I didn't go through and try to figure out their training pay but using your formula there for year 1 puts the 2 year gross pay at 54,060.

Under your assumptions, LXJT = $64,578. By the way, there is an old thread here that compared actual contract language. I'll look for it when I get a chance.

Shocking about the pay..... have to start somewhere. :(

You know, people often warn future pilots about the pay they're going to make the first few years. However, as a student in college who is learning to fly, 18K beats the ~10K I'm making now. As long as you live within your means and don't go out and buy a BMW as soon as you're offered a reserve job you should make it okay. You might have to commute to work in order to live somewhere affordable but that's part of being in this industry. Bottom of the totem pole really isn't as bad as people make it sound, i'm willing to bet. It's these kids that go in with a self-righteous "i'm a big bad pilot" attitude that are probably telling people like myself to steer clear of the industry.

10k is pretty good. Considering you don't have to pay school loans yet. But combine that with only a 8k increase in pay. Plus those that have a family, mortgage, etc.. it is nothing!

Name another career that you spend this amount of time in training/school only to earn 20k per year? Residency doctors earn average of 40k. That is the equivalent of the amount of time/training we put in out of flight instructing for 2 years to get into a regional. Plus if doctors lose their job in the future, they don't restart at the bottom! They pick up where their experience level will pay them.

I know not every pilot can be a doctor, and the same goes the other way. Something has got to change.

Lucky for me, I guess, that I have the GI Bill and won't worry about student loans. Not to bash those that do - the military is not for everyone. That's what I'm saying though, living withing your means. If someone is only making peanuts, how do they expect to start a family and pay a mortgage? Edit: I guess I should throw in there that I am not 18 and just getting into college. I am 23 and have been supporting myself (and all my bills) since I was 18 and joined the Air Force. So, the 10K goes quickly but It's managable and I'm happy.

I do know that not on size fits all in any field. There are people who start learning to fly having already started a family and who already have mortgages. And with them, I empathize. That's gotta be tough.

My only point is that it's not as imfathomable to start out in the industry [for most] as a lot of people are claiming is all. :)

No need to exaggerate the woes of airline pilots (regional and some P135 pilots inparticular), but please don't use some crazy comparisons either!
In the last decade, people have been able to come out of high school, go through a '0-Hero pipeline' and get on with a regional airline in 6 months to ONE year and 350 hrs. You are going to try and compare that route with a Doctor's route to residency even?
Even with the 1500 hr rule in use soon the path will still be less in most instances.

Flaps15 -
Truthfully - have you been on your own yet Flaps?

Edit: I'm glad to see from the post above that you have been out on your own so far. You see one of the big mistakes people make and that is starting a family first and this career second and planning on living up to a certain standard that the early profession won't provide. When you were in the military - were you off base alone< with roommates, on base/eating the chow hall?

My game plan as of now is to be on my own two feet and successful before I begin to think about a family. That's going to be an entirely different and larger expense. But, who knows what the future will hold.

For three years I was on base as is required by the Air Force. My meals and housing were free, obviously. My fourth year, I was in an Apartment, no roommates, raking in all that BAH and BAS. Now, while in school and separated, I have two roommates and eat on the cheaper side of things - but I'm still comfortable.

You are on the right track and have a solid gameplan! Congrats!
Welcome to the game Flaps.

To the OP, thanks for taking the time to help other pilots make an informed decision. I'm sure adding more airlines would help even further. Maybe add a few disclaimers in there, though!

To Flaps15, $18k is pitiful. But even moreso when you are on your fourth airline due to furloughs, bankruptcies and bad luck!!! So many people miss the point that regionals aren't just where new hire CFI's go. Half of most classes are 30 something year olds hating life. Keep that in mind.