Originally Posted by
402Fanatic
As I expected you to say. However, many professions require Master's degrees and the starting pay is similar to that of a first year B6 pilot. In my home state, having a Master's degree as a teacher will start you out lower than first year B6 pay at only $37,000 per year. But the pay raises are much slower and there is a cap at the end of 20 years of only $70,000 per year. Master's degrees at good to better schools will cost you between $40,000 and $60,000. That's after the four year degree as well.
I'm not promoting the profession. I'm just asking questions. A starting Paramedic or Fire Fighter in NYC gets paid an average of only $40,000 per year. While you may fly hundreds of people per day, a paramedic is asked to save lives every day. A paramedic will be called upon to save lives infinitely more times in their career than you will in yours. So why don't you go promote their profession?
If we're going to start arguing that we deserve higher pay then I don't think we can just compare to others in the same profession. Some jobs out there frankly are more important than being a pilot and they too prove their worth every day.
Fire fighters do great work. However, you can land that job with a highschool diploma. It takes an ATP, years of prior experience "in the profession", as well as a 4 year degree to land a job at the majors.
Interestingly enough, the median starting salary for MBA's in 2008 was $108,000.
I don't think we can compare apples and oranges. Pilots need to look within the industry. Obviously, industry average pay is a good place to start.
I think if any firm, in any industry, pays their employees less than industry average, it constitutes a failure to invest in employees and in my opinion, a failure on the part of management.
"Nothing motivates people like money"...........Fredrick Winslow Taylor,
The father of scientific management!
AL