Snakeplt makes an interesting case based on minimums and a good way to think about it based on how long you plan to work. Currently NJA is a good place to make some money. Currently NJA is looking like a secure place to work. NJA and the legacies are such different jobs that the individual choosing where they want their career must do so not just based on pay, but also what they think the job itself will entail during that career. Aviation is a screwy business and things change quickly. NJA is locked into a contract for the next 5 to 8 years not including negotiations. Most of the legacies are coming up for new contracts. Nobody knows how negotiations will go. You will have many contracts during your career wherever you go so it is really impossible to predict how much you will really earn. The cargo carriers are the best paid out their now, but who knows if large cargo aircraft will still have pilots on board in 20 years? No pax to worry about onboard and huge pilot contracts have got to have UPS and Fedex looking closely at the current generation of military drones and wondering how soon they could see that in a much larger configuration. Who even knows for sure they will pass their next medical? NetJets is currently a good job and is now a place that pays around what the legacies are making after their forced cutbacks earlier this decade. I love my job here and don't plan on going anywhere, but this is aviation and I have no clue what I'll really be doing when I planned on retiring. Good luck making the best choice for yourself.