Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers Salary in the United States
The median annual wage for airline pilots, copilots, and flight engineers in the U.S. is $232,140, according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program, May 2025 estimates.
- Median annual wage
- $232,140
- Mean annual wage
- $288,650
- Median hourly wage
- —
- Employment
- 103,560
103,560 employed
Wage percentiles
| Percentile | Annual wage | Hourly wage |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $106,710 | — |
| 25th percentile | $182,280 | — |
| Median (50th) | $232,140 | — |
| 75th percentile | $384,440 | — |
| 90th percentile | $463,830 | — |
Highest-paying states for airline pilots, copilots, and flight engineers
| State | Median annual wage | Employment |
|---|---|---|
| Georgia | $618,090 | 8,770 |
| Idaho | $507,640 | 330 |
| Michigan | $428,570 | — |
| California | $353,900 | 10,670 |
| Kentucky | $350,950 | 6,260 |
| Colorado | $307,490 | 5,830 |
| Illinois | $293,490 | 6,460 |
| New York | $255,240 | 6,900 |
| Alaska | $232,140 | 1,350 |
| Washington | $229,900 | 3,450 |
Lowest-paying states
- Missouri: $97,680 median annual wage
- New Hampshire: $99,280 median annual wage
- Louisiana: $120,740 median annual wage
- Nebraska: $131,650 median annual wage
- Iowa: $131,730 median annual wage
About this occupation
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. Includes regional, national, and international airline pilots and flight instructors of airline pilots.
Typical tasks
- Instruct other pilots and student pilots in aircraft operations and the principles of flight.
- Plan and formulate flight activities and test schedules and prepare flight evaluation reports.
- Brief crews about flight details, such as destinations, duties, and responsibilities.
- Use instrumentation to guide flights when visibility is poor.
- Steer aircraft along planned routes, using autopilot and flight management computers.
- Work as part of a flight team with other crew members, especially during takeoffs and landings.
Education of the current workforce — typical entry: Bachelor's degree
| Education level | Share of workers |
|---|---|
| Less than high school diploma | 0.5% |
| High school diploma or equivalent | 5.0% |
| Some college, no degree | 10.1% |
| Associate's degree | 8.0% |
| Bachelor's degree | 58.8% |
| Master's degree | 15.4% |
| Doctoral or professional degree | 2.3% |
Occupation profile data from CareerOneStop, sponsored by the U.S. Department of Labor.
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About this data
- Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics — data period May 2025, retrieved August 13, 2026.
- Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics — data period May 2025, retrieved August 13, 2026.
- CareerOneStop Occupation Profiles — data period 2026-08, retrieved August 14, 2026.
Figures are shown exactly as published by the source or derived by the documented formulas on our methodology page. Where a source suppresses an estimate, we show “—” rather than a substitute value.