Average Salary for Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers
SOC 53-2011 · Transportation and Material Moving Occupations · 2024 data
The median annual wage for Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers in the United States is $226,600, based on 2024 BLS OEWS data. An estimated 99,300 people work in this occupation across the country. The national median wage has grown 91.8% since 2014.
Median Annual
$226,600
Mean Annual
$280,570
10th Pct
$98,560
75th Pct
—
Employment
99,300
Salary Distribution
$99k
10th
$154k
25th
$227k
Median
Highest Paying Metro Areas
| Metro Area | Median Annual |
|---|---|
| Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL | $229,930 |
| Anchorage, AK | $226,490 |
| Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL | $226,130 |
| Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA | $222,700 |
| Greenville-Anderson-Greer, SC | $219,280 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | $214,390 |
| Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO | $211,860 |
| Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT | $211,480 |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | $205,650 |
| Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ | $198,800 |
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | $195,730 |
| Colorado Springs, CO | $192,850 |
| Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI | $184,560 |
| Las Vegas-Henderson-North Las Vegas, NV | $180,600 |
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | $172,710 |
Salary by State
| State | Median Annual |
|---|---|
| Alaska | $226,490 |
| Florida | $220,350 |
| Texas | $214,670 |
| Oregon | $214,520 |
| Colorado | $211,860 |
| Arizona | $198,800 |
| Connecticut | $189,630 |
| Minnesota | $184,560 |
| Nevada | $180,600 |
| Pennsylvania | $172,710 |
| Indiana | $171,050 |
| Arkansas | $165,980 |
| South Carolina | $158,290 |
| Maine | $158,190 |
| North Carolina | $154,360 |
| Kansas | $136,510 |
| Alabama | $134,430 |
| New Mexico | $134,110 |
| Utah | $133,230 |
| Iowa | $130,980 |
| Oklahoma | $130,620 |
| Tennessee | $129,620 |
| Missouri | $122,530 |
| Nebraska | $114,480 |
| Wisconsin | $103,400 |
| New Hampshire | $96,970 |
| Louisiana | $94,720 |
| Puerto Rico | $50,720 |
| Montana | $49,800 |
| Wyoming | $46,070 |
Salary by Industry
National median wage for Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers broken down by industry sector, 2024 data.
| Industry | Median Annual |
|---|---|
| Cross-industry, Private Ownership only | $229,730 |
| Nonscheduled Air Transportation | $226,870 |
| Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | $162,290 |
| Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | $162,290 |
| Merchant Wholesalers, Durable Goods | $141,550 |
| Wholesale Trade | $141,540 |
| Support Activities for Transportation | $138,290 |
| Support Activities for Air Transportation | $138,290 |
| Federal Government, including the U.S. Postal Service (OEWS Designation) | $130,980 |
| Federal, State, and Local Government, excluding State and Local Government Schools and Hospitals and the U.S. Postal Service (OEWS Designation) | $130,980 |
| Federal, State, and Local Government, excluding State and Local Government Schools and Hospitals and the U.S. Postal Service (OEWS Designation) | $130,980 |
| Federal, State, and Local Government, including State and Local Government Schools and Hospitals and the U.S. Postal Service (OEWS Designation) | $130,980 |
| Federal Executive Branch (OEWS Designation) | $130,980 |
| Manufacturing | $94,720 |
| Other Ambulatory Health Care Services | $93,660 |
| Ambulance Services | $93,660 |
| Health Care and Social Assistance | $93,660 |
| Ambulatory Health Care Services | $93,660 |
| Transportation Equipment Manufacturing | $92,450 |
| Aerospace Product and Parts Manufacturing | $92,450 |
| Management of Companies and Enterprises | $85,610 |
| Management of Companies and Enterprises | $85,610 |
| Management of Companies and Enterprises | $85,610 |
| Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools | $79,130 |
| Technical and Trade Schools | $72,890 |
| Educational Services | $68,870 |
| Educational Services | $65,000 |
National Wage Trend
View data table
| Year | Median Annual |
|---|---|
| 2024 | $226,600 |
| 2023 | $219,140 |
| 2022 | $211,790 |
| 2021 | $202,180 |
| 2020 | $160,970 |
| 2019 | $147,220 |
| 2018 | $140,340 |
| 2017 | $137,330 |
| 2016 | $127,820 |
| 2015 | $117,290 |
| 2014 | $118,140 |