Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers Salary in Chicago, IL
Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers in the Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN metro area earn a median $239,200+ a year — 26% more than the national median. After 2026 taxes, that is $196,715 take-home, or $16,393 a month.
Take-home pay calculator
Pre-filled with the median airline pilots, copilots, and flight engineers salary in Chicago, IL. Enter your own offer to see your paycheck.
- Federal income tax$65,856
- Social Security (6.2%)$11,439
- Medicare (1.45%)$5,097
- Illinois income tax$14,383
- Take-home pay$196,715
Marginal rate: 35% federal + 4.95% state
The Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN metro spans Illinois, Indiana. Pick the state you live in — state income tax follows your residence.
Got an offer somewhere else? Compare it with this one after taxes and rent →
Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers pay by experience in Chicago, IL
| Percentile | Salary | Hourly | Take-home / yr | Per month |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $179,840 | $86.46 | $125,429 | $10,452 |
| 25th percentile | $205,480 | $98.79 | $142,937 | $11,911 |
| Median (50th) | $293,490+ | $141.10 | $196,715 | $16,393 |
| 75th percentile | $420,280+ | $202.06 | $269,873 | $22,489 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $429,040+ | $206.27 | $274,928 | $22,911 |
Wages: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Take-home: single filer, Illinois resident, 2026 tax rules.
What $239,200+ buys in Chicago, IL
Prices in Chicago, IL are 3.6% higher than the U.S. average (housing costs are 1.12× the national average). Adjusted for local prices, a median airline pilots, copilots, and flight engineers's $196,715 take-home pay has the buying power of $189,889 in a typical American city.
Rents: HUD Fair Market Rents, FY2026 (40th-percentile gross rent incl. utilities). Price levels: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024.
Chicago, IL has 2.1× the national concentration of airline pilots, copilots, and flight engineers jobs — a strong local market for this occupation.
Best-paying cities for airline pilots, copilots, and flight engineers, adjusted for cost of living
Chicago, IL ranks #8 of 13 metro areas once taxes and local prices are taken into account.
| # | Metro area | Median salary | Take-home | Real value* |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Atlanta, GA | $239,200+ | $383,004 | $382,782 |
| 2 | Cincinnati, OH | $239,200+ | $238,228 | $249,794 |
| 3 | Houston, TX | $239,200+ | $219,995 | $223,053 |
| 4 | San Francisco, CA | $239,200+ | $226,477 | $195,893 |
| 5 | Denver, CO | $239,200+ | $207,048 | $195,731 |
| 6 | Los Angeles, CA | $239,200+ | $221,298 | $194,863 |
| 7 | New York, NY | $239,200+ | $217,470 | $193,198 |
| 8 | Chicago, IL | $239,200+ | $196,715 | $189,889 |
*Take-home pay divided by the BEA price level, so every city is measured in U.S.-average dollars. See all 13 metros →
About the job: airline pilots, copilots, and flight engineers
Pilot and navigate the flight of fixed-wing aircraft, usually on scheduled air carrier routes, for the transport of passengers and cargo. Requires Federal Air Transport certificate and rating for specific aircraft type used.
- Typical education
- Bachelor's degree
- Work experience
- Less than 5 years
- On-the-job training
- Moderate-term on-the-job training
- Job outlook, 2025–35
- +8.3% (faster than average)
Source: BLS Standard Occupational Classification and Employment Projections, 2025–35.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a airline pilots, copilots, and flight engineers make in Chicago, IL?
The median airline pilots, copilots, and flight engineers salary in the Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN metro area is $239,200+ a year, or about $141.10 an hour, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025). The middle half earn between $205,480 and $239,200+.
What is a airline pilots, copilots, and flight engineers’s take-home pay in Chicago, IL?
On the median $239,200+ salary, a single filer living in Illinois takes home about $196,715 a year ($16,393 a month) after federal tax, Social Security, Medicare and $14,383 in Illinois taxes in 2026.
Is Chicago, IL a good place to work as a airline pilots, copilots, and flight engineers?
Pay here is 26% above the national median of $232,140. Local prices are 3.6% above the U.S. average, so the take-home pay buys what $189,889 would in a typical U.S. city. Chicago, IL ranks #8 of 13 metro areas for cost-of-living-adjusted pay in this job.
Can a airline pilots, copilots, and flight engineers afford rent in Chicago, IL?
HUD’s fair market rent for a one-bedroom in Chicago, IL is $1,534 a month ($1,743 for two bedrooms) — 9% of a median airline pilots, copilots, and flight engineers’s monthly take-home pay. Financial planners usually suggest keeping rent under about 30%.
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