Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers Salary in Seattle, WA
Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers in the Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA metro area earn a median $229,900 a year — 1% less than the national median. After 2026 taxes, that is $169,986 take-home, or $14,166 a month.
Take-home pay calculator
Pre-filled with the median airline pilots, copilots, and flight engineers salary in Seattle, WA. Enter your own offer to see your paycheck.
- Federal income tax$44,872
- Social Security (6.2%)$11,439
- Medicare (1.45%)$3,603
- Washington income tax$0
- Take-home pay$169,986
Marginal rate: 32% 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 Seattle, WA
| Percentile | Salary | Hourly | Take-home / yr | Per month |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $160,200 | $77.02 | $120,763 | $10,064 |
| 25th percentile | $210,790 | $101.34 | $156,874 | $13,073 |
| Median (50th) | $229,900 | $110.53 | $169,986 | $14,166 |
| 75th percentile | $396,810+ | $190.77 | $275,828 | $22,986 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $529,820+ | $254.72 | $359,159 | $29,930 |
Wages: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Take-home: single filer, Washington resident, 2026 tax rules.
What $229,900 buys in Seattle, WA
Prices in Seattle, WA are 11.1% higher than the U.S. average (housing costs are 1.51× the national average). Adjusted for local prices, a median airline pilots, copilots, and flight engineers's $169,986 take-home pay has the buying power of $152,958 in a typical American city.
Rents: HUD Fair Market Rents, FY2026 (40th-percentile gross rent incl. utilities). Price levels: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024.
Seattle, WA has 2.4× 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
Seattle, WA ranks #10 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 |
| 10 | Seattle, WA | $229,900 | $169,986 | $152,958 |
*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 Seattle, WA?
The median airline pilots, copilots, and flight engineers salary in the Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA metro area is $229,900 a year, or about $110.53 an hour, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025). The middle half earn between $210,790 and $239,200+.
What is a airline pilots, copilots, and flight engineers’s take-home pay in Seattle, WA?
On the median $229,900 salary, a single filer living in Washington takes home about $169,986 a year ($14,166 a month) after federal tax, Social Security, Medicare in 2026.
Is Seattle, WA a good place to work as a airline pilots, copilots, and flight engineers?
Pay here is 1% below the national median of $232,140. Local prices are 11.1% above the U.S. average, so the take-home pay buys what $152,958 would in a typical U.S. city. Seattle, WA ranks #10 of 13 metro areas for cost-of-living-adjusted pay in this job.
Can a airline pilots, copilots, and flight engineers afford rent in Seattle, WA?
HUD’s fair market rent for a one-bedroom in Seattle, WA is $2,022 a month ($2,379 for two bedrooms) — 14% 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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