Although flight crews-pilots and flight attendants-are the most visible occupations, the vast majority of the industry's employees work in ground occupations.
Senior pilots for major airlines are among the highest paid workers in the Nation.
A bachelor’s degree is increasingly required or preferred for most pilot and flight attendant jobs.
More than 45 percent of workers are members of unions or covered by a union contract.
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Career Guide to Industries, 2014-2024 Edition
Interesting Fact
The word "salary" comes from salarium, or "salt money" and was used in ancient Rome to describe the wages paid to Roman legionnaires who were compensated in salt.
