Career Earnings
 

a friend and I are comparing numbers. He's in class at SWA, I'm a hopeful. He's 47, I'm a bit younger. He feels this is a very conservative guess at what he'll earn each year by mostly just flying his line trying to maximize days off. Targets upgrade at year 10 on property. Thoughts? In reading this forum this seems about right, but I really don't know.


$ 90,000.00 first year
$ 110,000.00 second year
$ 130,000.00 etc.
$ 160,000.00
$ 160,000.00
$ 160,000.00
$ 160,000.00
$ 160,000.00
$ 160,000.00
$ 275,000.00
$ 275,000.00
$ 275,000.00
$ 275,000.00
$ 275,000.00
$ 275,000.00
$ 320,000.00
$ 320,000.00
$ 320,000.00

2nd yr is low. Closer to 140-150. Once you make cpt you are pretty much at the top of the pay scale so it won't change unless new contract or you fly more. Also take home isn't the % as now you're into the AMT and can't deduct anything.

I'm on the younger side and was hired this year. Using a spreadsheet provided to me in class with conservative growth; I have a projected lifetime earnings of 6.6m. with over 7m in my retirement. That's all assuming currently pay rates and retirement contributions. Fwiw.

Trying to figure out why years 4-9 you show the same figure?


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By yr 5 a new hire can make $200k pretty much just flying his line.

hmmm. Dunno. Got from buddy, he said 'I'm just gonna do a 3 day every week, nothing extra.' I think he was trying to be very conservative

Ok, let's look at 100 TFP per month. You could do that easily flying 3 days a week without even trying.

Year 4: $123.23 = $147,876
Year 5: $139.04 = $166,848
Year 6: $149.45 = $179,340
Year 7: $158.03 = $189,636
Year 8: $162.18 = $194,616
Year 9: $164.01 = $196,812


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I think I did right around $110k year 1 (mostly on old contract). Picked up something once a month.

This year averaging 14-16 days off a month and will do 150-160k.

So, I'd say he's being very conservative.

These numbers are probably as close to minimum pay here as you can be. Bear in mind, this is also regular pay only and does not include B-plan contribution. If you want more accurate numbers, add 13.4% for 2017, 14.2% for 2018, 15% for 2019 onwards for your B-plan numbers. These numbers are pre-defined. Profit Share is a guessing game, but for 2016, it was 13.2% of your gross. The year before, I believe it was 15.6%. It's been much lower before during lean years, so your guess is as good as any.

Going back to the numbers above, also keep in mind that even being the laziest pilot here, you'll still get re-routed or JA'd or you'll overfly or simply have a monthly overlap throwing those numbers upward.

Just for comparison... as a 2nd year FO now that picks up, I'm on track to finish 2017 at around 170-173k in regular pay before adding B-plan contribution or profit sharing. This may be useful to someone like your friend who's older and perhaps needing to pad his retirement account.

ok great info everyone! I clarified with my buddy. Mind you, he's just started, so he's WAGin' this. His friend is a 3.5 year, told him he'll make 160k this year just flying his line, doing the min possible.

thanks again!