What FAA Data Shows About Student Pilots and a Younger Pilot Population

New 2025 figures show continued growth in the training pipeline and a milestone for women in aviation.

Ryan Ewing

Friday, April 10, 2026 at 12:27 PM ET

Verified

Edited By:

Zach Vasile

Cessna aircraft [Credit: Meg Godlewski]

Key Takeaways:

The U.S. pilot population continued to grow in 2025, with active student pilots reaching 370,286 and total active pilots increasing to 887,519.
The overall pilot population trended younger, with the average age dropping to 42.1, while the number of women pilots surpassed 100,000 for the first time.
Commercial and instrument-rated pilot numbers also saw an increase, though the issuance of new student pilot certificates declined in 2025 despite the expanding active student pilot population.

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The U.S. student pilot population continued to grow in 2025, according to newly released FAA airmen data, while the overall pilot population trended younger and the number of women pilots continued to increase.

The FAA counted 370,286 active student pilots at the end of 2025, up from 345,495 in 2024 and 222,629 in 2020. Total active pilots also rose to 887,519, compared with 848,770 a year earlier.