Skip to content
AffordMap
Salary comparison

Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers vs. Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand: Who Earns More?

Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers out-earn Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand by $192K a year at the national median, per BLS OEWS May 2025. Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers land at $232,140 and Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand at $40,240. The education gap is real: airline pilots, copilots, and flight engineer programs typically require no formal educational credential, while laborers and freight, stock, and material movers, hand programs require no formal educational credential. Top-paying state for Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers is Georgia ($618,090); for Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand it's Minnesota ($46,280).

Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers
Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand
Median salary
$232,140
$40,240
Hourly rate
$null/hr
$19.35/hr
Entry level (10th %)
$106,710
$31,270
Senior level (90th %)
$463,830
$55,140
Education required
No formal educational credential
No formal educational credential
U.S. employment
103,560
2,950,280
Job growth (10-year)
3.9%
1.5%
Category
Transportation
Transportation
Top-paying state
Georgia
Minnesota

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
Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand
California
$353,900
$44,710
Kentucky
$350,950
$42,770
Colorado
$307,490
$45,370
New York
$255,240
$44,630
Alaska
$232,140
$44,510
Washington
$229,900
$46,190
Arizona
$227,870
$44,290
Minnesota
$211,470
$46,280
Connecticut
$199,870
$43,640
Utah
$174,590
$42,370
Oregon
$173,190
$44,750
Pennsylvania
$164,990
$42,480
Maine
$147,930
$42,640
Iowa
$131,730
$43,490
Nebraska
$131,650
$42,910

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

Common questions

Who earns more, Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers or Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand?

Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers earn more nationally. The median is $232,140 for Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers versus $40,240 for Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand, a difference of $192K. Per BLS OEWS May 2025.

Which has better job growth, Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers or Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand?

Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers has the better 10-year outlook at 3.9% projected growth, compared to 1.5% for the other field. Both are from BLS Employment Projections.

Which requires more education, Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers or Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand?

Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers typically requires no formal educational credential. Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand 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. Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand pay differ by state?

The gap varies significantly by state. In California, Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers earn $353,900 vs. $44,710 for Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand. See the state comparison table on this page for the full picture.

Full Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers salary breakdownView →Full Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand salary breakdownView →Best cities for Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers by take-home payExplore →Best cities for Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand by take-home payExplore →How to become a airline pilots, copilots, and flight engineersGuide →How to become a laborers and freight, stock, and material movers, handGuide →