SOC 53-2011 · Transportation and Material Moving Occupations
Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025United States, all industries
Nationally, airline pilots, copilots, and flight engineers earned a median of $232,140 per year as of the May 2025 OEWS estimates, across 103,560 jobs. Pay varies substantially by area — look up a specific state or metro below.
National pay distribution
Pay by state
Every state and territory with a published May 2025 estimate. “Not published” means BLS suppressed the value — it never means zero. Higher medians often track higher living costs; this is not a ranking of where the job is “best”.
| State | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Georgia | $618,090 | Not published | 8,770 | 1.8 |
| Idaho | $507,640 | Not published | 330 | 0.4 |
| Michigan | $428,570 | Not published | Not published | Not published |
| California | $353,900 | Not published | 10,670 | 0.6 |
| Kentucky | $350,950 | Not published | 6,260 | 3.1 |
| Colorado | $307,490 | Not published | 5,830 | 2.0 |
| Illinois | $293,490 | Not published | 6,460 | 1.1 |
| New York | $255,240 | Not published | 6,900 | 0.7 |
| Alaska | $232,140 | Not published | 1,350 | 4.1 |
| Washington | $229,900 | Not published | 3,450 | 1.0 |
| Arizona | $227,870 | Not published | 2,200 | 0.7 |
| Florida | $225,020 | Not published | 7,760 | 0.8 |
| Texas | $215,150 | Not published | 10,930 | 0.8 |
| Minnesota | $211,470 | Not published | 2,960 | 1.0 |
| Ohio | $204,170 | Not published | 1,550 | 0.3 |
| Connecticut | $199,870 | Not published | 80 | 0.0 |
| Nevada | $192,460 | Not published | 2,160 | 1.4 |
| Utah | $174,590 | Not published | 1,880 | 1.1 |
| Oregon | $173,190 | Not published | 750 | 0.4 |
| Indiana | $171,260 | Not published | Not published | Not published |
| Arkansas | $168,970 | Not published | 250 | 0.2 |
| Puerto Rico | $167,050 | Not published | 260 | 0.3 |
| Pennsylvania | $164,990 | Not published | 2,270 | 0.4 |
| Rhode Island | $164,880 | Not published | 40 | 0.1 |
| North Carolina | $151,540 | Not published | 2,240 | 0.5 |
| Maine | $147,930 | Not published | 40 | 0.1 |
| Kansas | $143,580 | Not published | 80 | 0.1 |
| Mississippi | $143,580 | Not published | 360 | 0.3 |
| South Carolina | $143,580 | Not published | 110 | 0.0 |
| Tennessee | $143,580 | Not published | 110 | 0.0 |
| Alabama | $136,990 | Not published | 360 | 0.2 |
| New Mexico | $136,990 | Not published | 50 | 0.1 |
| Oklahoma | $133,680 | Not published | 180 | 0.1 |
| Iowa | $131,730 | Not published | 100 | 0.1 |
| Nebraska | $131,650 | Not published | 60 | 0.1 |
| Louisiana | $120,740 | Not published | 150 | 0.1 |
| New Hampshire | $99,280 | Not published | 50 | 0.1 |
| Missouri | $97,680 | Not published | 120 | 0.0 |
| Massachusetts | Not published | Not published | 2,240 | 0.6 |
| Wyoming | Not published | Not published | 80 | 0.3 |
Pay by metro area
All 49 metro areas where BLS publishes this occupation. Sort by median wage, employment, or local concentration — or see the highest-paying metros ranked.
Each dot is one metro area with a published median — hover any dot for the name and figure. Metros without published estimates are not drawn.
| Metro area | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA | $618,090 | Not published | 8,700 | 3.0 |
| Boise City, ID | $507,640 | Not published | Not published | Not published |
| Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI | $428,570 | Not published | Not published | Not published |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $374,680 | Not published | 2,900 | 1.2 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | $364,730 | Not published | 6,710 | 1.1 |
| Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN | $350,950 | Not published | 3,330 | 3.0 |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $343,140 | Not published | 50 | 0.0 |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | $335,270 | Not published | 10,030 | 1.1 |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | $321,950 | Not published | 340 | 0.2 |
| Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX | $307,690 | Not published | 4,160 | 1.3 |
| Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO | $307,490 | Not published | 5,600 | 3.5 |
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | $293,490 | Not published | 6,360 | 1.4 |
| Anchorage, AK | $232,240 | Not published | 1,270 | 7.2 |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | $229,900 | Not published | 3,340 | 1.6 |
| Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL | $229,490 | Not published | 180 | 0.1 |
| Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ | $228,040 | Not published | 2,100 | 0.9 |
| Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA | $219,330 | Not published | Not published | Not published |
| Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL | $216,070 | Not published | 4,810 | 1.7 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | $212,810 | Not published | 5,980 | 1.5 |
| Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI | $211,470 | Not published | 2,940 | 1.5 |
| Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX | $210,750 | Not published | 150 | 0.1 |
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | $209,750 | Not published | 5,100 | 1.6 |
| Lexington-Fayette, KY | $208,770 | Not published | Not published | Not published |
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA | $207,000 | Not published | 160 | 0.1 |
| Tucson, AZ | $206,050 | Not published | 60 | 0.1 |
| Las Vegas-Henderson-North Las Vegas, NV | $204,340 | Not published | 2,070 | 1.8 |
| Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT | $199,870 | Not published | 70 | 0.1 |
| Fresno, CA | $195,310 | Not published | 80 | 0.2 |
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | $180,330 | Not published | 1,760 | 0.6 |
| Mobile, AL | $176,620 | Not published | 30 | 0.2 |
| Salt Lake City-Murray, UT | $174,940 | Not published | 1,740 | 2.1 |
| Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA | $173,190 | Not published | 670 | 0.6 |
| Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood, IN | $171,260 | Not published | Not published | Not published |
| Fort Smith, AR-OK | $170,960 | Not published | 40 | 0.4 |
| Provo-Orem-Lehi, UT | $165,590 | Not published | 70 | 0.2 |
| Providence-Warwick, RI-MA | $164,480 | Not published | 50 | 0.1 |
| Akron, OH | $161,720 | Not published | 40 | 0.1 |
| Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA | $160,990 | Not published | 60 | 0.1 |
| Oklahoma City, OK | $153,940 | Not published | 90 | 0.1 |
| Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC | $151,540 | Not published | 2,090 | 1.5 |
| Jacksonville, FL | $151,070 | Not published | 120 | 0.2 |
| Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN | $143,580 | Not published | 60 | 0.1 |
| Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR | $130,750 | Not published | 50 | 0.1 |
| Richmond, VA | $130,100 | Not published | 50 | 0.1 |
| Pensacola-Ferry Pass-Brent, FL | $122,210 | Not published | 90 | 0.5 |
| Wichita Falls, TX | $112,260 | Not published | 80 | 1.4 |
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | Not published | Not published | 2,120 | 0.8 |
| Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL | Not published | Not published | 1,770 | 1.3 |
| San Juan-Bayamon-Caguas, PR | Not published | Not published | 240 | 0.4 |
About this data. Estimates are from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program, May 2025 release, retrieved from bls.gov/oes/tables.htm on July 24, 2026. OEWS estimates describe metropolitan/nonmetropolitan areas and states — not city limits — and are not designed for year-over-year comparisons. See BLS methodology, our plain-English methodology, and sources. CitySalaryData is independent and not affiliated with BLS.