Flight Instructor Pay

T

ThatCessna170

New Member
Hello, I am a new CFI that has recently gotten hired at a flight school. Our pay is pretty low compared to what I have been seeing. I am looking to find out what some of the big other schools are paying their instructors. For example, UND, Embry Riddle, Purdue and so on. If you’re instructing at one of these schools or one similar, would you be able to share what the pay scales are at your school?
We start out at $18 an hour and then slightly increase after that.

Hope this thread doesn’t cross the line on what’s approved for this forum.
 
Not sure what the big schools are paying but the mom and pops around me are at $25-$30 per hour. I've seen as high as $45 per hour advertised by some big places, I'd have to go back and look where that was when I have a free moment. I know it doesn't help your question but hope the info is worth something.
 
Highest was mom and pop at $40, lowest was a busy 141 at $25 (admittedly their starting pay was $18 or so, I negotiated mine to 25)
That's FL
 
If you look at AeroGuard, they have some pretty good pay incentives right now based on what ratings you have. They're salaried between $28-$31k, plus sign on bonus between $5000-$10,000. They also offer a relocation bonus, retention bonus, and monthly incentive bonuses. You can make 40k a year salaried pretty easily there with all the bonuses, and fly 50-120 hours a month depending on where you're at in your student's training.
 
Riddle posts their pay scales on the online application. It's all ranked on your credentials, whether or not you have a degree, CFI, CFII, MEI, dual given, etc. The more the better pay.

Like said above, I worked at TransPac (Aeroguard now) and filed my taxes for $30,000, January-November. I recommended a few guys and got a bonus, checkride pass first try bonuses, some extra days. Nothing too spectacular. That was last year so pay may have gone up more now. It was salary so same check each week, plus anything extra I earned.
 
CAE in Mesa, AZ is another decent salary type job. Pay starts low at $27,000/year but increases as you upgrade through your ratings. There are a couple different programs that offer different pay as well. Current MPL program salary is just over $42k. European program pays somewhere in the mid $30k range. They also offer a $1500 CFI referral program and are currently paying an extra $25 per ground hour/$50 per flight hour “bonus” if you work an extra day. Benefits are good as well.
 
Here's a few of my observations, all Part 61, hourly:
San Diego $30-60
Rhode Island $40-60
Honolulu $30 (which is crap considering the cost of living)

Part 141 pay is typically much lower.
 
ThatCessna170 said:
Our pay is pretty low compared to what I have been seeing. I am looking to find out what some of the big other schools are paying their instructors.
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Big schools are going to be a trade off. They are going to pay less, but you will most likely work enough that you won't have time to do much else.
 
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