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For understandable reasons, pilots have an outsized persona compared with other servicemen and servicewomen in the United States Air Force, or any air force. The USAF has around 320,000 active duty personnel, rising to around over 500,000 when the Air National Guard and Air Force Reserve are included, and then to around 689,000, adding in civilian employees. Of these, only around 13,000 are pilots, a tiny percentage.
The US Navy and Marines have around 10,000 pilots; the US Army has 7,300 active duty pilots (sometimes reported as 14,000 in total), mostly helicopter pilots. Overall, the US accounts for perhaps over half of the highly qualified military pilots. The Chinese and Russian air force pilot pools are much lower, at around 4,000–5,000, plus their navy and army pilots. Leading European air forces have 1,000-2,000 pilots, plus another 1,000 or so for their navies and armies. Here is what to know about how much fighter pilots can expect to earn.
Fighter Jet Pilots Are Commissioned Officers
Almost all fighter jet pilots in Western air forces must be commissioned officers. This includes the US Air Force, the US Navy pilots, the Royal Air Force, the Royal Australian Air Force, the German Luftwaffe, and the French Air Force. Some European countries allow non-commissioned officer pilots in limited categories, such as helicopters and transport aircraft, but this is exceptionally rare for high-end fast jets.
The United States Army has the largest or second-largest pool of military pilots, either ahead of or just behind the United States Air Force. The US Army’s aircraft are mostly helicopters, and these are often warrant officers, not only commissioned officers. Fighter jet pilots are required to be commissioned officers because they are required to have the authority to decide whether to release weapons, interpret complex rules of engagement, abort or execute missions independently, and make other important decisions.
Most countries want that level of authority to be with someone holding a formal commission. There is also the historical aspect where military aviation evolved from naval officer traditions, cavalry officer culture, and early 20th-century elite volunteer corps. Europe has had a tradition of treating pilots as an elite officer corps from the get-go. This means that fighter jet pilots are paid as commissioned officers.
All USAF Pilots Paid The Same
In the United States Air Force, fighter jet pilots are paid based on their Rank (O-1, O-2, O-3, etc.) and by the years of service. They are not paid based on the type of aircraft they fly, at least not when it comes to the base salary. So a fighter pilot captain will receive the same base pay as a transport aircraft pilot. But this doesn’t necessarily mean that the total take-home compensation will be identical.
One way in which fighter jet pilots can earn more than other pilots is through the Aviation Bonus (AvB) or retention pay. Pilots are extremely valuable, and it costs over $10 million to train a pilot to fly a high-end fighter jet; the USAF (like other air forces) has a shortage of fighter pilots. The Aviation Bonus is dependent on the year group, retention needs, and contract length, not officially based on the aircraft flown. However, the Air Force may award fighter jet pilots a greater retention bonus.
Other factors that influence pay include combat zone pay, hazardous duty pay, and deployment pay, and these can disproportionately apply to fighter jet pilots. That said, a KC-135 tanker pilot on deployment will get additional payments while a fighter jet pilot stateside will not. Pay and benefits also vary depending on whether the pilot is active duty, Air National Guard, or Air Force Reserve.
The USA Base Pay For Fighter Jet Pilots
The United States has a table of the base pay for its ranks; these payments do not include allowances like housing (BAH), subsistence (BAS), bonuses, or flight pay that significantly boost the total compensation. A Second Lieutenant (O-1) with fewer than two years of service has a base pay of $49,802, rising to $62,699 for three or more years of service. A First Lieutenant (O-2) starts with a base pay of $57,384, rising to $79,412 in the sixth year.
Captains (O-3) with less than two years of service start at $66,409 and top out at $92,844 when in their sixth year of service. The next rank is Major (O-4) with the base pay scale ranging from $75,536 to $99,986, followed by Lieutenant Colonel (O-5), whose pay ranges from $87,545 to $110,995 in the sixth year. Finally, the highest listed range is Colonel (O-6), and their pay starts at $105,016 and rises to $123,412 as they add more years of service.
|
US Officer Pay (Inc. Pilots) per USAF |
First Year |
Sixth Year |
|---|---|---|
|
Second Lieutenant (O-1) |
$49,802 |
$62,699 |
|
First Lieutenant (O-2) |
$57,384 |
$79,412 |
|
Captain (O-3) |
$66,409 |
$92,844 |
|
Major (O-4) |
$75,536 |
$99,986 |
|
Lieutenant Colonel (O-5) |
$87,545 |
$110,995 |
|
Colonel (O-6) |
$105,016 |
$123,412 |
Pilots with the ranks of Second Lieutenant to Major (O-1 to O-4) are considered junior/mid-grade pilots. Senior pilots who are squadron or wing commanders typically have the rank of Lieutenant Colonel (O-5) to Colonel (O-6). Colonel is the highest rank at which pilots still commonly fly, although it’s typically lower-ranking Majors that lead daily combat sorties. General Officers, including Brigadier General to General, may still be pilots, but they rarely fly in combat.
Fighter Pilot Pay In Leading European Air Forces
In the Royal Air Force, entry officers (pilots) get a base salary of around $44,000–$45,000 on commissioning. By the rank of Flight Lieutenant and with some experience, the pay grows to around $58,000 to $78,000 per year, with a Squadron Leader and above earning $90,000 or more. US pilots earn more than their RAF counterparts of comparable rank once income is adjusted for total compensation.
According to the Economic Research Institute, a typical British fighter pilot can earn around $122,000 in total compensation, while $146,000 is more typical for US pilots. Switzerland has the highest or almost the highest total pay for pilots at around $230,000, far above other European countries. Danish pilots are expected to earn a total of around $161,000, making it one of the few countries where fighter pilots edge out US pilots in pay.
Other notable Western European countries include Germany at around $143,000, Norway at $141,000, the Netherlands at $137,000, France at $118,000, Sweden at $112,000, and Italy at $109,000. Eastern European pilots earn considerably less. Polish pilots earn around $73,000, while neighboring Czech and Slovak pilots earn around $67,000. Hungarian pilots get around $56,000, while Bulgarian pilot pay is one of the lowest at around $40,000.
What Is The Typical Salary For A Fighter Jet Pilot In The US?
Fighter pilots are exceptionally well-paid.
Fighter Pilot Pay In Australia & Canada
Canada publishes pilot-specific pay tables similar to those of the USAF, which show monthly pay increasing with rank and experience. A Royal Canadian Air Force Captain will earn around $80,000 to $160,000 annually. A Major or Lieutenant-Colonel pilot will have a pay range of $120,000 to $200,000. As with USAF pilots, actual take-home pay is complicated and dependent on various factors, including bonuses and allowances.
Australia publishes the pay for its officers, although it doesn’t specify the pay for the pilots. Overall, it’s estimated that Australian pilots typically earn around $144,000, making them some of the most highly paid military pilots in the world. New Zealand doesn’t have fighter jets, but it still has an air force. During training, pilots are paid around $41,000, rising to around $127,000 for a senior pilot. New Zealand typically can’t match the salaries offered in Australia.
Australia is notable for operating a small but technologically advanced air force and military overall. The RAAF has a fleet of 72 Lockheed Martin F-35s, 24 F/A/-18 Super Hornets, and 12 EA-18G Growlers. It has fully decommissioned its fleet of legacy Hornets, with some purchased by Canada to keep its rickety fleet of legacy Hornets flying a while longer.
US Pilot Pay Vs Allies
Compared with Western Europe, USAF pilots typically earn more, with Switzerland being a notable exception. That said, most Western European countries offer their pilots compensation in the ballpark offered in the United States, while Eastern European pilots are paid much less. Canadian pilots are comparable to, or a little lower than, US pilots, after currency conversions.
Australian pilots are well-paid for the sector, something in keeping with the country’s effort to maintain a small but professional, technologically advanced, and effective air force. New Zealand pilots are reasonably well paid, but they are restricted to flying aircraft like P-8 Poseidon maritime patrol aircraft, C-130J Super Hercules, and helicopters.
Within the United States, the base pay for the United States fighter jet pilots is the same as that of other USAF pilots of the same rank and service period flying other aircraft. The pay is also the same for Marine Corps, Navy, and Coast Guard pilots. The Coast Guard has a fleet of 200 aircraft (including helicopters) and a pool of around 800 pilots, making it larger than many of the world’s air forces. For reference, the Royal Air Force only has around 1,500 pilots, while the USAF has around 13,000 pilots.
