Aerial Firefighting Pilot

Median salary, education path, job outlook, and related careers — based on U.S. labor data.

What a Aerial Firefighting Pilot does

Flies air tankers or helicopters equipped with water or retardant drops directly onto active wildfires, executing low-altitude, high-risk scooping and bombing runs guided by ground crews.

Education & path

The typical entry point is a bachelor's degree. About 4 years.

Estimated cost of that path: ~$40,000. Estimated payback: ~2 years. Estimates only — actual cost varies widely by school and financial aid; payback assumes ~20% of income applied.

Related careers

• Helicopter Hoist Rescue Operator — $68,000/yr
• Ferry Captain — $82,000/yr
• Backcountry Ski Patrol Director — $62,000/yr
• Aerial Firefighting Air Tanker Pilot — $110,000/yr
• Smokejumper — $72,000/yr