Ehhhhh..... why is there always this comparison to doctors and lawyers on this site when pay comes up. First, doctors -- do you realize that a lot of doctors make like 50k as residents, for several years? Yes, they clear well over six figures eventually, but look at how much school they did... Many regionals pay more than resident wages now for FOs. And do you realize that MOST attorneys make well under 100k for their first several years? 120k-160k is starting at the biggest firms, yes -- but do you have any idea how many hours of work that is, and how that's just a small percentage of attorneys, often the highest-performing and/or those who choose to "sell their soul," if you will, to work 70, 80 hours per week? Most attorneys at mid-level firms or the government make 60k-80k, at best. Those are the "market wages" for those professions, each of which require 7+ years of college, post-grad, etc.

Now for us pilots: First, no degree required. We can start with no experience and become a licensed pilot in under a year (see, e.g., ATP flight school, etc.). Yes, many of us had to flight instruct, but with a little effort even CFIs are clearing 40k+ these days. Then to a regional, making 50k+, and far more if you work some OT and work somewhere with higher pay/retention bonuses/etc. After a few years, you can clear 100k+ as a Captain. Again, all without a college degree, if you so choose. Now of course a degree is a wise move for moving on to the majors. And of course flying is a unique skill. And of course the market should pay us what we're worth. But right now, the market seems to say we're worth 50k-60k or so first year. I wish it were more. But I live comfortably, and I waited to enter the profession until pay was livable. I don't know how guys did it at 25k, I really don't. Indeed lots of guys took on debt, and maybe there should be government programs to keep interest rates low. I have no issue with that. But just because Pilot A takes on 80k for flight training doesn't mean he should require a 100k starting salary. The average lawyer has well over 80k in debt, and the typical new graduate lawyer makes nowhere near 100k.

The pilot group tends to be more conservative -- as do I in many ways. Yet we seem to ignore the "personal responsibility" aspect here. Some of us did the military and had GI Bill to help with our flight training costs. Some of us took out loans through a university/federal government or a bank, or something like Pilot Finance. If we did that knowing our salary would be 25k, well...... that was a choice we made. If we do that now knowing the payoff is 50k starting, that's another, maybe better, personal choice.

Let's take teachers -- 4-year degree required. They go to a state school, spend 10k per year plus living expense debt, and then make 35k, with slow raises each year. That's simply what the market pays. I wish they made more, but it was no secret when they entered the profession. Less debt than the average pilot, less income. Just a comparison.