Release #: Vol. 84, No. 6
August 01, 2015

Which Path Would You Choose?

You just earned a college aviation degree and, along the way, accumulated student loans and expenses comparable to what a law or medical student spends on education.

Now it’s time to spin the wheel regarding your career choice. Do you take a job earning $23,000 a year flying for a fee-for-departure airline? Or do you opt for another career? According to salary.com, the median starting salary for a registered nurse is nearly $64,000 a year, and a new sales rep earns more than $54,000.

You don’t need a finance degree to see that, for those entering the job market, the looming airline pilot shortage really comes down to a pilot pay shortage. ALPA is working to enhance starting compensation for those entering the profession and provide a clear career path for all pilots.

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