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Up to 3 careers or trades side by side, on the numbers that decide between them.
Scroll the table sideways to reach every pathway.
| Pathway | Software Developer Career | Commercial Pilot Career |
|---|---|---|
| Salary range | $70K – $130K | $70K – $180K |
| Median salary | $98,000 | $110,000 |
| Pay basis | U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (illustrative) | U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (illustrative) |
| Time to qualify | 1–4 years | 2–4 years |
| Training | — | — |
| Pathway | — | — |
| Patient contact | — | — |
| Education | Bachelor's degree | Certificate |
| College required | No | No |
| Apprenticeship route | No | No |
| Credentials | None required | FAA Commercial, ATP, Medical certificate |
| Demand | Very high | High |
| Annual openings | 140,000 | 18,500 |
| Outlook | High (17% growth) | High (5% growth) |
| Where you work | Remote | On site |
| Overtime common | No | No |
| Path to ownership | Senior engineer → staff/lead → consulting or founding a product company. | First officer → captain → check airman or charter operator. |
| Next step |
For the original pathways, salary, outlook and training figures are illustrative and attributed on each pathway page. A production deployment sources these from BLS/O*NET and validated state datasets. As of Sep 14, 2026.