The average salary for a commercial pilot in the United States is around $87,544 per year.
Avg Salary
Commercial pilots earn an average yearly salary of $87,544.
Wages typically start from $46,254 and go up to $165,695.
49% above national average Updated in 2019
Commercial pilot earnings by seniority
90th percentile
Top-level commercial pilot earnings begin at:
$79.66 per hour
$165,695 per year
75th percentile
Senior-level commercial pilot earnings begin at:
$58.88 per hour
$122,478 per year
50th percentile
Mid-level commercial pilot earnings begin at:
$42.09 per hour
$87,544 per year
25th percentile
Junior-level commercial pilot earnings begin at:
$30.08 per hour
$62,575 per year
10th percentile
Starting level commercial pilot earnings begin at:
$22.24 per hour
$46,254 per year
Approximate values based on highest and lowest earning segments.
Commercial pilot salary by state
| State Name | Average Salary |
|---|---|
| Illinois | $99,990 |
| Maryland | $97,100 |
| Rhode Island | $94,660 |
| Kansas | $93,250 |
| Kentucky | $93,160 |
| Texas | $92,720 |
| Nevada | $92,530 |
| Delaware | $92,260 |
| Mississippi | $92,220 |
| Washington | $92,140 |
| Alabama | $89,730 |
| Pennsylvania | $89,030 |
| Minnesota | $87,510 |
| Virginia | $87,440 |
| Missouri | $86,990 |
| New Jersey | $86,660 |
| Hawaii | $86,090 |
| Iowa | $82,390 |
| New Mexico | $82,130 |
| California | $81,940 |
| Colorado | $81,480 |
| Ohio | $81,050 |
| Vermont | $80,110 |
| Arizona | $79,458 |
| Nebraska | $78,820 |
| North Dakota | $77,830 |
| Oklahoma | $77,560 |
| Florida | $77,430 |
| Idaho | $76,310 |
| Michigan | $75,600 |
| Alaska | $75,506 |
| West Virginia | $75,000 |
| North Carolina | $74,150 |
| Utah | $73,490 |
| Tennessee | $71,280 |
| Wyoming | $70,280 |
| Arkansas | $70,170 |
| Wisconsin | $68,780 |
| Louisiana | $68,740 |
| Oregon | $65,820 |
| Indiana | $65,510 |
| Montana | $64,640 |
| South Dakota | $60,520 |
| New Hampshire | $57,210 |
| Maine | $54,960 |
| New York | $127,590 |
| South Carolina | $114,210 |
| Connecticut | $110,870 |
| Massachusetts | $104,830 |
| Georgia | $101,600 |
How do commercial pilot salaries compare to similar careers?
Commercial pilots earn 6% more than similar careers in the United States. On average, they make less than air traffic controllers but more than ship engineers.
| Career | Median Salary |
|---|---|
| Air traffic controller salary | $115K |
| Commercial pilot salary | $88K |
| Ship captain salary | $72K |
| Transportation planner salary | $78K |
| Shipmate salary | $72K |
| Ship engineer salary | $75K |
Source: CareerExplorer (Aggregated)