I was wondering about the tuition reimbursement section. I saw other questions regarding such, however it only spoke of the PPL and not the rest of the tuition that would get certified. Possibly over $70,000 additional to be paid off.
Secondly, in regards to current pay after completion of all certifications. What is the true possible salary of a pilot before becoming a first officer with a large airline company.I’ve seen other people state that it could be around the $50,000 mark. How do you love off such a low amount? Even if it’s just for a few years before a possible pay raise with a new job.
I am not sure what you are speaking of when you say Tuition Reimbursement would cover your PPL, no such program exists. Tuition reimbursement pays an additional amount of money per month, right to your loan payment, thus relieving the burden on you. None of the programs out there cover the entire cost of tuition, most people use financing for that.
Plenty of people live off of $50k per year or less, go talk to your average firefighter, cop, teacher, etc and see what they say.
That being said, the pay has really jumped up in the last few years and most regional airlines are paying considerably more than $50k, especially when bonuses are taken into account.
Each tuition reimbursement program is unique. You might be thinking of the Aviate program’s scholarship that covers the cost of private.
Typically the program works like this: build all your ratings, begin instructing and apply to the cadet program. Then once you’re accepted you’ll start getting tuition reimbursement payed directly from that airline to the borrower directly to your loan. Most of the time it’s a fixed rate based on the number of hours you fly up to a certain maximum payout.
As for CFI pay, it isn’t great. $25-35k typically. The tuition reimbursement helps alleviate extra expenses. Once you get to the regionals, most have starting pay in the $90-100k range which is absolutely unprecedented.
Before you get to a Regional you’ll need to build time and the most common route is instructing which generally doesn’t pay much at all (usually $25-35k). This is an entry level position to a career that can pay over $400k. Doesn’t sound like a bad deal but yes it’ll require some sacrifice on your part.
Thank you Hanna for your input. It’s greatly appreciated. I understand the sacrifices that need to be given in order to build a great career as a pilot.
And Chris, thanks for your input. However I don’t need to speak to cops to understand. I’m a Police Officer and have been for over 4 years. I understand the struggle to risk my life and not be sufficiently paid for such. That salary isn’t sufficient for a family of 4.