How hard is it to get into the Air Force?

It is not especially hard to get into the Air Force, but it is extremely difficult to get into the Air Force Academy. These two are not the same, so they do have different requirements that are different levels of difficulty.

What disqualifies you from joining the Air Force?

There are many things that can disqualify you from joining the Air Force, such as age, physical traits, and past experiences. You cannot be younger than 17 or older than 39 if you want to enlist. That age does bump up to 48 for positions such as a doctor. You also must be a legal permanent resident with a green card to enlist.

How To Become An Air Force Pilot: What It Is and Career Path

What is an air force pilot and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025

4 min read

An air force pilot operates aircraft for the U.S. air force, such as fighter jets, bombers, transport planes, and unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). They have expert aviation skills from years of training and are well-versed in flight operations, including combat missions and transports.

Aside from operating aircraft, an air force pilot may also be responsible for conducting basic maintenance on their aircraft, as well as training other air force personnel.

Aspiring air force pilots have a long way ahead of them. To become an air force pilot, you would need to enter the air force, meet officer qualifications, attend training school, and pass subsequent flight training programs. You may also earn a bachelor's degree after joining the air force, but it is not necessary nor required. If you do want to go to college, a degree in aviation or aerospace engineering can be extremely helpful.

Once you become an air force pilot, your earning potential is around $94,000 a year, on average. As you gain more experience, your salary will also rise, as well as your rank.

ScoreAir Force PilotUS Average

Salary

7.6

Avg. Salary $98,196

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability Level

9.8

Growth Rate 6%

Growth Rate 0.3%

Diversity

5.2

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.26%

Asian 2.73%

Black or African American 2.62%

Hispanic or Latino 6.77%

Unknown 5.48%

White 82.14%

Gender

female 20.00%

male 80.00%

Age - 44

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%

Asian 7.00%

Black or African American 14.00%

Hispanic or Latino 19.00%

White 57.00%

Gender

female 47.00%

male 53.00%

Age - 44

Stress Level

9.8

Stress level is very high

7.1 - high

Complexity Level

9.4

Complexity Level is advanced

7 - challenging

Work Life Balance

4.4

Work Life balance is poor

6.4 - fair

Key steps to become an air force pilot

Explore air force pilot education requirements

Most common air force pilot degrees

Bachelor's

45.1 %

Associate

25.3 %

High School Diploma

16.7 %

Start to develop specific air force pilot skills

Skills	Percentages
FAA	20.34%
Flight Operations	9.18%
USAF	7.86%
DOD	7.73%
Safety Procedures	6.58%

Complete relevant air force pilot training and internships

Accountants spend an average of 1-3 months on post-employment, on-the-job training. New air force pilots learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as an air force pilot based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real air force pilot resumes.

Research air force pilot duties and responsibilities

Lead several Russian inspectors during a highly-visible reentry vehicle inspection on-site inspection - commend for superb leadership
Establish maintenance management procedures and agile logistics support channels to sustain continuous network operations.
Perform lean logistics requirements by recognizing and eliminating wasteful activities from the supply chain and successfully increase product efficiency.
Direct the daily operations that provide aggressive worldwide sourcing for mission capable requisitions and current and accurate statuses to senior leadership.

Apply for air force pilot jobs

Now it's time to start searching for an air force pilot job. Consider the tips below for a successful job search:

Browse job boards for relevant postings
Consult your professional network
Reach out to companies you're interested in working for directly
Watch out for job scams

How do air force pilots rate their job?

-/5

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Air Force Pilot reviews

A zippia user wrote a review on Sep 2019

Pros

Every day at work was different. Each flight was different and flying an airplane well is challenging. When an airline pilot has completed their flight assignment they go home and do not think about the job until the next time they go to work. The FAA regulations require rest periods and days off for pilots. A normal flight schedule offers 8- 20 days off per month. A pilot can choose to fly trips that are 1- 12 days long. Most airlines have a seniority system. This means that the airplane and crew position are determined by the date you were hired. Generally speaking, Senior pilots are Captains that fly the airplane with highest pay rate. Senior pilots also have the best flight schedule. Starting pay at the major airlines in 2019 is about $85,000 year. Senior pilots flying wide-body airplanes can earn up to $600,000 year flying an international schedule

Cons

Jet-lag. Fatigue is a fact of life for an airline pilot. Domestic flying often includes trips that depart at 11:00 PM and arrive early in the morning. International trips fly all over the world at all hours of the day. Pilots learn to deal with jet-lag and fatigue, but it remains a fact of life for most aviators

What is an air force pilot and how to become one

Air Force Pilot career paths