Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers salary in the U.S.
Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers in the U.S. earn a median of $232,140 a year, based on BLS data for 103,560 workers.
Pay ranges from $106,710 for the lowest-paid 10% to $463,830 for the top 10%. The average (mean) salary is $288,650, above the median because a few high earners pull it up.
Pay range for airline pilots, copilots, and flight engineers in the U.S.
| Pay level | Yearly |
|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $106,710 |
| 25th percentile | $182,280 |
| Median | $232,140 |
| 75th percentile | $384,440 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $463,830 |
| Average (mean) | $288,650 |
Half of airline pilots, copilots, and flight engineers earn more than the median and half earn less. Percentiles show the spread: 10% earn less than the 10th percentile, and 10% earn more than the 90th.
Median paycheck, before taxes
| Pay period | Amount |
|---|---|
| Monthly | $19,345 |
| Semi-monthly (24 a year) | $9,672.50 |
| Biweekly (26 a year) | $8,928.46 |
| Weekly | $4,464.23 |
BLS publishes only yearly pay for this job, because airline pilots, copilots, and flight engineers are usually paid a salary and may not work a full 2,080-hour year. Convert any amount with the hourly to salary converter.
Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers salary by state
| State | Median salary | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Georgia | $618,090 | 8,770 |
| Idaho | $507,640 | 330 |
| Michigan | $428,570 | n/a |
| California | $353,900 | 10,670 |
| Kentucky | $350,950 | 6,260 |
| Colorado | $307,490 | 5,830 |
| Illinois | $293,490 | 6,460 |
| New York | $255,240 | 6,900 |
| Alaska | $232,140 | 1,350 |
| Washington | $229,900 | 3,450 |
| Arizona | $227,870 | 2,200 |
| Florida | $225,020 | 7,760 |
| Texas | $215,150 | 10,930 |
| Minnesota | $211,470 | 2,960 |
| Ohio | $204,170 | 1,550 |
| Connecticut | $199,870 | 80 |
| Nevada | $192,460 | 2,160 |
| Utah | $174,590 | 1,880 |
| Oregon | $173,190 | 750 |
| Indiana | $171,260 | n/a |
| Arkansas | $168,970 | 250 |
| Puerto Rico | $167,050 | 260 |
| Pennsylvania | $164,990 | 2,270 |
| Rhode Island | $164,880 | 40 |
| North Carolina | $151,540 | 2,240 |
| Maine | $147,930 | 40 |
| Kansas | $143,580 | 80 |
| Mississippi | $143,580 | 360 |
| South Carolina | $143,580 | 110 |
| Tennessee | $143,580 | 110 |
| Alabama | $136,990 | 360 |
| New Mexico | $136,990 | 50 |
| Oklahoma | $133,680 | 180 |
| Iowa | $131,730 | 100 |
| Nebraska | $131,650 | 60 |
| Louisiana | $120,740 | 150 |
| New Hampshire | $99,280 | 50 |
| Missouri | $97,680 | 120 |
Best-paying metro areas for airline pilots, copilots, and flight engineers
| Metro area | Median salary | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA | $618,090 | 8,700 |
| Boise City, ID | $507,640 | n/a |
| Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI | $428,570 | n/a |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $374,680 | 2,900 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | $364,730 | 6,710 |
| Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN | $350,950 | 3,330 |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $343,140 | 50 |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | $335,270 | 10,030 |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | $321,950 | 340 |
| Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX | $307,690 | 4,160 |
| Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO | $307,490 | 5,600 |
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | $293,490 | 6,360 |
| Anchorage, AK | $232,240 | 1,270 |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | $229,900 | 3,340 |
| Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL | $229,490 | 180 |
Metro areas with the most airline pilots, copilots, and flight engineers
| Metro area | Workers | Median salary |
|---|---|---|
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | 10,030 | $335,270 |
| Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA | 8,700 | $618,090 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | 6,710 | $364,730 |
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | 6,360 | $293,490 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | 5,980 | $212,810 |
| Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO | 5,600 | $307,490 |
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | 5,100 | $209,750 |
| Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL | 4,810 | $216,070 |
| Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX | 4,160 | $307,690 |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | 3,340 | $229,900 |
| Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN | 3,330 | $350,950 |
| Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI | 2,940 | $211,470 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | 2,900 | $374,680 |
| Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ | 2,100 | $228,040 |
| Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC | 2,090 | $151,540 |
Related jobs in the U.S.
| Job | Median salary | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| Flight Attendant | $63,580 | — |
| Commercial Pilot | $123,220 | — |
| Air Traffic Controller | $148,080 | $71.19 |
| Airfield Operations Specialist | $56,850 | $27.33 |
| Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand | $40,240 | $19.35 |
| Stockers and Order Fillers | $37,330 | $17.95 |
| Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers | $58,640 | $28.19 |
| Light Truck Driver | $44,860 | $21.57 |
| Industrial Truck and Tractor Operators | $46,420 | $22.32 |
| First-Line Supervisors of Transportation and Material Moving Workers, Except Aircraft Cargo Handling Supervisors | $62,890 | $30.23 |
| Packers and Packagers, Hand | $36,280 | $17.44 |
| Driver/Sales Worker | $38,770 | $18.64 |
| Bus Drivers, School | $47,920 | $23.04 |
| Cleaners of Vehicles and Equipment | $35,830 | $17.23 |
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 estimates, occupation code 53-2011. Wages include base pay, tips, commissions and shift pay, but not overtime, bonuses or benefits, and exclude the self-employed.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a airline pilots, copilots, and flight engineers make in the U.S.?
The median salary for airline pilots, copilots, and flight engineers in the U.S. is $232,140 a year. Pay ranges from $106,710 for the lowest-paid 10% to $463,830 for the top 10%.
How much do the highest-paid airline pilots, copilots, and flight engineers make in the U.S.?
The top 10% of airline pilots, copilots, and flight engineers in the U.S. earn at least $463,830 a year. The top 25% earn $384,440 or more.
What is the starting pay for airline pilots, copilots, and flight engineers in the U.S.?
Entry-level pay (the 10th percentile) is about $106,710 a year, and a quarter of airline pilots, copilots, and flight engineers earn $182,280 or less.
How many airline pilots, copilots, and flight engineers work in the U.S.?
About 103,560 airline pilots, copilots, and flight engineers are employed in the U.S., not counting the self-employed.