Commercial Pilot salary in the U.S.
Commercial Pilots in the U.S. earn a median of $123,220 a year, based on BLS data for 47,630 workers.
Pay ranges from $58,850 for the lowest-paid 10% to $266,620 for the top 10%. The average (mean) salary is $146,080, above the median because a few high earners pull it up.
Pay range for commercial pilots in the U.S.
| Pay level | Yearly |
|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $58,850 |
| 25th percentile | $84,540 |
| Median | $123,220 |
| 75th percentile | $190,440 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $266,620 |
| Average (mean) | $146,080 |
Half of commercial pilots 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 | $10,268.33 |
| Semi-monthly (24 a year) | $5,134.17 |
| Biweekly (26 a year) | $4,739.23 |
| Weekly | $2,369.62 |
BLS publishes only yearly pay for this job, because commercial pilots are usually paid a salary and may not work a full 2,080-hour year. Convert any amount with the hourly to salary converter.
Commercial Pilot salary by state
| State | Median salary | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Connecticut | $232,160 | 460 |
| New Jersey | $226,710 | 670 |
| New York | $177,430 | 1,070 |
| California | $165,590 | 4,900 |
| Delaware | $163,600 | 220 |
| Ohio | $150,330 | 2,680 |
| Georgia | $145,100 | 1,020 |
| Colorado | $139,680 | 1,240 |
| Texas | $137,960 | 4,120 |
| Vermont | $137,810 | 40 |
| Pennsylvania | $134,030 | 530 |
| North Dakota | $133,010 | 370 |
| Maryland | $131,210 | 360 |
| Kentucky | $129,990 | 800 |
| Wisconsin | $129,860 | 1,090 |
| North Carolina | $127,310 | 1,520 |
| Michigan | $126,670 | 1,390 |
| Oklahoma | $126,180 | 540 |
| Illinois | $126,100 | 1,170 |
| Florida | $121,890 | 6,340 |
| Oregon | $120,760 | 670 |
| Washington | $117,730 | 890 |
| Maine | $117,560 | 100 |
| Tennessee | $117,480 | 1,030 |
| Hawaii | $113,030 | 350 |
| Idaho | $109,620 | 310 |
| West Virginia | $105,950 | 40 |
| South Carolina | $105,740 | 290 |
| Kansas | $105,440 | 680 |
| Nevada | $105,340 | 1,100 |
| Virginia | $104,890 | 1,130 |
| Nebraska | $104,780 | 290 |
| Indiana | $104,160 | 960 |
| Montana | $103,690 | 330 |
| Mississippi | $103,640 | 240 |
| Arizona | $103,060 | 1,540 |
| Missouri | $102,990 | 670 |
| Wyoming | $102,990 | 190 |
| Iowa | $101,800 | 300 |
| Alabama | $101,420 | 780 |
| Alaska | $100,120 | 1,000 |
| Utah | $99,610 | 540 |
| Rhode Island | $98,820 | 80 |
| Minnesota | $98,630 | 910 |
| New Mexico | $97,920 | 370 |
| Louisiana | $95,940 | 910 |
| Arkansas | $94,410 | 460 |
| South Dakota | $83,710 | 320 |
| Puerto Rico | $81,070 | 70 |
Best-paying metro areas for commercial pilots
| Metro area | Median salary | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Waterbury-Shelton, CT | $315,450 | 130 |
| Kiryas Joel-Poughkeepsie-Newburgh, NY | $280,630 | 50 |
| Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA | $274,730 | 130 |
| Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury, CT | $232,600 | 90 |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | $225,900 | 1,210 |
| Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT | $211,350 | 100 |
| Trenton-Princeton, NJ | $205,700 | 50 |
| Midland, TX | $198,480 | 50 |
| Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN | $193,940 | 430 |
| Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI | $177,730 | 420 |
| Columbus, OH | $175,690 | 1,410 |
| Port St. Lucie, FL | $173,100 | 140 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $173,070 | 380 |
| Wilmington, NC | $172,320 | 40 |
| Lexington Park, MD | $171,560 | 60 |
Metro areas with the most commercial pilots
| Metro area | Workers | Median salary |
|---|---|---|
| Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL | 3,440 | $127,360 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | 1,810 | $160,160 |
| Columbus, OH | 1,410 | $175,690 |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | 1,210 | $225,900 |
| Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ | 1,020 | $105,770 |
| Las Vegas-Henderson-North Las Vegas, NV | 940 | $105,340 |
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | 840 | $157,420 |
| Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX | 790 | $131,420 |
| Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO | 710 | $132,810 |
| Cleveland, OH | 600 | $166,520 |
| Anchorage, AK | 590 | $99,920 |
| Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA | 560 | $146,880 |
| Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI | 560 | $126,550 |
| Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL | 550 | $117,790 |
| Ann Arbor, MI | 530 | $126,400 |
Related jobs in the U.S.
| Job | Median salary | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| Flight Attendant | $63,580 | — |
| Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers | $232,140 | — |
| 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 53-2012. 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 commercial pilot make in the U.S.?
The median salary for commercial pilots in the U.S. is $123,220 a year. Pay ranges from $58,850 for the lowest-paid 10% to $266,620 for the top 10%.
How much do the highest-paid commercial pilots make in the U.S.?
The top 10% of commercial pilots in the U.S. earn at least $266,620 a year. The top 25% earn $190,440 or more.
What is the starting pay for commercial pilots in the U.S.?
Entry-level pay (the 10th percentile) is about $58,850 a year, and a quarter of commercial pilots earn $84,540 or less.
How many commercial pilots work in the U.S.?
About 47,630 commercial pilots are employed in the U.S., not counting the self-employed.