Pilot job market / Cargo
The cargo pilot job market
Cargo flying moves parcels and freight, much of it on scheduled feeder routes flown at night and in instrument conditions. Aircraft run from single-engine turboprops to twin turboprops and some jets.
Cargo jobs usually ask for more experience than entry-level flying, because acting as pilot in command under Part 135 carries its own minimums. The figures below come from the cargo listings currently on USA Pilot Jobs.
What employers ask for
Minimum flight hours
Total flight time required. 7 of 14 listings state one.
- Under 2500
- 250–4991
- 500–9991
- 1,000–1,4992
- 1,500 or more3
- Not stated7
Certificates required
Share of listings that name each one.
- Commercial93%
- Multi-engine71%
- Instrument57%
- First-class medical36%
- ATP7%
By career stage
Listings grouped by the minimum hours they state, with the certificates asked for most often at each stage.
Entry level1 listing
Under 500 hours
Commercial, Instrument, Multi-engine
Building time3 listings
500–1,499 hours
Commercial, Instrument, Multi-engine
ATP level3 listings
1,500 hours or more
Commercial, Multi-engine, Instrument
Pay in current listings
7 of 14 cargolistings state pay as a figure or range. Each counts at the midpoint of its range, and the middle half leaves out the highest and lowest quarter so one unusual listing doesn't skew it.
Annual salary
$72k–$112k/yr
Middle half · median $88k/yr · 7 listings
Aircraft in current listings
- ATR 2
- Beech 99 Freighter 2
- C-208 2
- C-408 2
- C208 2
- Embraer 120 Freighter 2
- Saab 2000 2
- C408 1
Where the jobs are
Current cargo listings by state. Each state page covers its openings in every category, its aviation employers and its flying clubs.
The most recent listings
- Cargo
Pilot - C208/SC408
- Minimum hours
- 1,200+ hours
- Pay
- Pay not listed
- Commercial
- Instrument
Employer, location and apply link for members
- CargoFull-time
135 C408 Captain
- State
- Idaho
- Minimum hours
- Hours not stated
- Pay
- $88k – $89k/yr
- Commercial
- Instrument
- Multi-engine
Employer, town and apply link for members
- CargoFull-time
135 C208 Captain
- State
- Idaho
- Minimum hours
- Hours not stated
- Pay
- $76k – $77k/yr
- Commercial
- Instrument
Employer, town and apply link for members
- CargoFull-time
Cargo Pilot
- State
- Wisconsin
- Minimum hours
- 2,500+ hours
- Pay
- $163k – $182k/yr
- Commercial
- Instrument
- Multi-engine
Employer, town and apply link for members
- CargoLow-timeFull-time
Beech 99 First Officer
- State
- Wisconsin
- Minimum hours
- 250+ hours
- Pay
- $47k/yr
- Commercial
- Instrument
- Multi-engine
Employer, town and apply link for members
- CargoFull-time
First Officer
- State
- Wisconsin
- Minimum hours
- 750+ hours
- Pay
- $57k – $80k/yr
- Commercial
- Instrument
- Multi-engine
Employer, town and apply link for members
Before you apply
- To act as pilot in command of a Part 135 cargo flight, a pilot needs at least 1,200 hours of flight time to fly under instrument rules, or 500 hours for VFR-only operations, plus an instrument rating.
- Part 135 sets no flight-time minimum for a second in command, only a commercial pilot certificate with an instrument rating, so first-officer jobs often ask for fewer hours than captain jobs.
- Expect employers to ask about night, instrument and multi-engine time as well as total hours.
Other kinds of flying
Frequently asked questions
How many cargo pilot jobs are open right now?+
14 listings are active on USA Pilot Jobs, 8 of them added in the last 30 days. The count is refreshed daily as listings are added and expire.
How many flight hours do current cargo pilot listings ask for?+
Among the 7 listings that state a minimum total time, the median is 1,200 hours. 1 ask for fewer than 500 hours and 3 for 1,500 or more.
What do current cargo pilot listings pay?+
Across the 7 listings that state annual salary, the middle half runs from about $72k to $112k/yr, with a median of $88k/yr. Each listing counts at the midpoint of its stated range.
Which states have the most cargo pilot openings?+
Current listings are spread across 3 states. The most are in North Carolina, Wisconsin and Idaho.
Why doesn't this page show the employer or an apply link?+
Job listings are for members. On the board, every listing shows the employer, the location, the full requirements and a link to apply on the employer's own site. Membership costs $9.99 a month or $99 a year.
Every cargo pilot listing, in full
Members see the employer, location and full requirements for each opening, with the ones their hours and ratings already meet marked.
Browse pilot jobsNo contracts · You apply on the employer's own site