Average Airline Pilots, Copilots, And Flight Engineers Salary in the United States
The national median salary for Airline Pilots, Copilots, And Flight Engineers is $226,600 per year. The middle 50% earn between $154,360 and N/A, with 99,300 workers employed nationally.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey, May 2024 estimates . Data covers 40 states and 50 metro areas.
Wage range
Pay distribution
Here is how Airline Pilots, Copilots, And Flight Engineers pay is distributed across workers nationally. The 10th percentile typically reflects entry-level or early-career pay, the median is the midpoint, and the 90th percentile represents the top earners in the field.
- 10th
- $98,560
- 25th
- $154,360
- Median
- $226,600
- 75th
- ≥$239,200
- 90th
- ≥$239,200
All values are percentiles of annual wages.
Values marked ≥$239,200 are at or above the BLS wage cap. BLS does not publish an exact figure above this threshold.
Airline Pilots, Copilots, And Flight Engineers are among the highest-paid occupations tracked by BLS, well into the top decile of US wages.
Some airline pilots, copilots, and flight engineers earn above the BLS wage cap of $239,200, so the top percentiles shown here are BLS's minimum. Actual top-end earnings go higher but are not published in detail.
BLS projections
Job outlook
BLS projects employment for airline pilots, copilots, and flight engineers from 2024 to 2034. Growth is roughly in line with the US average of about 4% across all occupations.
- Projected growth
- +3.9%
- 3,900 net jobs over the projection period.
- Annual openings
- 11,700
- Includes growth plus replacements for workers who leave. Annual openings reflect typical replacement demand alongside any growth.
- Typical entry education
- Bachelor's degree
- Work experience
- Less than 5 years
- On-the-job training
- Moderate-term on-the-job training
A bachelor's degree is the typical entry requirement for airline pilots, copilots, and flight engineers.
Where Airline Pilots, Copilots, And Flight Engineers earn the most
Geographic variation is relatively low. Pay for airline pilots, copilots, and flight engineers is fairly consistent across the country, so moving for higher pay has limited upside. Right now, the top-paying state is Alaska at $226,490, about -0.0% above the national median. At the metro level, Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL leads with a median of $229,930.
By state
Top-paying states
By metro
Top-paying metros
| Metro area | Median salary | Employment |
|---|---|---|
| Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL | $229,930 | 2,080 |
| Anchorage, AK | $226,490 | 1,540 |
| Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL | $226,130 | 200 |
| Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA | $222,700 | 50 |
| Greenville-Anderson-Greer, SC | $219,280 | N/A |
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | $214,390 | 4,950 |
| Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO | $211,860 | 5,540 |
| Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT | $211,480 | 60 |
Compare two locations side by side
Pick two states or metros to see airline pilots, copilots, and flight engineers pay in each, along with a cost-of-living adjusted view.
Salary trend and related occupations
Between 2019 and 2024, the national median salary for Airline Pilots, Copilots, And Flight Engineers rose from $147,220 to $226,600, a gain of +53.9% in nominal dollars.
Over the same period, US consumer prices rose by +22.7%. Just to keep pace with inflation, the 2019 median of $147,220 would need to be worth $180,638 in 2024 dollars.
The actual 2024 median of $226,600 is $45,962 above that inflation-adjusted benchmark, a real change of +25.4% in purchasing power.
Real wages have grown strongly, 25.4% above inflation. Workers in this field have meaningfully gained purchasing power.
- Nominal change
- +53.9%
- 2019–2024
- Cumulative inflation
- +22.7%
- US CPI, 2019–2024
- Real change
- +25.4%
- After adjusting for inflation
Annual history
Median salary over time
Airline Pilots, Copilots, And Flight Engineers median pay by year, going back through the available BLS releases.
- 2019
- $147,220
- 2020
- $160,970
- 2021
- $202,180
- 2022
- $211,790
- 2023
- $219,140
- 2024
- $226,600
Similar jobs
Related occupations
Other occupations in the same field, with median pay for comparison.
- Air Traffic Controllers
- $144,580
- Commercial Pilots
- $122,670
- Flight Attendants
- $67,130
- Airfield Operations Specialists
- $56,750
- Ship Engineers
- $101,320
- Transportation Inspectors
- $85,750
- Subway And Streetcar Operators
- $84,830
Common salary questions for Airline Pilots, Copilots, And Flight Engineers
What does the median salary mean? +
The median is the midpoint of all wages. Half of Airline Pilots, Copilots, And Flight Engineers workers earn more and half earn less. It is a better measure of typical pay than the average, which can be skewed by very high or very low earners.
Why does pay vary so much by location? +
Local labor markets, cost of living, industry concentration, and employer competition all affect wages. High-cost metros like San Francisco and New York often pay more in nominal terms, though some of that premium is offset by higher living costs.
How current is this salary data? +
This page uses the May 2024 BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics release. BLS publishes OEWS data once per year, typically in the spring for the previous May reference period.
What do the percentile ranges tell me? +
The 10th and 90th percentiles show the full pay band. The 25th to 75th percentile range, the middle 50%, is where most workers fall. A wide spread usually means experience, specialization, or location matter a lot for this occupation.