I've heard all sorts of "wage scales" for pilots/crew etc, most of which ridiculously false. Is there a web site or etc that shows about what everyone from a rookie to a 1st captain generally would earn?

Finally found one: http://www.avjobs.com/table/airsalry.htm

Are you still of the opinion that the wages generally mentioned are as completely wrong as you thought they were?This list says about the same as the numbers I keep hearing...

No, haha, not really. What began my search was in the past I'd heard real pilots talking about what they made, but then I started hearing all sorts of stuff from non-pilots..heavily inflated, I should mention. The pilots were right..it takes time & luck to make the $$$.

I was really impressed with that page--it seemed clear and succinct. But what I was especially struck by was what appeared to be the low maximums of many of those salary ranges.It would be nice to find an equivalent resource for the programming and investment fields.

much harder to put up numbers for those areas. IT is not unionised like aviation so there are not really any set ranges.Investment depends in huge part on commissions and shares in profit, so salaries there are unstable.

No, but the guy who flew the local newstalk traffic plane was paid $5.00 an hour. This was around 1992 I think they pay $8.00.hr now

On the bright side, check out this place. (the rates are reasonably competitive too). http://www.zacharbay.com/KA/

Hey guys,One thing that is VERY important in this equation is the fact that all "major" airlines (in the United States) are unionized. My carrier's pilots, and most others, belong to the Air Line Pilots Association (ALPA). We negoiate our contracts every few years, and this covers everything from salary, medical/dental benefits, work rules, vacation, training, to just about every other thing you can imagine. When times are good (economy, etc), then salaries usually reflect such, but when things turn south, we quite often take pay cuts, and/or lose benefits to retain some sense of stability in terms of equipment, flying hours, etc. (airlines will sell planes, cut routes, furlough pilots, etc). It's a real rollercoaster. Each airline is different, so what I make as a Boeing 757 Captain for Northwest is not what the same person makes driving a 757 for Delta.And you're right Lizardo, it does take time (seniority), and a bit of "luck" (as in when I was hired in '83, Eastern Airlines was tops...now they're gone), but it also takes one more thing....lots of hard work and sacrifice. It took me TEN YEARS of flying really crappy jobs to just get to the point where I could be qualified enough to apply for the job of piloting for a major airline....not to mention getting turned down at the interview thus starting the whole process over again. I obviously made it through the process, but a friend that came from almost EXACTLY the same background as myself was interviewed at NWA when I was, and he didn't make it.....who knows why? He went on to fly for Eastern....remember that "luck" thing? :DSo the long and the short of it is this: No matter what you think airline pilots make in salary, it's probably not accurate. The only one that truly knows is their "significant other".......LOLtake care,BBall---------------------- Capt. William "BBall" BallBoeing 757, Northwest AirlinesSenior Editorwww.frugalsworld.com