Skip to main content

Aircraft pilots and air traffic controllers salary in Scotland

Full-time average annual pay in Scotland

£83,364

2025 · moderate suppression

Median

£83,364

Mean

£92,430

The pay range is withheld at region level for this role. See full methodology →

Skilled Worker visa minimum

£80,400

Understanding Aircraft pilots and air traffic controllers pay in Scotland

The typical aircraft pilots and air traffic controllers in Scotland earns a median salary of £83,364 in 2025/26 22.6% (£24,348) below the UK-wide median of £107,712. These figures come from the ONS Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings (ASHE), so they reflect actual reported pay rather than self-reported estimates or job-advert ranges.

Across the UK, Scotland ranks 6th of 9 regions for aircraft pilots and air traffic controllers pay. Regional medians run from £72,472 in North East up to £123,796 in London, a spread of £51,324 (71%).

The mean (average) salary is higher, at £92,430. When the mean sits above the median like this, a smaller group of high earners pulls the average up, which is why the median is the better guide to what a typical aircraft pilots and air traffic controllers in Scotland actually earns.

To see what £83,364 means after income tax and National Insurance, use the take-home pay calculator below — it also factors in student loan repayments and Scottish Income Tax rates.

Take-home pay estimate

Tax year 2025/26
£
Annual
Gross salary£83,364
Income tax£23,278
National Insurance£3,678
Student loan (Plan 4 (Scotland))£4,556
Total deductions£31,511
Take-home pay£51,853

Estimate only · 2025/26 HMRC rates · Standard tax code · No pension contribution · Not financial or tax advice

How Aircraft pilots and air traffic controllers pay varies by region

London is the highest-paying region for aircraft pilots and air traffic controllers at £123,796 — 15% above the UK median. North East is lowest at £72,472.

UK median £107,712

Aircraft pilots and air traffic controllers median and mean salary by UK region, sorted highest to lowest.
RegionMedianvs UK
London
£123,796
£123,796Mean £140,152
+15%
Wales
£93,945
£93,945Mean £95,417
-13%
South West
£89,199
£89,199Mean £95,656
-17%
North West
£86,628
£86,628Mean £85,675
-20%
East of England
£84,206
£84,206Mean £99,026
-22%
Scotland (current region)
£83,364
£83,364Mean £92,430
-23%
East Midlands
£81,387
£81,387Mean £90,927
-24%
South East
£77,484
£77,484Mean £81,684
-28%
North East
£72,472
£72,472Mean £80,002
-33%

Sorted highest median to lowest. The vertical line marks the UK median (£107,712); ‘Vs UK median’ compares each region’s median to it. Suppressed values mean ONS withheld this figure because the sample was too small to publish.

How aircraft pilots and air traffic controllers pay in Scotland has changed over time

Median annual pay for aircraft pilots and air traffic controllers in Scotland by year, shown against the UK-wide median (Source: ONS ASHE). The shaded band is the UK-wide 25th–75th percentile range — ONS does not publish percentile ranges at region level.

Scotland median

UK median

Pre-2021 figures mapped from SOC 2010 via ONS concordance table

How the figures are sourced

Data sources: Official UK earnings data (2025 provisional)(opens in new tab)

Salaries by city