Starting weekly pre-tax pay for a regional airline copilot: $438, no vacation, no sick time, no overtime.
Hiring manager: "To tell you the truth, pabianice, you can't afford to take this job unless you are living with your mother and can walk to the airport."
Go to OTS, get commissioned—go to UPT and get paid while learning to fly jets. Graduate with your wings with roughly 200hrs or so. You can now fly instruments in a single-seat supersonic jet. Go to RTU, get checked out in your jet, mission ready, and maybe fly a jet with a red-guarded switch marked “Nuclear.” Fly your commitment, or stay for a career, get out and go to the majors making decent bucks.
You did not pay for your ATP, the USG paid for it and your experience is so far ahead of Joe Smuck that flew C-172’s at the local patch you WILL get hired over Joe Smuck. . .except Ms Josephine Smuck will get hired ahead of you. . .you know, protected classes get preferences.
Only thing is, you might have to go to war but at least you will be flying jets while doing so and having fun while doing it.