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Salary comparison

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

Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers out-earn Animal Caretakers by $197K a year at the national median, per BLS OEWS May 2025. Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers land at $232,140 and Animal Caretakers at $35,360. The education gap is real: airline pilots, copilots, and flight engineer programs typically require no formal educational credential, while animal caretaker programs require high school diploma or equivalent. Top-paying state for Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers is Georgia ($618,090); for Animal Caretakers it's District of Columbia ($44,210).

Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers
Animal Caretakers
Median salary
$232,140
$35,360
Hourly rate
$null/hr
$17/hr
Entry level (10th %)
$106,710
$27,250
Senior level (90th %)
$463,830
$50,060
Education required
No formal educational credential
High school diploma or equivalent
U.S. employment
103,560
266,910
Job growth (10-year)
3.9%
12.1%
Category
Transportation
Personal Care
Top-paying state
Georgia
District of Columbia

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 Caretakers
California
$353,900
$38,700
Colorado
$307,490
$37,430
Illinois
$293,490
$35,570
New York
$255,240
$37,840
Alaska
$232,140
$36,640
Washington
$229,900
$40,570
Arizona
$227,870
$38,180
Florida
$225,020
$34,150
Minnesota
$211,470
$36,430
Connecticut
$199,870
$37,310
Utah
$174,590
$34,750
Oregon
$173,190
$36,580
Rhode Island
$164,880
$37,120
Maine
$147,930
$37,230
New Hampshire
$99,280
$34,790

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 Caretakers?

Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers earn more nationally. The median is $232,140 for Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers versus $35,360 for Animal Caretakers, a difference of $197K. Per BLS OEWS May 2025.

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

Animal Caretakers has the better 10-year outlook at 12.1% projected growth, compared to 3.9% for the other field. Both are from BLS Employment Projections.

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

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

The gap varies significantly by state. In California, Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers earn $353,900 vs. $38,700 for Animal Caretakers. See the state comparison table on this page for the full picture.

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