National Market Overview

• According to the Illinois Agricultural Aviation Association, there are approximately 2,400 companies certified by the Federal Aviation Association in the United States. About 5,000 planes are used for crop dusting. One crop-dusting aircraft can cover about 1,000 to 2,000 acres per day.
  
  

National Salary Averages

• According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, there were 5,500 pilots employed in the fields of nonscheduled transportation and by the federal government as of 2010. Nationally, these pilots earn annual salaries in the range of $90,000 and $100,000. Some, however, earn more depending on the size of contracts. This is common in states where agriculture is a major source of state revenue. For example, in Iowa agricultural aviation is a $400 million industry, a 2011 Omaha.com report states.
  
  

Top-Paying Markets

• Crop dusting pilots find the most work in the top agricultural states. As of August 2010, the largest producer of agriculture products was California. Other states contracting the most crop dusting aircraft are Illinois, Iowa, Nebraska, Minnesota, Texas, Kansas, North Carolina, Missouri and Indiana.
  
  

Industry Regulations

• Aside from being regulated by the FAA, crop dusting companies must also follow rules set by several other agencies such as the Environmental Protection Agency, United States Department of Agriculture and Occupational Safety and Health Administration. Crop dusting companies must also obtain licenses in each state they are contracted.