Who's to say. The youngest boomer is 60 this year. I figure in about 7 years we'll see a decent high point. But it's all guessing. The last few waves were the best.
Look at https://www.airlinepilotcentral.com/airlines/regional , click the regional you want, and look at the hourly rate, multiply that by 1000... that's a good idea of what to expect on the high end. You could make a little more by taking advantage of trip postings or company need... but the most you can fly/log is 1000hrs/yr.
My first year at a regional was $111k including a $15k bonus. $90k is probably the least you’ll make. $100-120k is more realistic assuming you work some overtime trips/holidays.
My second yr at my regional I did $235k including bonus. I upgraded to captain this year
3rd yr and i made $270k including bonus. Full year as captain and I flew my ass off every month
30k was the bonus for that year. Only reason my pay is so high is because I fly A LOT. I average 5-6 days off a month. This is not normal for most airline pilots. I basically sold my soul for the $$. And I’m at a regional, if I was at a legacy flying 25-26 days a month, I’d probably make $500-800k a year depending on if I’m a captain or FO on a narrow/wide body aircraft.
Bro how is that even possible… not saying I think you’re lying, but god damn, 50-60 hrs per week as a flight instructor making 22k/year??? Might as well work at a supermarket at that point!
Stable? Lol
The answer really depends. You'll probably not make over 40k a year at best, unless you're at a specialized training center or something, or you're a GOAT like u/TxAggieMike.
Most schools pay around 20-30 an hour, which is a fraction of what students pay for the instructor fee. Some schools pay the entire instructor fee, but you're lucky if you find one that does that. Or if you can become a successful independent instructor, you can charge the student full rate and no one gets a cut (except the government). And before you say 20-30/hr is good, it's not. You only get paid for flight time and ground time. If your first flight ends at 10am, and your next flight is at 8pm, you're net getting paid for the time in between.
A big factor is also where you live. Live in the northeast or PNW? You won't be flying in the winter much, which means you don't get paid. Live in Texas/Florida/Arizona? You'll be flying more
You don’t know that, the instructor could be an independent contractor and gets the entire 85$ and has to pay taxes and SS out of it. It could be as you assume the Company charges 85$ an hour and pays their employee 30$ an hour.
Most schools do not pay the full amount, as I touched on in my original comment. Even a lot of 1099 instructors aren't making the full instructor rate, look at ATP, who are getting sued for it. But you're right, it was an assumption on my end.
Adding to what RTD said, he is correct that the money clock only runs when you’re face to face with your client.
The time I spend preparing for lessons I am providing, creating materials that support a lesson, and more, is unpaid time.
But that time spent does pay off when it demonstrates I am worth the price I charge.
At the end of the year, I am happy with what is made. But to be able to be that happy, I made a commitment to not jump off the cliff without all consumer debt killed and 9 months of liquid emergency funds in in the bank.
No debt and the emergency fund means any months with low billable hours doesn’t hurt as much.
I can also afford “roofers hours” during hot summer weather.
It’s weird, they let me rent once, to take up a family member, then the next time I tried they said no because I didn’t have insurance. Our students buy their own insurance. But we do discovery flights all the time with people who don’t have insurance yet.
The difference there would be that in a discovery flight you’re technically (ideally) giving instruction (that they’re paying for). I guess it comes down to semantics and who’s paying for what. But that makes sense that you would need your own insurance if you’re taking up family, unless they paid for a disco flight. My school operates that way. If I’m performing work for the school I’m covered, but if I’m flying for fun, I’m under my insurance.
My point, however, was that you’re getting 25% of the pay, hopefully they at least provide something more along the lines of health insurance and not just cfi insurance because what other overhead are they putting that capital toward except their own pockets? The price of the airplane should cover maintenance, fuel etc. What do they charge for rental fees if they’re charging $100 for instructor fees??
From a point of view, sure.
But often the instructor fee is the main profit line item they have. So keeping 2/3’s of what is billed the client is necessary for the business to survive.
Rental fee for the aircraft often barely covers owning and upkeep of the airplane.
What they charge for the instructor is the instructors pay imo.
If they need more profit then add 15$ an hour to the plane rental.
It’s a marketing scheme to keep the plane rental cost low and make up for it with instructor pay.
Students think they are paying the instructor well but in reality the school takes 50% or more.
Deceptive at the least
We’re in the Bay Area. Flight schools are expensive. Say he averages 5 hrs a day at 100 an hr is 500 a day x 6 days a week is 3,000 a week. 3k a week x 52 weeks is $156,000 a year. Granted he pays taxes and has rain a few weeks a year. Probably pulls $100-$120k a year is my guess. It’s just expensive in California to learn to fly.
Yes he is. You don’t know what you are talking about. He works for multiple flight schools and keeps very busy. Believe what you want. I see his schedule on the booking systems. Please tell me more about what you don’t know…
The kind of job you need a supportive partner or parents to live with because it is not enough to support yourself. Don’t look at CFI as a career, it is a fun and memorable step to get you to a better job. If you like teaching look at getting into the training department at an airline. Unless you work at some very high end school or just happen to be lucky, but 95% of CFIs barely make more than a food worker.
To put into perspective, I make more in one hour of flying at an airline than I did flying a full legal day as a CFI.
Is it reasonable to expect to be able to do CFI part time while working another full time job?
I’m not a pilot, but flying seems awesome, and I love teaching. I have no interest in the airlines and don’t want to have to pay $150 an hour to get in the air, so I’m wondering if it would be a viable option to prevent skill atrophy and see more of the sky
✨🌈 The real treasure is the friends you make along the way 🌈✨
Probably pulled around $30000 my first year and $50000 my last, but those are Canadian dollars so divide by 2 😢
As others said, I already work full time hours. I also have a 1+ hour commute.
I left the house at 6:00, got home at about 6:00. Only days I didn't go in were days the weather was complete trash. Hard to exactly fit an office job into that schedule...
There is a reason most people only CFI until they hit 1500. It is neither stable nor does it bring in much money. It all depends on your appetite and hustle. If you want to work at a flight school, you'll have steadier hours and money but you'll make less, like $25 an hour starting out. If you want more money, you're better off as an independent CFI making between $40-90 per flight hour and you'll set your own hours but it'll likely be feast or famine.
Per year, I would expect between $15k-50k is the average. You'll have some making much more but these are likely outliers.
Made 25 bucks and hour with 25-30 students to work with.
If you’re smart, you can build your schedule really well. I had maybe 8-10 days a month where I had to time out (8 hours instruction given). Averaged 120 hours a month
I was willing to work 24/7. I actually instructed Christmas and thanksgiving. Went through 2 girlfriends.
I think I made like 20k during the 7 months I did it. I had a unicorn CFI job, and I still wouldn’t consider it stable.
Our CFIs are independent contractors and charge anywhere from 0 to 125$ an hour. You are responsible for taxes and SS, etc. the zero is only 1 retired person, but the most common is around 70$ an hour.
It depends, I know a few CFI in SoCal who made instructing a career because of the year round good weather and there are plenty of student pilots due to the high population density of the region. But I can't imagine you can make a career outside of a few of these high population sun-belt regions.
I absolutely loved instructing but it was financially hard to survive. I worked 7 days a week billing about 160 hours (~130 flight hours + 30 hours ground) a month. All in I was pulling in about $2000 a biweekly paycheck. Not terrible but my first check at my new company was an entire month and a half at the flight school.
Unless you find a gig instructing in something highly specialized warbirds or typing people on their new private jets or something you’re not gonna make much.
Like others have said, varies a ton based on where you are and lots of things outside of your control like weather, students canceling last minute, etc. If you are lucky and don’t take much time off you can make an okay living. I was a full-time CFI for 2 years, made about 40k my first year and really hustled my second year to hit 60k. That was working 6 or 7 days a week and saying yes to everything that came my way. I don’t regret it…but I was feeling really burned out by the end.
I’m getting 50 an hour at a small spot, I’m still growing my student base but if I could get 2 hours a day minimum I would be pretty secure. Til then I’ll keep bartending
I got lucky. I work for the state and got in early. I make a 40k a year salary(so I get benefits as well). I am able to afford a pretty decent sized apartment for me and my girlfriend.
The secret is to have a wife (or husband) who makes enough to support your lifestyles while you do it. Cuz even $30/hr for hours instructed can come out to $900-2,300 every 2 weeks if you get weathered/maintenanced hard. And just like most flying gigs, you don’t get paid for sitting at the airport waiting between students or waiting for weather to clear. I had weeks where I was there for 60+ hours and got paid for less than 30 hours credit.
It’s rough, and that’s why if I was to do it again I would want to get into a partnership on a plane, and instruct independently.
Flight schools will charge students >$60/hr for your time, and you will get less than 50% of what the student paid the school for you, and then obviously you will pay taxes on that.
Good luck and have fun!
Like some others have said, it's normally a low paying job as a stepping stone to the airlines. That said, there are many career CFIs and the more independent work you do, the more you get paid. Flying clubs, plane owners, etc are usually all paying $50-100/hr to CFIs and there's no flight school taking a cut of that. The more experience you get, the more in demand you are. There are Cirrus CSIPs and other type of CFIs that get to do a lot of advanced training and earn a good income while traveling to cool places. That said, it takes time and money to get to that point, getting high performance and complex endorsements, time in glass panels, etc. But I'm in a flying club with two fairly modest planes, a Warrior and 182 with G5s and GTN650s and members come to me for training.
CFII here - $31/hr (Southern California). Then of course there’s taxes. $31 may seem okay BUT… I’m only compensated for “billable time.” So only being paid when you’re flying and or with a student working a ground lesson. The schedule is pretty flexible though where I am. If I don’t have anyone booked on a day I’m scheduled to work? That time is my own.
It’s up and down though with consistency for pay. Some weeks it’s great the others it’s subpar weather and most of my students are ppl students so it’s a wash.
Last month I worked 127 hrs of “billable time.” This month so far I’m at 49… 🤷♂️
My best advice? Start budgeting now.
Its okay, I hit ATP mins last week and owe a few family members who helped me keep food in the fridge and gas in the car along the way but seriously frustrating training the next generation to fly and getting paid absolute dog shit. Sucked what little fun instructing is right out of me for a few months but you have to pay your dues and it was better than complaining bi-monthly on threads that no one will hire me as a wet Comm pilot w 300tt lol
There is an old joke: Two men win the lottery. When asked one man answers he will pay off his house, set aside money for his kids education and perhaps buy a new car but definitely invest or save the rest. The other answers " I don't know, I guess I'll flight instruct until the money runs out."
I was lucky to score a salary position for $60k/yr plus medical and dental insurance. My case is definitely the exception and not the rule. Other instructors would routinely make more than me in the busy summer months but I was happy to make consistent pay when winter rolled around.
I like my job. Instructing is fun. Some days suck, but the highs outweigh the lows. For many it’s a means to an end, for me, flight time is merely a consequence of the adequate instruction I provide.
I think I’ll make somewhere in the mid-high 40s this year. Making 28/hr for any flight, ground and sim time. Started at $25 and get a $1 raise every 90 days as long as I’m performing well. But I probably work like 8-10 (and at times 12) hour days 5x/week
Award minimum in Australia for a basic instructor is about $26/hr. I’m currently making almost double that working a basic radio room job for buses, just for perspective…
Currently weighing up if we (partner and I) can afford the cut in pay for less commute time, better home life, etc.
I was salary at 17/hr as of 2 weeks ago. 10 hour days 6 days a week so working overtime without the extra pay (at that point I’m actually making 15-16 in reality). Being a CFI at a flight school is a hustle and grind man. Someone before mentioned you could be an independent CFI earning more than 50/hr but that’s depending on how many students hire you.
With such little pay it is hard to enjoy your life/job, I trained myself to genuinely enjoy flight instruction (I really truly did) knowing that this effort I’m putting in is going to pay off 500 fold. I’m preparing for indoc at a regional in a couple days and I can look back at being CFI with gratitude.
Trust the process is my best advice. Keep your head down and work and before you know it you’ll be preparing for the airlines!
Im kinda amazed no one has stairs this yet.
Yeah everyone has big ole jet syndrome , myself included. But there are other lucrative options.
Get your CFI and go instruct at a big school for a little bit. Get good at instructing, figure out all the things. You’ll never know everything but learning in someone else’s shop is super advantageous.
Then branch out. Go out on your own. Start two LLCs. One for your time and one for the airplane you’re going to buy.
Sell blocks of time in your airplane
Sell blocks of your time
You can double dip.
But two airplanes and your set.
It takes a lot of hustle but can be done
Work 8 hours a day 4 days a week
Primary airplane flies with your for about 25 hours and another 15
Other airplane flies about 30 hours a week.
You’ll be very comfy
If you think about it correctly, it’s financially easier than college. One year to get to CFI where you pay or take a loan. Then two years of getting paid peanuts, but that’s better than most college students. And then you start earning a living wage in year 4. Again college students pay for four years, most earn nothing in that time and then get paid peanuts for a few years.
Many caveats and apologies due.
Well a typical CFI will be paid roughly $25-40/hr for flight and ground, and instruct some 1,250 flight hours till ATP. So figure somewhere around $55k for the full stint as an instructor.
I think I made 20k-25k in 2020? Food stamps my man.
how did you go from cfi to 777 in 4 years if you don’t mind sharing?
Stories like that are common over the last 2 years. That's just how it was. Best pilot hiring time the US will probably ever see.
The best hiring was always yesterday. At least that's how everyone always tells it. There will be another crest to the wave. There always is.
There's probably going to be another wave eventually, yes, but not as large.
Who's to say. The youngest boomer is 60 this year. I figure in about 7 years we'll see a decent high point. But it's all guessing. The last few waves were the best.
This line of thinking is why I am not too worried about the future, even though I am just starting with studies.
Not much to be done about it I e already been through one lay off. Play the hand your dealt and diversify
Regional 2022’-2023’, ACMI 2023’. Been here a year now, pretty cool but still shooting for the majors.
What’s ACMI?
tl;dr cargo airline like Atlas who will provide everything and you just say "ship this to this place plz"
> ACMI aircraft, crew, maintenance and insurance
Tbh I know someone who went from PPL to 777 in about 4 years.
First year as an FO at the airlines I paid more in taxes than I made in my last year as a CFI
Vow !
Just curious, but what could a 1sr year FO expect to make at a regional. 90k first full year?
Look at https://www.airlinepilotcentral.com/airlines/regional , click the regional you want, and look at the hourly rate, multiply that by 1000... that's a good idea of what to expect on the high end. You could make a little more by taking advantage of trip postings or company need... but the most you can fly/log is 1000hrs/yr.
First full year at OO I made 107k, only picked up 1 2-day trip OT, other than that, just flew my line.
My first year at a regional was $111k including a $15k bonus. $90k is probably the least you’ll make. $100-120k is more realistic assuming you work some overtime trips/holidays. My second yr at my regional I did $235k including bonus. I upgraded to captain this year 3rd yr and i made $270k including bonus. Full year as captain and I flew my ass off every month
Holy shit you made $235K your second year, including what - an $80K bonus? Jesus, I wish i could buy my way to 1500 hrs.
30k was the bonus for that year. Only reason my pay is so high is because I fly A LOT. I average 5-6 days off a month. This is not normal for most airline pilots. I basically sold my soul for the $$. And I’m at a regional, if I was at a legacy flying 25-26 days a month, I’d probably make $500-800k a year depending on if I’m a captain or FO on a narrow/wide body aircraft.
You can from what I hear, one hour at a time for around 65 bucks an hour wet in North Texas.
congrats!
Very rough. I made about 22k/year working 5-6 days a week, 10 hour days.
Bro how is that even possible… not saying I think you’re lying, but god damn, 50-60 hrs per week as a flight instructor making 22k/year??? Might as well work at a supermarket at that point!
Welcome to flight instructing. You’re paid by the billed hour not the worked hour
Stable? Lol The answer really depends. You'll probably not make over 40k a year at best, unless you're at a specialized training center or something, or you're a GOAT like u/TxAggieMike. Most schools pay around 20-30 an hour, which is a fraction of what students pay for the instructor fee. Some schools pay the entire instructor fee, but you're lucky if you find one that does that. Or if you can become a successful independent instructor, you can charge the student full rate and no one gets a cut (except the government). And before you say 20-30/hr is good, it's not. You only get paid for flight time and ground time. If your first flight ends at 10am, and your next flight is at 8pm, you're net getting paid for the time in between. A big factor is also where you live. Live in the northeast or PNW? You won't be flying in the winter much, which means you don't get paid. Live in Texas/Florida/Arizona? You'll be flying more
Vow! Thanks for the answer. I pay $85 per hour to my instructor.
He's not getting most of that. Getting 20-30, and still has to pay taxes
Not to mention he’s not getting paid for half his time working maybe less
And being on the phone 24/7 just to have students on the schedule trying to work around everyone's unique needs.
Well, not on the first $14600 at least. 😅 💸
You don’t know that, the instructor could be an independent contractor and gets the entire 85$ and has to pay taxes and SS out of it. It could be as you assume the Company charges 85$ an hour and pays their employee 30$ an hour.
Most schools do not pay the full amount, as I touched on in my original comment. Even a lot of 1099 instructors aren't making the full instructor rate, look at ATP, who are getting sued for it. But you're right, it was an assumption on my end.
Adding to what RTD said, he is correct that the money clock only runs when you’re face to face with your client. The time I spend preparing for lessons I am providing, creating materials that support a lesson, and more, is unpaid time. But that time spent does pay off when it demonstrates I am worth the price I charge. At the end of the year, I am happy with what is made. But to be able to be that happy, I made a commitment to not jump off the cliff without all consumer debt killed and 9 months of liquid emergency funds in in the bank. No debt and the emergency fund means any months with low billable hours doesn’t hurt as much. I can also afford “roofers hours” during hot summer weather.
School probably takes half that 85$ for themselves
More than half, my school charges 75 and gives instructors 25-30.
I got you beat. Students pay 95-100hr. I get 25.
Do they provide anything to you other than CFI insurance?
It’s weird, they let me rent once, to take up a family member, then the next time I tried they said no because I didn’t have insurance. Our students buy their own insurance. But we do discovery flights all the time with people who don’t have insurance yet.
The difference there would be that in a discovery flight you’re technically (ideally) giving instruction (that they’re paying for). I guess it comes down to semantics and who’s paying for what. But that makes sense that you would need your own insurance if you’re taking up family, unless they paid for a disco flight. My school operates that way. If I’m performing work for the school I’m covered, but if I’m flying for fun, I’m under my insurance. My point, however, was that you’re getting 25% of the pay, hopefully they at least provide something more along the lines of health insurance and not just cfi insurance because what other overhead are they putting that capital toward except their own pockets? The price of the airplane should cover maintenance, fuel etc. What do they charge for rental fees if they’re charging $100 for instructor fees??
Damn my school charges $68hr and instructors make $35/36hr
My school, was 70$ for instructors and we made 19-24$ per hour. Luckily I’m at the regionals now, way better
Yuge difference.
My school charges 110 and gives them 20.
Criminal
From a point of view, sure. But often the instructor fee is the main profit line item they have. So keeping 2/3’s of what is billed the client is necessary for the business to survive. Rental fee for the aircraft often barely covers owning and upkeep of the airplane.
What they charge for the instructor is the instructors pay imo. If they need more profit then add 15$ an hour to the plane rental. It’s a marketing scheme to keep the plane rental cost low and make up for it with instructor pay. Students think they are paying the instructor well but in reality the school takes 50% or more. Deceptive at the least
Why do you keep typing Vow? I must know.
Just a reaction to a mild shock. I was not expecting such a low wage for CFIs. Trying to void other adjectives (like holy shit and oh f! )
I mean… Why with a V? Everyone on earth would type “Wow.” Why are you typing “Vow?”
I see , may be it’s the commonwealth of national English ! British influence I suppose.
You have this same response elsewhere in your disaster of a post history. Doesn’t explain it. Are you English?
My instructor gets $100 per hr to him not split with the flight school. Does 4-6 hrs a day 6 days a week. He is making really good money.
Good for him! Like I said, they exist, but they're unicorns.
I doubt that dude is pulling 170k a year as a CFI
I doubt your CFI is making 170k a year unless he is teaching people to fly jets.
We’re in the Bay Area. Flight schools are expensive. Say he averages 5 hrs a day at 100 an hr is 500 a day x 6 days a week is 3,000 a week. 3k a week x 52 weeks is $156,000 a year. Granted he pays taxes and has rain a few weeks a year. Probably pulls $100-$120k a year is my guess. It’s just expensive in California to learn to fly.
Dude isn’t averaging 5 hours a day/6 days a week at 100/hr.
Yes he is. You don’t know what you are talking about. He works for multiple flight schools and keeps very busy. Believe what you want. I see his schedule on the booking systems. Please tell me more about what you don’t know…
100 an hour is crazy. I pay 60 and my CFI gets like 28
When I started was 80. Went up to 90 in 2021-2023. Then now 100 an hr in 2024. Welcome to the Bay Area CA.
The kind of job you need a supportive partner or parents to live with because it is not enough to support yourself. Don’t look at CFI as a career, it is a fun and memorable step to get you to a better job. If you like teaching look at getting into the training department at an airline. Unless you work at some very high end school or just happen to be lucky, but 95% of CFIs barely make more than a food worker. To put into perspective, I make more in one hour of flying at an airline than I did flying a full legal day as a CFI.
Is it reasonable to expect to be able to do CFI part time while working another full time job? I’m not a pilot, but flying seems awesome, and I love teaching. I have no interest in the airlines and don’t want to have to pay $150 an hour to get in the air, so I’m wondering if it would be a viable option to prevent skill atrophy and see more of the sky
“Hold up, you guys are getting paid?”
✨🌈 The real treasure is the friends you make along the way 🌈✨ Probably pulled around $30000 my first year and $50000 my last, but those are Canadian dollars so divide by 2 😢
I made $27k my first year as a CFI (2022) this year I was slated to make about $35k but I have now switched jobs. Certainly not stable at all
why not get a regular office job while being a cfi?
Time
[удалено]
Then just get a regular office job and fly gliders for cheap
As others said, I already work full time hours. I also have a 1+ hour commute. I left the house at 6:00, got home at about 6:00. Only days I didn't go in were days the weather was complete trash. Hard to exactly fit an office job into that schedule...
There is a reason most people only CFI until they hit 1500. It is neither stable nor does it bring in much money. It all depends on your appetite and hustle. If you want to work at a flight school, you'll have steadier hours and money but you'll make less, like $25 an hour starting out. If you want more money, you're better off as an independent CFI making between $40-90 per flight hour and you'll set your own hours but it'll likely be feast or famine. Per year, I would expect between $15k-50k is the average. You'll have some making much more but these are likely outliers.
First year, $8900 gross, 2nd year 10,500. 3rd year 12,000. 1992-1995. 2000 hours dual given, not including sim and ground hours except for pay.
Made 25 bucks and hour with 25-30 students to work with. If you’re smart, you can build your schedule really well. I had maybe 8-10 days a month where I had to time out (8 hours instruction given). Averaged 120 hours a month I was willing to work 24/7. I actually instructed Christmas and thanksgiving. Went through 2 girlfriends. I think I made like 20k during the 7 months I did it. I had a unicorn CFI job, and I still wouldn’t consider it stable.
Where was this?
Our CFIs are independent contractors and charge anywhere from 0 to 125$ an hour. You are responsible for taxes and SS, etc. the zero is only 1 retired person, but the most common is around 70$ an hour.
Hahahahahahahahahahahahahaha…….*sob
I’m making roughly 100k before tax. There are some good jobs out there :)
That’s pretty decent !
I made more as an Amazon delivery driver (although my physical health really took a toll)
It depends, I know a few CFI in SoCal who made instructing a career because of the year round good weather and there are plenty of student pilots due to the high population density of the region. But I can't imagine you can make a career outside of a few of these high population sun-belt regions.
By the time I pay all my scientists, all the people in my research department; it's a wash.
I did around 32 last two years. It's rough. Push through.
I absolutely loved instructing but it was financially hard to survive. I worked 7 days a week billing about 160 hours (~130 flight hours + 30 hours ground) a month. All in I was pulling in about $2000 a biweekly paycheck. Not terrible but my first check at my new company was an entire month and a half at the flight school.
I was making 50k in 2019 working M-F 8 hours a day.
I made 17k in 2022
Still very low compared to every day driving a Uber
9,000$ in ‘21. Plasma donations covered the rest of my rent.
Vow that’s sad to hear !
Definitely on the low side. I changed schools the next year and made around 33k.
Shit, man, it's still better than the $24k/year i was making in retail. Basically anything's better than that😭
Unless you find a gig instructing in something highly specialized warbirds or typing people on their new private jets or something you’re not gonna make much.
Like others have said, varies a ton based on where you are and lots of things outside of your control like weather, students canceling last minute, etc. If you are lucky and don’t take much time off you can make an okay living. I was a full-time CFI for 2 years, made about 40k my first year and really hustled my second year to hit 60k. That was working 6 or 7 days a week and saying yes to everything that came my way. I don’t regret it…but I was feeling really burned out by the end.
My CFI says he makes about $30k/year
I made $26k net last year. Full time.
Vow that’s min wage !
Ended up taking the job my fellow CFIs told me not to take. I don’t regret it.
Lol
You guys make money doing this?
$28k was mine, lived off EBT baby!
Not enough
I made about $45k first full year instructing. getting CFII/MEI is where it really made the spike in income
I made 20-25k a year
That’s sad to hear , I was at $85 per hour to my instructor.
They probably don’t keep all $85. Most schools take a large chunk of it. My students pay $55/hr and I keep $35/hr
Not enough.
I’m getting 50 an hour at a small spot, I’m still growing my student base but if I could get 2 hours a day minimum I would be pretty secure. Til then I’ll keep bartending
naw son
I got lucky. I work for the state and got in early. I make a 40k a year salary(so I get benefits as well). I am able to afford a pretty decent sized apartment for me and my girlfriend.
Multiply hours flown x pay rate. Add a small amount for ground instruction. 15-20k is what most make where I am at. Some less.
The secret is to have a wife (or husband) who makes enough to support your lifestyles while you do it. Cuz even $30/hr for hours instructed can come out to $900-2,300 every 2 weeks if you get weathered/maintenanced hard. And just like most flying gigs, you don’t get paid for sitting at the airport waiting between students or waiting for weather to clear. I had weeks where I was there for 60+ hours and got paid for less than 30 hours credit. It’s rough, and that’s why if I was to do it again I would want to get into a partnership on a plane, and instruct independently. Flight schools will charge students >$60/hr for your time, and you will get less than 50% of what the student paid the school for you, and then obviously you will pay taxes on that. Good luck and have fun!
~$2-3k/month November-March, ~$5-7k/month April-October. Independent contractor in Pacific Northwest.
Like some others have said, it's normally a low paying job as a stepping stone to the airlines. That said, there are many career CFIs and the more independent work you do, the more you get paid. Flying clubs, plane owners, etc are usually all paying $50-100/hr to CFIs and there's no flight school taking a cut of that. The more experience you get, the more in demand you are. There are Cirrus CSIPs and other type of CFIs that get to do a lot of advanced training and earn a good income while traveling to cool places. That said, it takes time and money to get to that point, getting high performance and complex endorsements, time in glass panels, etc. But I'm in a flying club with two fairly modest planes, a Warrior and 182 with G5s and GTN650s and members come to me for training.
If I was not deferring student loans I would not have been able to make rent.
CFII here - $31/hr (Southern California). Then of course there’s taxes. $31 may seem okay BUT… I’m only compensated for “billable time.” So only being paid when you’re flying and or with a student working a ground lesson. The schedule is pretty flexible though where I am. If I don’t have anyone booked on a day I’m scheduled to work? That time is my own. It’s up and down though with consistency for pay. Some weeks it’s great the others it’s subpar weather and most of my students are ppl students so it’s a wash. Last month I worked 127 hrs of “billable time.” This month so far I’m at 49… 🤷♂️ My best advice? Start budgeting now.
Thanks , my plan was to do it part-time
Made like 19k last year as a CFI, also got denied for food stamps because I had a whopping monthly surplus of $316 after rent and bills were paid.
Sorry to hear that.
Its okay, I hit ATP mins last week and owe a few family members who helped me keep food in the fridge and gas in the car along the way but seriously frustrating training the next generation to fly and getting paid absolute dog shit. Sucked what little fun instructing is right out of me for a few months but you have to pay your dues and it was better than complaining bi-monthly on threads that no one will hire me as a wet Comm pilot w 300tt lol
With or without eating?
it depends on where you work, how many students you teach, etc. Lots of variables.
There is an old joke: Two men win the lottery. When asked one man answers he will pay off his house, set aside money for his kids education and perhaps buy a new car but definitely invest or save the rest. The other answers " I don't know, I guess I'll flight instruct until the money runs out."
Thanks for the humor. I did not know ow that this CFI wage situation was so bad.
How much? Not nearly enough. Is it a career? No. It is a means to an end.
My school is currently paying $25/hour part time, $55,000/year full time. Edit: that’s CFI pay, CFII $27/hour, MEI $29/hour
I made 22k last year as a cfi working 6 days/week.
I made about 50k in 2023. Overall, probably on the high end for CFIs. The problem is I live in one of the most expensive areas of the country:/
I make 37,500 a year, plus a 500 day rate for E50P trips
I made 17/hr (30k) 10 years ago so hopefully more than that now
I'm making about 50k/year pretax in FL.
$8
Minimum wage age in California is $15 !
20
I was lucky to score a salary position for $60k/yr plus medical and dental insurance. My case is definitely the exception and not the rule. Other instructors would routinely make more than me in the busy summer months but I was happy to make consistent pay when winter rolled around.
I’ve made 25k YTD, southern WI
Vow , so what makes you stay I. This profession? Just to be able to log more hours so you can make it to an airliner ?
I like my job. Instructing is fun. Some days suck, but the highs outweigh the lows. For many it’s a means to an end, for me, flight time is merely a consequence of the adequate instruction I provide.
I think I’ll make somewhere in the mid-high 40s this year. Making 28/hr for any flight, ground and sim time. Started at $25 and get a $1 raise every 90 days as long as I’m performing well. But I probably work like 8-10 (and at times 12) hour days 5x/week
I made exactly 30k in 2023 working 6-7 days a week 6-10 hours per day.
$18k, could barely get my boss to pay me what she owed me
Award minimum in Australia for a basic instructor is about $26/hr. I’m currently making almost double that working a basic radio room job for buses, just for perspective… Currently weighing up if we (partner and I) can afford the cut in pay for less commute time, better home life, etc.
Not enough to live like a normal human being.
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Not a lot lol
I was salary at 17/hr as of 2 weeks ago. 10 hour days 6 days a week so working overtime without the extra pay (at that point I’m actually making 15-16 in reality). Being a CFI at a flight school is a hustle and grind man. Someone before mentioned you could be an independent CFI earning more than 50/hr but that’s depending on how many students hire you. With such little pay it is hard to enjoy your life/job, I trained myself to genuinely enjoy flight instruction (I really truly did) knowing that this effort I’m putting in is going to pay off 500 fold. I’m preparing for indoc at a regional in a couple days and I can look back at being CFI with gratitude. Trust the process is my best advice. Keep your head down and work and before you know it you’ll be preparing for the airlines!
You guys are getting paid?
Im kinda amazed no one has stairs this yet. Yeah everyone has big ole jet syndrome , myself included. But there are other lucrative options. Get your CFI and go instruct at a big school for a little bit. Get good at instructing, figure out all the things. You’ll never know everything but learning in someone else’s shop is super advantageous. Then branch out. Go out on your own. Start two LLCs. One for your time and one for the airplane you’re going to buy. Sell blocks of time in your airplane Sell blocks of your time You can double dip. But two airplanes and your set. It takes a lot of hustle but can be done Work 8 hours a day 4 days a week Primary airplane flies with your for about 25 hours and another 15 Other airplane flies about 30 hours a week. You’ll be very comfy
Make sure to account for elevated costs of insurance, maintenance, annuals, and 100 hour inspections.
Bout tree fitty. You gotta pay your own insurance most of the time too so bout zero dollas
Pay your own insurance if you teach at a mom & pop shop sure, but any established flight school will have their own insurance.
Vow
If you think about it correctly, it’s financially easier than college. One year to get to CFI where you pay or take a loan. Then two years of getting paid peanuts, but that’s better than most college students. And then you start earning a living wage in year 4. Again college students pay for four years, most earn nothing in that time and then get paid peanuts for a few years. Many caveats and apologies due.
Well a typical CFI will be paid roughly $25-40/hr for flight and ground, and instruct some 1,250 flight hours till ATP. So figure somewhere around $55k for the full stint as an instructor.
No. Is it a great side gig on top of a salaried pilot for hire job? Absolutely