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Salary comparison

Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers vs. Animal Breeders: Who Earns More?

Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers out-earn Animal Breeders by $181K a year at the national median, per BLS OEWS May 2025. Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers land at $232,140 and Animal Breeders at $51,130. The education gap is real: airline pilots, copilots, and flight engineer programs typically require no formal educational credential, while animal breeder programs require no formal educational credential. Top-paying state for Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers is Georgia ($618,090); for Animal Breeders it's Ohio ($68,980).

Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers
Animal Breeders
Median salary
$232,140
$51,130
Hourly rate
$null/hr
$24.58/hr
Entry level (10th %)
$106,710
$38,480
Senior level (90th %)
$463,830
$90,550
Education required
No formal educational credential
No formal educational credential
U.S. employment
103,560
1,330
Job growth (10-year)
3.9%
2.4%
Category
Transportation
Farming & Fishing
Top-paying state
Georgia
Ohio

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
Animal Breeders
California
$353,900
$59,280
New York
$255,240
$48,350
Texas
$215,150
$48,410
Minnesota
$211,470
$47,900
Ohio
$204,170
$68,980
Alabama
$136,990
$53,200
Nebraska
$131,650
$40,220

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

Common questions

Who earns more, Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers or Animal Breeders?

Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers earn more nationally. The median is $232,140 for Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers versus $51,130 for Animal Breeders, a difference of $181K. Per BLS OEWS May 2025.

Which has better job growth, Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers or Animal Breeders?

Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers has the better 10-year outlook at 3.9% projected growth, compared to 2.4% for the other field. Both are from BLS Employment Projections.

Which requires more education, Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers or Animal Breeders?

Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers typically requires no formal educational credential. Animal Breeders requires no formal educational credential. 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. Animal Breeders pay differ by state?

The gap varies significantly by state. In California, Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers earn $353,900 vs. $59,280 for Animal Breeders. See the state comparison table on this page for the full picture.

Full Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers salary breakdownView →Full Animal Breeders salary breakdownView →Best cities for Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers by take-home payExplore →Best cities for Animal Breeders by take-home payExplore →How to become a airline pilots, copilots, and flight engineersGuide →How to become a animal breedersGuide →