Also called: Firefighting Pilot, Large Air Tanker Captain
Flies big planes that drop fire retardant or water on wildfires.
Air tanker pilots fly converted airliners or Super Scoopers low over flaming ridges, dropping thousands of gallons of red retardant on precise lines. It's some of the most demanding flying anywhere. Most work for private contractors during fire season.
Seasonal contracts; top captains earn more.
Approximate: anchored on Bureau of Labor Statistics data for a broader job group.
Certificate, about 8 years after high school. Commercial or airline transport pilot license plus thousands of flight hours; many are ex-military.
Ways in: Certification, Military, On-the-job training. Training cost: Get paid while you train.
Majors to look at: Aviation, Professional Pilot.
Growing about average. Wildland fire seasons are getting longer; federal wildland workforce is being reorganized (approx.).
Low risk in 5 years, medium in 10. Remotely piloted and autonomous firefighting aircraft are being tested and may take some drops by the mid-2030s.
Classes: Physics, Precalculus, Earth science, Geography.
Official data: O*NET occupation 53-2011.
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.