Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers Salary in Denver, CO
Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers in the Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO metro area earn a median $239,200+ a year — 32% more than the national median. After 2026 taxes, that is $207,048 take-home, or $17,254 a month.
Take-home pay calculator
Pre-filled with the median airline pilots, copilots, and flight engineers salary in Denver, CO. Enter your own offer to see your paycheck.
- Federal income tax$70,756
- Social Security (6.2%)$11,439
- Medicare (1.45%)$5,426
- Colorado income tax$12,821
- Take-home pay$207,048
Marginal rate: 35% federal + 4.40% state
Got an offer somewhere else? Compare it with this one after taxes and rent →
Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers pay by experience in Denver, CO
| Percentile | Salary | Hourly | Take-home / yr | Per month |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $189,150 | $90.94 | $133,224 | $11,102 |
| 25th percentile | $197,310 | $94.86 | $138,948 | $11,579 |
| Median (50th) | $307,490+ | $147.83 | $207,048 | $17,254 |
| 75th percentile | $371,190+ | $178.46 | $244,153 | $20,346 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $377,860+ | $181.66 | $248,039 | $20,670 |
Wages: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Take-home: single filer, Colorado resident, 2026 tax rules.
What $239,200+ buys in Denver, CO
Prices in Denver, CO are 5.8% higher than the U.S. average (housing costs are 1.47× the national average). Adjusted for local prices, a median airline pilots, copilots, and flight engineers's $207,048 take-home pay has the buying power of $195,731 in a typical American city.
Rents: HUD Fair Market Rents, FY2026 (40th-percentile gross rent incl. utilities). Price levels: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024.
Denver, CO has 5.2× 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
Denver, CO ranks #5 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 Denver, CO?
The median airline pilots, copilots, and flight engineers salary in the Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO metro area is $239,200+ a year, or about $147.83 an hour, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025). The middle half earn between $197,310 and $239,200+.
What is a airline pilots, copilots, and flight engineers’s take-home pay in Denver, CO?
On the median $239,200+ salary, a single filer living in Colorado takes home about $207,048 a year ($17,254 a month) after federal tax, Social Security, Medicare and $12,821 in Colorado taxes in 2026.
Is Denver, CO a good place to work as a airline pilots, copilots, and flight engineers?
Pay here is 32% above the national median of $232,140. Local prices are 5.8% above the U.S. average, so the take-home pay buys what $195,731 would in a typical U.S. city. Denver, CO ranks #5 of 13 metro areas for cost-of-living-adjusted pay in this job.
Can a airline pilots, copilots, and flight engineers afford rent in Denver, CO?
HUD’s fair market rent for a one-bedroom in Denver, CO is $1,754 a month ($2,089 for two bedrooms) — 10% 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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