying state for Aircraft Cargo Handling Supervisors is Georgia ($81,380); for Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers it's Georgia ($618,090).

Aircraft Cargo Handling Supervisors
Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers
Median salary
$58,170
$232,140
Hourly rate
$27.97/hr
$null/hr
Entry level (10th %)
$41,690
$106,710
Senior level (90th %)
$92,160
$463,830
Education required
No formal educational credential
No formal educational credential
U.S. employment
9,760
103,560
Job growth (10-year)
5.2%
3.9%
Category
Transportation
Transportation
Top-paying state
Georgia
Georgia

Pay by state

States where both occupations have BLS data, sorted by Aircraft Cargo Handling Supervisors median pay.

State
Aircraft Cargo Handling Supervisors
Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers
Georgia
$81,380
$618,090
Ohio
$79,650
$204,170
Colorado
$79,260
$307,490
Arizona
$74,780
$227,870
Florida
$62,240
$225,020
Washington
$61,090
$229,900
California
$60,530
$353,900
Illinois
$58,600
$293,490
Alaska
$58,230
$232,140
New York
$57,290
$255,240
Idaho
$56,530
$507,640
Texas
$56,290
$215,150
Minnesota
$53,100
$211,470
Kentucky
$52,530
$350,950
Michigan
$47,850
$428,570

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

Common questions

Who earns more, Aircraft Cargo Handling Supervisors or Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers?

Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers earn more nationally. The median is $58,170 for Aircraft Cargo Handling Supervisors versus $232,140 for Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers, a difference of $174K. Per BLS OEWS May 2025.

Which has better job growth, Aircraft Cargo Handling Supervisors or Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers?

Aircraft Cargo Handling Supervisors has the better 10-year outlook at 5.2% projected growth, compared to 3.9% for the other field. Both are from BLS Employment Projections.

Which requires more education, Aircraft Cargo Handling Supervisors or Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers?

Aircraft Cargo Handling Supervisors 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 Aircraft Cargo Handling Supervisors get paid the most?

Georgia is the top-paying state for Aircraft Cargo Handling Supervisors at $81,380/year, per BLS OEWS May 2025. Major metro areas within that state typically pay even more than the state average.

How does Aircraft Cargo Handling Supervisors vs. Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers pay differ by state?

The gap varies significantly by state. In Georgia, Aircraft Cargo Handling Supervisors earn $81,380 vs. $618,090 for Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers. See the state comparison table on this page for the full picture.

Full Aircraft Cargo Handling Supervisors salary breakdownView →Full Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers salary breakdownView →Best cities for Aircraft Cargo Handling Supervisors by take-home payExplore →Best cities for Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers by take-home payExplore →How to become a aircraft cargo handling supervisorsGuide →How to become a airline pilots, copilots, and flight engineersGuide →