Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers Salary in Houston, TX
Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers in the Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX metro area earn a median $239,200+ a year — 33% more than the national median. After 2026 taxes, that is $219,995 take-home, or $18,333 a month.
Take-home pay calculator
Pre-filled with the median airline pilots, copilots, and flight engineers salary in Houston, TX. Enter your own offer to see your paycheck.
- Federal income tax$70,826
- Social Security (6.2%)$11,439
- Medicare (1.45%)$5,431
- Texas income tax$0
- Take-home pay$219,995
Marginal rate: 35% federal + 0.00% 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 Houston, TX
| Percentile | Salary | Hourly | Take-home / yr | Per month |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $104,110 | $50.05 | $82,071 | $6,839 |
| 25th percentile | $189,390 | $91.05 | $141,017 | $11,751 |
| Median (50th) | $307,690+ | $147.93 | $219,995 | $18,333 |
| 75th percentile | $456,570+ | $219.50 | $313,268 | $26,106 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $456,570+ | $219.50 | $313,268 | $26,106 |
Wages: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Take-home: single filer, Texas resident, 2026 tax rules.
What $239,200+ buys in Houston, TX
Prices in Houston, TX are 1.4% lower than the U.S. average (housing costs are 1.05× the national average). Adjusted for local prices, a median airline pilots, copilots, and flight engineers's $219,995 take-home pay has the buying power of $223,053 in a typical American city.
Rents: HUD Fair Market Rents, FY2026 (40th-percentile gross rent incl. utilities). Price levels: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024.
Houston, TX has 1.9× 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
Houston, TX ranks #3 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.
Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers salaries elsewhere in Texas
- Dallas, TX — $212,810
Frequently asked questions
How much does a airline pilots, copilots, and flight engineers make in Houston, TX?
The median airline pilots, copilots, and flight engineers salary in the Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX metro area is $239,200+ a year, or about $147.93 an hour, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025). The middle half earn between $189,390 and $239,200+.
What is a airline pilots, copilots, and flight engineers’s take-home pay in Houston, TX?
On the median $239,200+ salary, a single filer living in Texas takes home about $219,995 a year ($18,333 a month) after federal tax, Social Security, Medicare in 2026.
Is Houston, TX a good place to work as a airline pilots, copilots, and flight engineers?
Pay here is 33% above the national median of $232,140. Local prices are 1.4% below the U.S. average, so the take-home pay buys what $223,053 would in a typical U.S. city. Houston, TX ranks #3 of 13 metro areas for cost-of-living-adjusted pay in this job.
Can a airline pilots, copilots, and flight engineers afford rent in Houston, TX?
HUD’s fair market rent for a one-bedroom in Houston, TX is $1,316 a month ($1,558 for two bedrooms) — 7% 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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