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How much do pilots get paid in Europe? This is one area where it really matters that Europe is not a unified country like the United States. While pilot wages for those serving in the US Air Force, and even the Army, Navy, and Marine Corps aviation branches may be somewhat even, this is not the case in Europe. Note that it is often difficult to find wages for fighter jet pilots, and so the wages listed below are for military pilots in general.
The salary numbers are mostly drawn from the Economic Research Institute and should be treated cautiously. Currency movements, pensions, bonuses, allowances, local purchasing power, taxation, and more can have meaningful impacts on pilot incomes and change rankings. As a rule, wealthier countries in Europe pay their fighter pilots more than those of poorer European countries. Pilots in conflict zones typically enjoy substantial bonuses.
Many Miscellaneous Benefits Not In Salary
It is impossible to compare all the non-salary benefits fighter pilots enjoy across Europe in a single article. These benefits can have a major impact on the true compensation these servicemen enjoy. Example benefits for RAF personnel include subsidized food, accommodation allowances including lower rental costs on and off the base, health care, dental care, pension benefits, and more.
Another important distinction is that in the United States, the Air Force (and Navy and Marines) is seen as a stepping stone to commercial aviation, where pilots can earn much more. The military pays for pilot training, allowing pilots to become qualified without taking on large amounts of debt. While its popularity has been decreasing, it remains significant. However, in Europe, there isn’t the same easy military-to-commercial conversion.
Most countries in Europe have fighter jet fleets, even if they are small. Notably, Ireland is the largest country in both population and economy that does not have a tactical fighter jet fleet. Ireland is considering purchasing a modest fighter jet fleet, but no decision has yet been made. Separately, Mexico is one of the world’s largest countries to lack a tactical fighter jet fleet.
Western European Air Force Pilot Salaries
Great Britain’s Royal Air Force says, “Enlisted Aviator: Entry rate of pay from day one is £26,300 [$39,000]. Further pay rises are dependent on promotion and time served.” It adds, “On promotion to the rank of Flight Lieutenant, pay increases to £50,500+ [$69,000]. Further pay rises are dependent on promotion and time served.” However, this official RAF data shows lower entry-level pay; mid-to-senior RAF pilots earn much more.
According to the ERI Salary Expert, experienced RAF pilots will earn the equivalent of around $122,000 (although paid in Pounds). This is typical for Western Europe. French pilot salaries are a tad lower at $118,000, as are Italian ($109,000), Spanish ($104,000), and Swedish ($112,000). German Air Force pilots can expect to earn more at around $143,000, while Dutch pilots earn around $137,000, and Danish pilots earn around $161,000.
|
Select European military pilot salaries (Economic Research Institute) |
|
|---|---|
|
Switzerland |
$230,000 |
|
Denmark |
$161,000 |
|
United States |
$146,000 |
|
Germany |
$143,000 |
|
Norway |
$141,000 |
|
The Netherlands |
$137,000 |
|
United Kingdom |
$122,00 |
|
France |
$118,000 |
|
Sweden |
$112,000 |
|
Italy |
$109,000 |
Despite the country having an exceptionally high GDP per capita, Norwegian pilots’ salaries are listed as being more in line with Germany at $141,000. The outlier with the highest salary is listed as Switzerland, where air force pilots earn around $230,000, around double that of some of their neighbors. Like in the United States, base salaries for commercial pilots in Europe tend to be higher than those of air force pilots.
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Eastern European Air Force Pilot Salaries
Salaries for pilots in Eastern European states tend to fall, reflecting the lower military budgets and GDP per capita in those countries. Slovakian pilots earn around $67,000 a year, which is almost the same as in the Czech Republic ($67,000). Those two countries used to be the same country, Czechoslovakia. While tensions between the two made the country unviable, they were almost unique in modern times for achieving an amicable divorce.
Polish pilots earn more than their Czech and Slovakian neighbors at around $73,000. Bulgarians have one of the lowest reported Air Force salaries in Europe at just $40,000, which is the entry pay for new Royal Air Force personnel. Hungary does a bit better at around $56,000, while Romania sits between its Hungarian and Bulgarian neighbors at around $46,000.
The sizes of these air forces’ fighter jet fleets are modest. The Czech Republic and Hungary both operate a dozen Swedish-made Saab Gripens. Bulgaria operates aging Su-25s and MiG-29s, but is poised to upgrade to its new F-16 Block 70s, while Slovakia has divested itself of its MiG-29s and is now operating new F-16s. By far the largest air force in Eastern Europe is Poland, which is undergoing a radical modernization and is soon to bring F-35As into service.
Far Eastern European Pilot Salaries
If we look at salaries in the far east of Europe, beyond the European Union to Russia, Belarus, and Ukraine, then the pilot salaries fall further. Belarus has the lowest air force pilot salaries at just $16,000, which is around the same as the minimum wage in the US, ignoring tax, benefits, or purchasing power differences. Belarus has the smallest air force of these three eastern Slavic states and has been receiving its new Su-30SMs from Russia.
Russian pilots are estimated to earn around $34,500, while Ukrainian pilots earn around $25,000. Since the conflict started with Ukraine, Russian air force pilot salaries have seen a substantial increase. This is driven by the need to attract and retain its personnel. The organization has an increasing need for pilots, while the first months of the hollowing out saw high attrition amongst its experienced pilots.
Russian pilots also earn combat pay and bonuses greater than their base salary. It’s unclear what the real take-home pay is, but it is likely much higher than the $34,500 figure. Ukrainian salaries have also increased markedly, although they are thought to be lower than those of their Russian opponents. Bonuses and combat pay can add as much as $3,500 monthly for a Ukrainian pilot, but this falls massively if they are based in the rear.
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Comparison With US & Other Regions
The salary income for US military pilots is similar to that of some Western European countries. For comparison, ERI states, “The average salary for an Air Force Pilot is $156,485 in the United States.” It adds that the average hourly rate is $75.23, while the average bonus is $6,572. There is some variance in US pilot salaries across the country, with Air Force pilots in New York state earning the most at $174,000, while those in Kentucky earn around $141,000.
The two other major Western countries are Canada and Australia. Canadian pilots earn around $119,000 a year, while Australian pilots are better remunerated with listed salaries of around $144,000. Elsewhere, Chinese pilots earn less than half of that of US pilots at around $67,000, making them about the same as Czech and Slovak pilots, although with a significant purchasing power boost.
Indian salaries remain very low at around $26,000, or similar to Ukrainian pilots’ base pay. One of the lowest-paid air forces is that of the Pakistani Air Force, where pilots earn around $15,000. Pakistan is considered to have one of the largest air forces in the world by number of military aircraft, around 1,400 aircraft. However, this is not the same as an active, modern, and capable air force, and it is thought to have a similar number of pilots as the UK.
Europe Has Around 12,000 Pilots (exc. Russia, Ukraine)
It should be noted that the vast majority of people employed by any air force are not pilots, much less fighter pilots. The US Air Force has an active strength of over 300,000 active duty personnel. Adding in Air National Guard, reserves, and employed civilians, the number increases to around 680,000. Overall, the USAF employs around 13,000 to 14,500 pilots (including ANG). Across its armed forces, the US employs in the ballpark of 37,000 military pilots, of which 14,000 are mostly helicopter pilots for the Army. Note that the numbers can vary depending on how student pilots, UAV pilots, and the like are counted.
Running a reasonable ratio for modern non-US NATO air forces of two pilots per aircraft, major Western European militaries have between 1,000 and 2,000 pilots. This is almost 2,000 pilots for France, 1,500 each for Italy and the UK, 1,200 for Germany, and 1,000 for Spain (all ballpark numbers). Other European air forces are much smaller. Russia has a large number of aircraft, but many of these are old and worn out. Russia is also thought by outside analysts to have a very low ratio of around 1 or 1.2 pilots per aircraft.
According to Sky Industry News, this gives Russia a pool of around 4,000 to 5,000 pilots, while Ukraine may have around 450. For reference, the US Marine Corps alone has around 3,500 pilots, while the Navy has around 6,500. China and India may have fewer than 4,000 pilots, although China’s numbers are very opaque. Overall, it’s reasonable to estimate that Europe (the EU, plus the UK, Norway, and Switzerland) has around 12,000 military pilots. This number is based on the number of military aircraft they have in service.
