Also called: Simulator instructor (airline), Sim instructor
Trains airline and military pilots in full-motion flight simulators, throwing emergencies at them to practice.
Simulator instructors sit behind the pilots in a cockpit replica that moves and shakes, triggering engine failures or storms, then debrief. Many are retired airline or military pilots.
Estimate.
Approximate: anchored on Bureau of Labor Statistics data for a broader job group.
Certificate, about 5 years after high school. Pilot certificates and experience; airline-specific instructor training.
Ways in: Certification, On-the-job training, Military. Training cost: $60k – $150k.
Majors to look at: Aviation, Professional Flight.
Growing faster than average. Pilot training demand is high.
Low risk for 10 years. Simulators get smarter, but airlines and regulators still require human instructors to train and check pilots.
Classes: Physics, AP Calculus, Weather or earth science.
Official data: O*NET occupation 25-1194.
Career Universe is an early version. Pay, training and AI-risk figures are estimates to start your own research, not verified facts. The research was written with AI research assistants, checked by validation scripts and spot-checked by hand. Check anything important with schools, employers and official sources. How the numbers work.