Do I make a career switch?
24M making $130k in corrections — should I switch careers to become a pilot?
I’m 24M and currently work in corrections in Canada. I make around $130k CAD/year, mainly because I work a lot of OT — around 60 hours/week. With my raise next year, I should be around $145k if I keep working similar hours.
Financially, I’m in a pretty good position. If I stay in corrections, I can realistically start living the life I want: get my own apartment, buy a nice car like an Audi RS3, travel, save/invest, etc. I’m also still living with my parents, so I have a good opportunity to save aggressively right now.
The problem is I’m not sure I want to do corrections for the next 20–30 years.
I’ve wanted to become a pilot for a while and have seriously considered making it a career. At 24, I’m wondering if this is the time to take the risk while I’m still young, single, and have relatively few responsibilities.
The downside is obviously the money.
I estimate it would cost around $100k CAD for flight training. I’d also have to cut back significantly on OT, meaning I’d probably be making around $80k/year while working and training instead of $130–145k.
So I’d basically be choosing between:
Stay in corrections:
$130k now → ~$145k next year
~60 hour weeks
Own apartment / nice car
Travel and enjoy my 20s
Save and invest heavily
Financial stability
Pursue aviation:
Spend ~$100k on training
Give up a lot of OT and income
Potentially struggle financially for a few years
Start over in a new career
Hopefully eventually become an airline pilot
What makes this difficult is that I could stay where I am and have a very comfortable life. I could get the RS3, move into my own place, travel, invest, etc. But I’m worried that 10–15 years from now I’ll wonder what would have happened if I had actually pursued aviation.
At the same time, I don’t want to romanticize being a pilot. I know there are downsides — seniority, commuting, time away from home, training costs, starting at the bottom, and no guarantee everything works out.
If you were 24, making $130k CAD in corrections, expecting ~$145k next year, and still living at home, would you make the switch?
Would you sacrifice the financial security and lifestyle for the chance to become an airline pilot?