Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers Salary
Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers earn a median $232,140 a year nationally. Transportation and Material Moving Occupations
U.S. median
$232,140
$111.61 per hour
Range
$106,710 – $239,200+
10th to 90th percentile
Employed
103,560
across the U.S.
Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers take-home pay calculator
Starts at the national median. Pick your state to see your real paycheck.
Your take-home pay
$171,457
per year · effective tax rate 26.1%
$14,288Monthly
$7,144Twice a month
$6,594Every 2 weeks
$82.43Hourly
- Federal income tax$45,589
- Social Security (6.2%)$11,439
- Medicare (1.45%)$3,655
- Texas income tax$0
- Take-home pay$171,457
Marginal rate: 32% federal + 0.00% state
Pay by experience
| Percentile | Salary | Hourly | Take-home (no state tax) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $106,710 | $51.30 | $83,900 |
| 25th percentile | $182,280 | $87.63 | $135,854 |
| Median (50th) | $232,140 | $111.61 | $171,457 |
| 75th percentile | $384,440+ | $184.83 | $268,078 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $463,830+ | $223.00 | $317,816 |
Best cities for airline pilots, copilots, and flight engineers (after tax & cost of living)
| # | Metro area | Median | Take-home | Real value* | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Atlanta, GA | $239,200+ | $383,004 | $382,782 | 8,700 |
| 2 | Cincinnati, OH | $239,200+ | $238,228 | $249,794 | 3,330 |
| 3 | Houston, TX | $239,200+ | $219,995 | $223,053 | 4,160 |
| 4 | San Francisco, CA | $239,200+ | $226,477 | $195,893 | 2,900 |
| 5 | Denver, CO | $239,200+ | $207,048 | $195,731 | 5,600 |
| 6 | Los Angeles, CA | $239,200+ | $221,298 | $194,863 | 6,710 |
| 7 | New York, NY | $239,200+ | $217,470 | $193,198 | 10,030 |
| 8 | Chicago, IL | $239,200+ | $196,715 | $189,889 | 6,360 |
| 9 | Anchorage, AK | $232,240 | $171,523 | $162,704 | 1,270 |
| 10 | Phoenix, AZ | $228,040 | $163,273 | $158,033 | 2,100 |
| 11 | Dallas, TX | $212,810 | $158,362 | $153,615 | 5,980 |
| 12 | Seattle, WA | $229,900 | $169,986 | $152,958 | 3,340 |
| 13 | Las Vegas, NV | $204,340 | $152,123 | $151,797 | 2,070 |
| 14 | Miami, FL | $216,070 | $160,763 | $140,828 | 4,810 |
| 15 | Minneapolis, MN | $211,470 | $143,607 | $137,001 | 2,940 |
| 16 | Washington, DC | $209,750 | $141,248 | $129,723 | 5,100 |
| 17 | Philadelphia, PA | $180,330 | $128,985 | $125,773 | 1,760 |
| 18 | Salt Lake City, UT | $174,940 | $123,931 | $122,865 | 1,740 |
| 19 | Charlotte, NC | $151,540 | $109,306 | $112,284 | 2,090 |
| 20 | Portland, OR | $173,190 | $114,796 | $108,893 | 670 |
*Take-home pay in U.S.-average dollars (BEA Regional Price Parities).
Highest-paying cities
- Atlanta, GA — $239,200+
- San Francisco, CA — $239,200+
- Los Angeles, CA — $239,200+
- Cincinnati, OH — $239,200+
- New York, NY — $239,200+
- Houston, TX — $239,200+
- Denver, CO — $239,200+
- Chicago, IL — $239,200+
- Anchorage, AK — $232,240
- Seattle, WA — $229,900
- Phoenix, AZ — $228,040
- Miami, FL — $216,070
- Dallas, TX — $212,810
- Minneapolis, MN — $211,470
- Washington, DC — $209,750
Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers salary by state
| State | Median | Take-home | Range | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Georgia | $239,200+ | $383,004 | $187,570 – $239,200+ | 8,770 |
| Idaho | $239,200+ | $319,467 | $120,740 – $239,200+ | 330 |
| Michigan | $239,200+ | $277,762 | $181,880 – $239,200+ | — |
| California | $239,200+ | $215,661 | $179,270 – $239,200+ | 10,670 |
| Kentucky | $239,200+ | $234,931 | $182,780 – $239,200+ | 6,260 |
| Colorado | $239,200+ | $207,048 | $189,150 – $239,200+ | 5,830 |
| Illinois | $239,200+ | $196,715 | $166,620 – $239,200+ | 6,460 |
| New York | $239,200+ | $172,301 | $101,390 – $239,200+ | 6,900 |
| Alaska | $232,140 | $171,457 | $59,130 – $239,200+ | 1,350 |
| Washington | $229,900 | $169,986 | $140,780 – $239,200+ | 3,450 |
| Arizona | $227,870 | $163,166 | $96,380 – $239,200+ | 2,200 |
| Florida | $225,020 | $166,783 | $121,240 – $239,200+ | 7,760 |
| Texas | $215,150 | $160,085 | $92,370 – $239,200+ | 10,930 |
| Minnesota | $211,470 | $143,607 | $128,070 – $239,200+ | 2,960 |
| Ohio | $204,170 | $147,166 | $100,300 – $239,200+ | 1,550 |
| Connecticut | $199,870 | $138,988 | $94,130 – $239,200+ | 80 |
| Nevada | $192,460 | $143,306 | $90,890 – $239,200+ | 2,160 |
| Utah | $174,590 | $123,708 | $108,270 – $239,200+ | 1,880 |
| Oregon | $173,190 | $114,796 | $100,260 – $239,200+ | 750 |
| Indiana | $171,260 | $123,300 | $83,680 – $239,200+ | — |
| Arkansas | $168,970 | $120,380 | $124,990 – $170,960 | 250 |
| Pennsylvania | $164,990 | $118,971 | $88,090 – $239,200+ | 2,270 |
| Rhode Island | $164,880 | $117,732 | $93,300 – $239,200+ | 40 |
| North Carolina | $151,540 | $109,306 | $97,700 – $206,700 | 2,240 |
| Maine | $147,930 | $103,295 | $96,630 – $239,200+ | 40 |
| Kansas | $143,580 | $102,191 | $85,860 – $205,580 | 80 |
| Mississippi | $143,580 | $104,392 | $112,420 – $177,110 | 360 |
| South Carolina | $143,580 | $101,945 | $97,070 – $227,550 | 110 |
| Tennessee | $143,580 | $109,403 | $109,760 – $172,390 | 110 |
| Alabama | $136,990 | $98,314 | $108,890 – $176,620 | 360 |
| New Mexico | $136,990 | $99,517 | $117,080 – $172,330 | 50 |
| Oklahoma | $133,680 | $97,166 | $119,230 – $184,790 | 180 |
| Iowa | $131,730 | $96,950 | $64,100 – $201,080 | 100 |
| Nebraska | $131,650 | $96,138 | $59,400 – $233,970 | 60 |
| Louisiana | $120,740 | $90,535 | $74,700 – $239,200+ | 150 |
| New Hampshire | $99,280 | $78,673 | $74,130 – $239,200+ | 50 |
| Missouri | $97,680 | $73,894 | $60,920 – $172,330 | 120 |
Frequently asked questions
How much does a airline pilots, copilots, and flight engineers make?
The national median salary for airline pilots, copilots, and flight engineers is $232,140 a year ($111.61 an hour). The lowest-paid 10% earn under $106,710 and the top 10% earn over $239,200+. Source: BLS, May 2025.
Which state pays airline pilots, copilots, and flight engineers the most?
Georgia has the highest median pay at $239,200+. After taxes and local prices, Atlanta, GA offers the best real take-home pay of any metro area.
How many airline pilots, copilots, and flight engineers are there in the U.S.?
About 103,560 people work as airline pilots, copilots, and flight engineers nationwide.