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Salary comparison

Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers vs. Amusement and Recreation Attendants: Who Earns More?

Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers out-earn Amusement and Recreation Attendants by $200K a year at the national median, per BLS OEWS May 2025. Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers land at $232,140 and Amusement and Recreation Attendants at $32,150. The education gap is real: airline pilots, copilots, and flight engineer programs typically require no formal educational credential, while amusement and recreation attendant programs require high school diploma or equivalent. Top-paying state for Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers is Georgia ($618,090); for Amusement and Recreation Attendants it's Alaska ($45,680).

Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers
Amusement and Recreation Attendants
Median salary
$232,140
$32,150
Hourly rate
$null/hr
$15.46/hr
Entry level (10th %)
$106,710
$22,350
Senior level (90th %)
$463,830
$42,490
Education required
No formal educational credential
High school diploma or equivalent
U.S. employment
103,560
397,830
Job growth (10-year)
3.9%
3.4%
Category
Transportation
Personal Care
Top-paying state
Georgia
Alaska

Pay by state

States where both occupations have BLS data, sorted by Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers median pay.

State
Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers
Amusement and Recreation Attendants
Idaho
$507,640
$30,530
California
$353,900
$37,000
Colorado
$307,490
$35,770
Illinois
$293,490
$32,770
New York
$255,240
$36,300
Alaska
$232,140
$45,680
Washington
$229,900
$37,790
Arizona
$227,870
$33,570
Florida
$225,020
$30,670
Minnesota
$211,470
$30,830
Connecticut
$199,870
$34,860
Oregon
$173,190
$35,400
Rhode Island
$164,880
$31,220
Maine
$147,930
$35,330
New Hampshire
$99,280
$31,210

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

Common questions

Who earns more, Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers or Amusement and Recreation Attendants?

Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers earn more nationally. The median is $232,140 for Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers versus $32,150 for Amusement and Recreation Attendants, a difference of $200K. Per BLS OEWS May 2025.

Which has better job growth, Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers or Amusement and Recreation Attendants?

Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers has the better 10-year outlook at 3.9% projected growth, compared to 3.4% for the other field. Both are from BLS Employment Projections.

Which requires more education, Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers or Amusement and Recreation Attendants?

Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers typically requires no formal educational credential. Amusement and Recreation Attendants requires high school diploma or equivalent. Education requirements vary by employer and state licensing board.

Where do Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers get paid the most?

Georgia is the top-paying state for Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers at $618,090/year, per BLS OEWS May 2025. Major metro areas within that state typically pay even more than the state average.

How does Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers vs. Amusement and Recreation Attendants pay differ by state?

The gap varies significantly by state. In Idaho, Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers earn $507,640 vs. $30,530 for Amusement and Recreation Attendants. See the state comparison table on this page for the full picture.

Full Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers salary breakdownView →Full Amusement and Recreation Attendants salary breakdownView →Best cities for Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers by take-home payExplore →Best cities for Amusement and Recreation Attendants by take-home payExplore →How to become a airline pilots, copilots, and flight engineersGuide →How to become a amusement and recreation attendantsGuide →