The salary for pilots has gotten out of control. In the old days of aviation most pilots had to fly the plane by the seat of their pants. The planes were fairly basic so everyone delveloped very good flying skills. Today, the job is so automated you really never have to fly the plane. The result is aircraft that are much more capable of flying but pilots who do not have the same skill level as past pilots.
Pilots justify there pay by making the claim there is no other job that has as much responsibilty for lives or equipment. What about air traffic controllers? Cruise liner captains?
It is very ironic that "most" pilots want to make it to the 747 captains chair. These are the flights that require the least amount of skill due to the limited number of take-offs and landings done in a monthly cycle. The real skill is required in flying the Boeing 737's and MD-80's that require numerous cyles every single day.