How Much Do Helicopter Pilots Make?
If you’re the kind of person who feels most at home thousands of feet above the ground, becoming a professional helicopter pilot can be a fantastic way to turn your passion into a career. However, given the expense of training for your pilot’s license, it’s perfectly normal to wonder if you’ll be able to find a job to pay off your tuition. There are numerous opportunities to work as a professional helicopter pilot, and with the impending shortage of helicopter pilots, there’s never been a better time to get your license.
Let’s take a look at the average salary for all helicopter pilots, and then we’ll break it down by industry.
Average Salary for Pilots
According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, the average pay for all commercial pilots was $130,440 in 2020. The average median salary for a commercial pilot was $93,300, and for privatized pilots and flight engineers, the average was $160,970.
If we narrow our lens a bit more to look at helicopter pilots, as of August 2021, helicopter pilots took home an average of $98,700 a year. This leaves the average salary ranging around $83,708 and $126,914.
However, like many other industries, multiple factors go into determining the salary of a pilot. Factors such as education, certifications, experience, industry, additional skills, and more are all considered when generating a job offer and negotiating a salary.
Average Salaries by Industry
Flight Instruction
Low: <45K
Median: 90-110K
High: >175K
Flight instruction is often one of the first jobs that new pilots will take as it’s an easy career to qualify for with their limited flight hours.
Most flight instruction opportunities are usually entry-level positions that will help you build up your flight hours and qualify for other positions in the future. The entry-level pilots are generally paid an hourly wage rather than a salary, which allows pilots the flexibility to work full-time or part-time positions.
If you’re looking for a flight instruction job right after graduating, the average salary you can expect might be closer to $40,000, depending on how many hours you can work and the location of the school.
However, as you gain experience in other industries, if you decide to return to flight instruction on a chief or executive level, you could have a much higher salary.
Tourism
Low: <45K
Median: 50-60K
High: 70-80K
Tour pilots are another common, entry-level position for new pilots and can be a great way to build up experience after you graduate from flight school. But keep in mind that depending on the company you work for; you may need to act as a tour guide as you fly your pre-determined routes.
Additionally, if your dream is to work as a tourism pilot, you may have to relocate to find work. Many air tour operators work around national parks and larger cities with specific points of interest. Often those with exceptional views and diverse history.
Firefighting
Low: 45-50K
Median: 80-90K
High: >175K
Helicopter firefighting pilots are in increasingly high demand. If you have the qualifications, there’s a good chance you’ll be able to find a job in this sector relatively quickly.
As a firefighting helicopter pilot, you’ll be called to tackle large building fires and wildfires or assist in the transpiration of firefighting crews and equipment. These positions typically pay more due to the risks associated with the job.
As an emergency responder, you will need to be prepared to jump into action at any hour. However, work can often be seasonal with callouts being more common during the wildfire season.
Some departments have a flat rate where they will pay per flight hour of their pilots while on standby rather than a fixed-rate salary. But with wildfires becoming more common, other fire departments are starting to offer “bounties” and additional overtime bonuses to those willing to put in the extra hours. Other firefighting pilot salaries are seasonal and paid over the duration of 4-6 months, depending on seniority and demand.
For jobs that require larger aircraft, you’ll need to obtain an Airline Transport Pilot (ATP) License to fly with firefighting equipment. This is the highest-level test for pilots and requires 1,200 hours of helicopter flight time, plus additional hours spent flying at night, cross-country, and operating through various weather conditions in a simulation or the cockpit.
Additionally, fire departments may require that you have a certain number of flight hours in commercial operations and prior experience with crew resource management. You will also need great teamwork and communication skills.
Emergency Medical Services (EMS)
Low: 60-70K
Median: 90-100K
High: 130-150K
This job can cover a broad range of scenarios, from transporting donated organs across the country to working as a rapid response ambulance to airlift patients to the hospital. It’s a high-pressure role that often requires you to be prepared at a moment’s notice.
Hospitals and air medical companies typically have different requirements for pilots. Depending on the type of aircraft used, you may be expected to have your ATP license plus additional hours flying at night, flying in various weather conditions (simulated or physically), as well as familiarity with the type of helicopter used by the emergency services.
Like firefighter pilots, you’ll also need strong teamwork and communication skills, and crew management skills as you’ll be flying with nurses, paramedics, and patients.
You likely won’t need any medical training, as your primary responsibility is to ensure a smooth, safe, and prompt flight so the medical team can attend to the patient.
While the job often requires you to put yourself in high-stress and high-pressure situations, many pilots find it worth it as it is one of the highest-paying vocations for helicopter pilots and one of the most vital in the medical industry.
Offshore and Utility
Low: <45K
Median: 90-100K
High: 130-175K
Offshore and utility helicopter pilots can earn a comfortable living working for private utility companies servicing offshore gas and oil rigs. Depending on your experience, location, and bonuses, it’s not unheard of for these pilots to earn six figures.
In this job, you’ll typically be transporting workers, tools, and other resources between on-shore bases and offshore rigs. You may also be required to fly survey teams either to offshore rigs or various on-shore plants.
This transport job isn’t for the faint of heart, however, as you’ll need to be comfortable flying in adverse weather conditions, as well as landing and taking off from rigs or ocean survey vessels. You may also have to run hurricane or storm evacuations.
Offshore and utility pilots are usually required to have their APT license, as they often fly larger aircraft and need to skillfully manage their helicopters through all weather conditions.
Other Helicopter Pilot Jobs
Of course, this does not include all the job opportunities for helicopter pilots. Other salary ranges for helicopter pilots in various industries and careers include:
Electronic News Gathering (EMG)
Low: 50-60K
Median: 70-80K
High: 80-90K
Agriculture
Low: 50-60K
Median: 90-110K
High: 110-130K
Law Enforcement
Low: 60-70K
Median: 100-110K
High: >175K
Corporate
Low: 60-70K
Median: 100-110K
High: >175K
Despite the initial high costs of flight training, it’s an investment in the future of your flying career. Helicopter pilots are in high demand, and with a few years of experience, you can pay off your student loans while living out the career of your dreams.
At Lake Superior Helicopters, we help you get the training and experience you need for the career of your dreams. Our pathways programs and 141 helicopter flight training structure ensure you will have an advantage over your competition through comprehensive training and unmatched student support.