Also called: Air Force 11F, Naval Aviator (strike fighter), Marine F-35 pilot
Flies jets like the F-35, F-22, or F/A-18 for air combat, strike, and air defense missions.
A fighter pilot's day revolves around one or two flights: a long brief, the flight itself, and a debrief where every mistake is replayed from recorded data. Between flights, pilots study tactics, fly simulators, and do office duties for the squadron. Most later fly for airlines, become test pilots, or work in aerospace companies.
RMC for officers O-1 to O-5, 2026 estimate, plus aviation incentive pay (up to $1,000/month) and pilot retention bonuses of up to $50,000/year for those who sign on for more years. Airline pilot jobs after service often pay $200k-$350k+.
Approximate: anchored on Bureau of Labor Statistics data for a broader job group.
Bachelor's degree (4-year), about 6 years after high school. Bachelor's degree and officer commission, then ~2 years of pilot training plus fighter-specific training; pilots commit to 10 years of service after wings. Free-college benefits: Tuition Assistance (up to $4,500/yr) while serving, the Post-9/11 GI Bill (36 months of tuition + housing stipend) afterward, and SkillBridge internships before separating.
Ways in: Military, 4-year college. Training cost: Get paid while you train.
Majors to look at: Aerospace Engineering, Aviation, Physics, Any major (via ROTC/academy).
Growing about average. Military specialties are not in BLS projections. The services recruit for this job every year and openings track force size and retention rather than market growth.
Low risk in 5 years, medium in 10. AI drone wingmen will fly alongside jets by the 2030s; each pilot commands more drones, so fewer cockpits may be needed.
Classes: AP Physics, AP Calculus, PE / fitness, Earth science.
Official data: O*NET occupation 55-1011.
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.