Commercial Pilots Salary in the United States
The median annual wage for commercial pilots in the U.S. is $123,220, according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program, May 2025 estimates.
- Median annual wage
- $123,220
- Mean annual wage
- $146,080
- Median hourly wage
- —
- Employment
- 47,630
47,630 employed
Wage percentiles
| Percentile | Annual wage | Hourly wage |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $58,850 | — |
| 25th percentile | $84,540 | — |
| Median (50th) | $123,220 | — |
| 75th percentile | $190,440 | — |
| 90th percentile | $266,620 | — |
Highest-paying states for commercial pilots
| State | Median annual wage | Employment |
|---|---|---|
| Connecticut | $232,160 | 460 |
| New Jersey | $226,710 | 670 |
| New York | $177,430 | 1,070 |
| California | $165,590 | 4,900 |
| Delaware | $163,600 | 220 |
| Ohio | $150,330 | 2,680 |
| Georgia | $145,100 | 1,020 |
| Colorado | $139,680 | 1,240 |
| Texas | $137,960 | 4,120 |
| Vermont | $137,810 | 40 |
Lowest-paying states
- South Dakota: $83,710 median annual wage
- Arkansas: $94,410 median annual wage
- Louisiana: $95,940 median annual wage
- New Mexico: $97,920 median annual wage
- Minnesota: $98,630 median annual wage
About this occupation
Pilot and navigate the flight of fixed-wing aircraft on nonscheduled air carrier routes, or helicopters. Requires Commercial Pilot certificate. Includes charter pilots with similar certification, and air ambulance and air tour pilots. Excludes regional, national, and international airline pilots.
Typical tasks
- Check aircraft prior to flights to ensure that the engines, controls, instruments, and other systems are functioning properly.
- File instrument flight plans with air traffic control so that flights can be coordinated with other air traffic.
- Monitor engine operation, fuel consumption, and functioning of aircraft systems during flights.
- Plan and formulate flight activities and test schedules and prepare flight evaluation reports.
- Perform minor aircraft maintenance and repair work, or arrange for major maintenance.
- Supervise other crew members.
Education of the current workforce — typical entry: Postsecondary certificate
| 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.