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SOC 53-2011 · May 2024

Pilot Salary

The typical Pilot earns $226,600 per year, sourced from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Median annual

$226,600

Half of all Pilots in the United States earn more than this figure, half earn less. From the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics May 2024 release.

Hourly

—

Outlook

—

US workers

99,300

BLS series

Annual median wage for Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers in All Industries in the United States

Salary range

From entry to top decile

The 10th-to-90th percentile spread for Pilots is $98,560 – —.

Percentile distribution

USD · annual

10th

$98,560

25th

$154,360

Median

$226,600

75th

—

90th

—

By experience level

What each tenure band earns

By experience level

Estimated from BLS percentile distribution. Actual progression varies by employer and region.

Pilot levelTenureEstimated salaryBLS reference
Entry levelFirst 0–2 years$98,56010th percentile
Early career2–5 years$154,36025th percentile
Mid-career5–10 years$226,600Median
Experienced10+ years—75th percentile
Senior / leadershipTop 10%—90th percentile

Geography

Pilot pay by state

State-level OEWS data lands in Phase 2. The grid below shows national geography ready for that ingest — hover any state for context.

National median

$226,600

AK
ME
VT
NH
WA
MT
ND
MN
IL
WI
MI
NY
MA
OR
ID
WY
SD
IA
IN
OH
PA
NJ
CT
RI
CA
NV
UT
NE
MO
KY
WV
VA
MD
DE
AZ
CO
KS
AR
TN
NC
SC
DC
NM
OK
LA
MS
AL
GA
HI
TX
FL

Tile-grid layout · 50 states + D.C. · area-uniform, not geographic. State pay differentials populate after Phase 2 OEWS state ingest.

What affects this salary

Pay drivers for Pilots

Airline and commercial pilots (BLS SOC 53-2011) fly and navigate airplanes, helicopters, and other aircraft. Most major-airline positions require an FAA Airline Transport Pilot (ATP) certificate, a four-year college degree, and 1,500+ flight hours. Pay scales sharply with employer (legacy carriers, regionals, cargo, corporate) and seniority — captain pay at major US carriers substantially exceeds the OEWS median; regional first-officer pay typically falls below.

The 10th-to-90th percentile spread is $98,560 – —. That gap reflects experience, certification, employer type, geographic cost of living, and shift differentials where applicable.

Geography matters. Metropolitan areas in California, New York, Massachusetts, and Washington tend to pay above the national median. Rural and lower-cost states often pay below — though cost-of-living adjustment narrows the real difference.

Credentials compound. Additional certifications, specializations, or advanced degrees consistently push earnings into the 75th and 90th percentile bands. Employer type (hospital vs. private practice, public vs. private sector) also drives meaningful pay variation.

Frequently asked

Questions readers ask

Frequently asked

What is the average Pilot salary in the US?
The median annual Pilot salary in the United States is $226,600, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) program, May 2024 release. This midpoint figure means half of the 99,300 Pilots employed nationwide earn above $226,600 and half earn below. The mean annual wage is $280,570 — slightly above the median, reflecting upward pull from high-paying metropolitan and specialty positions. Entry-level earners (10th percentile) typically start around $98,560, while experienced professionals at the 75th percentile reach —. Source: BLS OEWS May 2024, SOC 53-2011.
How much does a Pilot make per hour?
Pilots earn a mean hourly wage of —, based on the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS May 2024 survey. This figure represents the average across all Pilots in all industries and geographic areas in the United States. Hourly rates vary considerably based on employer type, geographic location, shift differentials, and years of experience. Hourly equivalents for salaried roles are calculated against a standard 2,080-hour work year (40 hours per week × 52 weeks); actual compensated hours may differ. For reference, the annual mean salary for Pilots is $280,570. Part-time workers, per-diem positions, and contract roles may fall above or below this figure depending on the agreed pay structure and premium differentials. Source: BLS OEWS May 2024, SOC 53-2011.
What does a Pilot earn at the entry level?
Entry-level Pilots — those in the bottom 10% of the wage distribution — typically earn around $98,560 per year, according to BLS OEWS May 2024 data. Workers in the 25th percentile (early-career, typically 1–4 years of experience) earn approximately $154,360 annually. These figures represent all industries and geographic regions nationwide; entry wages in high-cost states such as California, New York, and Massachusetts often run 10–25% above these benchmarks, while rural areas and lower-cost states may pay below them. As credentials, certifications, and clinical or technical experience accumulate, pay scales toward the median of $226,600 and beyond. Entry wage estimates are derived from BLS percentile bands and are labeled as estimates; they are not directly published as entry wages by the BLS. Source: BLS OEWS May 2024, SOC 53-2011.
What is the highest salary a Pilot can earn?
The top 10% of Pilots earn — or more annually, and the 75th percentile sits at —, according to BLS OEWS May 2024. The highest-paid positions tend to cluster in major metropolitan areas — particularly in California, New York, Massachusetts, and Washington — and in settings that demand advanced credentials, specialized certifications, or leadership responsibilities. Employer type also drives meaningful pay variation: private-sector roles, large hospital systems, and government positions each carry different pay structures. For Pilots, moving from the median ($226,600) to the 90th percentile often involves a combination of advanced degrees or board certifications, supervisory responsibilities, and tenure at a high-volume or high-acuity facility. The mean salary of $280,570 sits below the 90th percentile, indicating most very-high earners are outliers. Source: BLS OEWS May 2024, SOC 53-2011.
Is the mean Pilot salary higher than the median?
Yes, the mean Pilot salary ($280,570) is $53,970 above the median ($226,600). When the mean exceeds the median, it signals that a subset of high earners pulls the average upward — a common pattern in occupations with significant pay variation across specialties, employer types, or geographies. The median is generally the more useful benchmark for an individual worker: it represents what a typical Pilot earns, unaffected by the very highest outlier salaries. Both figures come from the BLS OEWS May 2024 survey, SOC 53-2011.
How many Pilots work in the US?
Approximately 99,300 people work as Pilots in the United States, making it a specialized occupation in the US labor market. This employment count is based on the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey, May 2024 release, SOC 53-2011. The OEWS program covers non-farm wage and salary workers and excludes the self-employed. Total US employment across all occupations surveyed in the same release was approximately 158 million workers. The Pilot field represents roughly 0.06% of total surveyed US employment.

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Source & methodology

Wage and employment figures are from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) program, May 2024 release. Standard Occupational Classification: 53-2011. Figures represent the national median, mean, and percentile distribution across all employers and industries. Hourly equivalents assume a 2,080-hour work year. Read our methodology for details on how the data is sourced, transformed, and refreshed.

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