Georgia’s highest-paid occupation may not be in a hospital or executive suite—it may be in the cockpit. An analysis of federal wage data ranks airline pilots, copilots and flight engineers as the state’s top occupation by median annual pay.
The analysis, based on the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics’ May 2025 Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, lists a Georgia median of $618,090. About 8,770 people in the state were employed in the combined category of airline pilots, copilots and flight engineers.
That figure placed the occupation slightly ahead of cardiologists in the statewide ranking. Georgia and Idaho also stood out in a broader comparison because their top-paying listed occupations were outside healthcare.
What the $618,090 number means
The median is the midpoint of the workers included in the estimate—not a starting salary and not a guarantee for every pilot. Pay can vary widely based on seniority, aircraft, employer, route structure, union agreements and the number of hours flown…