According to the Air Line Pilots Association, their average major airline member Captain is 50 years old, with 18 years seniority and makes $182000 a year.

Captain pay depends on if the carrier is considered a "major airline" or not, plus several other variables including: -Time with the company (seniority) -Aircraft flown -Whether they are a Captain or First Officer (seat) -The hours in their monthly schedule -The payscale at their specific airline While $182K/yr is a "averaged" figure for an ALPA member captain, not all airline pilots belong to the Air Line Pilots Association labor union. For example American Airlines has their own union (APA) as does Southwest Airlines (SWAPA). SWA also currently leads the industry in pilot compensation. ALPA also says their average non-major airline Captain member is 41 years old with 10 years of seniority and makes $70,000 a year. Quite a difference! So, if you average major and non-major, the pay comes out to be $126,000/yr. Here is a Captain pay comparison* at 12 years of seniority, by the largest type in fleet (best paying): American 777 - $12,352 Continental 777 - $14,688 Delta 777 - $14,040 Fed EX widebody $14,874 Northwest 747 - $14,586 Southwest 737 - $14,196 United 747 - $11,570 US Airways A330 $11,520 UPS (all a/c) $15,390 *all without per diem, based on minimum monthly guarantee, 12 pay in largest fleet type Hey Perryman, that factoid you posted looks like a quote from my website http://www.pilotcareer.info ;o)

I can't help but add, when I began in the regional airlines as a first officer, my pay was less per year than the amount of money I owed from my training. Had I been married with a wife and children, my salary would have qualified me for food stamps. Now as AV stated, now that I am a captain in the same regional airline, my salary is higher. After several years with the airline, my seniority is higher. Right now the airlink services are mostly provided by CRJs and turboprops, so aircraft assignment pay differences are not much. If I worked for the major airline associated with this regional airline, I would make more flying the 747 than I would the DC-9 and so forth.

This more information on airline pilot pay rates visit http://www.willflyforfood.cc/airlinepilotpay/. They have pay rates for almost any airline.