Licensed Airline Pilot License Requirements
Compare licensed airline pilot licensing requirements across 29 states. See education, exam, cost, and timeline details for each state.
AI Resilience: 53th — Moderate29
States Covered
$75
Avg. Est. Cost
$119,606
Avg. Median Salary
29 gold
Data Quality
Requirements by State
Click any state to see full requirements, costs, and step-by-step guide.
| State | Education ↕ | Exam | Est. Cost ↕ | Timeline |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | Degree required | FAA Written Exam + Practical Test (Checkride) | N/A | 6-12 months (Private Pilot) |
| Alaska | N/A | FAA Written Exam + Practical Test (Checkride) | N/A | 6-12 months (Private Pilot) |
| Arkansas | No educational requirements | State exam required | N/A | — |
| California | N/A | DPR Pest Control Aircraft Pilot Exam | $110 | 1+ year (Journeyman level) |
| Delaware | Degree required | State exam required | N/A | — |
| Florida | No educational requirements | No exam required | N/A | — |
| Indiana | Degree required | State exam required | N/A | — |
| Kansas | Specific course required | FAA Written Exam + Practical Test (Checkride) | N/A | 6-18 months |
| Louisiana | Degree required | State exam required | N/A | — |
| Maryland | N/A | N/A | N/A | — |
| Michigan | No educational requirements | No exam required | $16 | — |
| Minnesota | N/A | N/A | N/A | — |
| Mississippi | No educational requirements | Mississippi Department of Agriculture written exam + FAA certification | N/A | — |
| Montana | N/A | FAA Written Exam + Practical Test | N/A | Varies by certificate |
| Nebraska | N/A | FAA Certification Exam (administered by Designated Examiners) | N/A | Varies by certificate |
| Nevada | N/A | FAA Written Exam + Flight Exam (Checkride) | N/A | 6-18 months (Commercial), 2+ years (ATP) |
| New Hampshire | No educational requirements | Written and oral examinations (Fish and Game) | $100 | — |
| New Jersey | Degree required | Third-party exam required | N/A | — |
| New York | Specific course required | State exam (for vessel operators) | N/A | — |
| North Carolina | Specific course required | FAA Aeronautical Knowledge Test (Part 107) | N/A | 1-2 months (drone cert) |
| North Dakota | Specific course required | State exam required | N/A | — |
| Ohio | N/A | N/A | N/A | — |
| Oregon | N/A | N/A | N/A | — |
| Rhode Island | No educational requirements | State exam | N/A | — |
| South Carolina | N/A | N/A | N/A | — |
| Tennessee | Specific course required | Department of Agriculture exam | N/A | — |
| Utah | N/A | FAA Written Exam + Practical Test (Checkride) | N/A | Varies by certificate |
| Virginia | No educational requirements | Third-party exam | N/A | — |
| Wyoming | No educational requirements | FAA Written Exam + Flight Test | N/A | Varies by certificate |
AI Career Outlook
How resilient is this career to AI automation?
AI Resilience: Moderate
53th percentile among all US occupations
More resilient to AI automation than 53% of occupations. Some tasks in this career may be augmented by AI, but core duties still require human judgment and skill.
Based on the AI Occupational Exposure Index (Felten, Raj & Seamans, 2021). Measures how much an occupation's core abilities overlap with current AI capabilities.
Salary Overview
Median annual salaries for licensed airline pilots by state.