Salary Range & Percentiles
Pay distribution across experience levels
- 10th Percentile — Entry Level$58,850
- 25th Percentile — Junior$84,540
- 50th Percentile — Median$123,220
- 75th Percentile — Senior$190,440
- 90th Percentile — Top Earners$266,620
The top 10% of Commercial Pilots earn $266,620 or more per year. Entry-level professionals can expect to start around $58,850, with significant growth over the first 5 years.
Salary by State
Geographic salary comparison
| State | Avg Salary | vs National |
|---|---|---|
| Connecticut | $231,650 | +58.6% |
| District of Columbia (est.) | $222,042 | +52.0% |
| New Jersey | $215,210 | +47.3% |
| California | $202,040 | +38.3% |
| Massachusetts (est.) | $189,904 | +30.0% |
| New York | $184,580 | +26.4% |
| Kentucky | $168,100 | +15.1% |
| New Hampshire (est.) | $166,531 | +14.0% |
| Delaware | $160,700 | +10.0% |
| North Dakota | $157,900 | +8.1% |
| Illinois | $157,600 | +7.9% |
| Wisconsin | $156,970 | +7.5% |
| Colorado | $152,820 | +4.6% |
| Texas | $152,090 | +4.1% |
| Pennsylvania | $151,950 | +4.0% |
| Washington | $149,860 | +2.6% |
| Georgia | $147,610 | +1.0% |
| Ohio | $145,490 | -0.4% |
| Florida | $145,320 | -0.5% |
| Oregon | $144,320 | -1.2% |
| Maine | $139,890 | -4.2% |
| North Carolina | $138,680 | -5.1% |
| Maryland | $138,530 | -5.2% |
| Oklahoma | $136,510 | -6.6% |
| Rhode Island | $131,970 | -9.7% |
| Idaho | $131,800 | -9.8% |
| Vermont | $130,790 | -10.5% |
| Montana | $128,170 | -12.3% |
| Michigan | $127,700 | -12.6% |
| Tennessee | $126,190 | -13.6% |
| Indiana | $125,910 | -13.8% |
| Nevada | $125,470 | -14.1% |
| Iowa | $124,640 | -14.7% |
| Virginia | $124,590 | -14.7% |
| Minnesota | $123,240 | -15.6% |
| Mississippi | $120,670 | -17.4% |
| Hawaii | $120,320 | -17.6% |
| Missouri | $119,400 | -18.3% |
| Arizona | $119,320 | -18.3% |
| West Virginia | $119,040 | -18.5% |
| Utah | $115,970 | -20.6% |
| New Mexico | $114,690 | -21.5% |
| Kansas | $111,540 | -23.6% |
| Louisiana | $109,200 | -25.2% |
| South Carolina | $108,640 | -25.6% |
| Alabama | $108,580 | -25.7% |
| Alaska | $107,070 | -26.7% |
| Wyoming | $106,190 | -27.3% |
| Nebraska | $103,300 | -29.3% |
| Arkansas | $95,380 | -34.7% |
| South Dakota | $94,070 | -35.6% |
What Factors Affect Commercial Pilots Salary?
Key factors affecting compensation
Pay for Commercial Pilots is influenced by geographic location, years of experience, employer type, and educational background. Location alone is a large factor: Connecticut pays an average of $231,650, while South Dakota pays $94,070 — a gap of $137,580 per year.
The middle half of Commercial Pilots earn between $84,540 and $190,440 per year. The lowest-paid 10% earn under $58,850, while the top 10% earn more than $266,620.
These figures are the wages employers report to BLS: base pay plus commissions, production bonuses and tips. They exclude overtime pay, shift differentials, year-end bonuses, benefits and self-employed workers, so total compensation can be higher than the numbers shown.
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OES) · May 2025
Compare with Similar Jobs
Related career salary benchmarks
- Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers $59,710/yr United States 59.1% vs this role
- Airline Pilots Copilots and Flight Engineers $288,650/yr United States +97.6% vs this role
- Air Traffic Controllers $146,490/yr United States +0.3% vs this role
- Light Truck Drivers $48,770/yr United States 66.6% vs this role
- Driver Sales Workers $40,730/yr United States 72.1% vs this role
- Locomotive Engineers $85,900/yr United States 41.2% vs this role
- Registered Nurses $101,420/yr United States 30.6% vs this role
- Nurse Practitioners $137,300/yr United States 6.0% vs this role
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about this salary
What is the average salary for Commercial Pilots?
The average salary for Commercial Pilots in the United States is $146,080 per year, with a median of $123,220.
What is the starting salary for Commercial Pilots?
Entry-level Commercial Pilots typically earn between $58,850 and $84,540 per year depending on location and employer.
What state pays Commercial Pilots the most?
Connecticut pays Commercial Pilots the most at $231,650 per year on average, followed by New Jersey ($215,210) and California ($202,040).
How much do Commercial Pilots make per hour?
Based on the average annual salary of $146,080, Commercial Pilots earn approximately $70.23 per hour (based on 2,080 working hours/year).
Is Commercial Pilots a good career in 2026?
BLS counts 47,630 Commercial Pilots jobs in the United States, with a mean annual wage of $146,080 and a median of $123,220 (OEWS May 2025). This site does not publish job-growth projections; the BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook covers the outlook for each occupation.
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