Commercial Pilots Salaries by State
Mean and median pay, wage percentiles, employment, and top-paying metro areas for commercial pilotss across the U.S. Source: BLS OEWS May 2025 (data.bls.gov OEWS tool /OESServices/combo/table, all-occupation crawl by area).
National mean salary $146,080 ≈ $70/hr
National median salary $123,220
Total employment 47,630 nationwide
Job Outlook, 2024–2034
Source: BLS Employment Projections 2024-2034.
Projected growth +5.1%
Faster than average
Annual openings 6,600 per year (avg)
Employment 2024→2034 55,400 → 58,300 (+2,800)
Typical entry education Postsecondary nondegree award
Salary Map
Brighter tiles = higher average pay; dashed tiles have no data. Click a state for details.
💰 Top 5 Highest-Paying States
- Connecticut$231,650
- New Jersey$215,210
- California$202,040
- New York$184,580
- Kentucky$168,100
📉 5 Lowest-Paying States
- South Dakota$94,070
- Arkansas$95,380
- Nebraska$103,300
- Wyoming$106,190
- Alaska$107,070
State Rankings
| # | State | Mean | Median | Hourly | vs. U.S. | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Connecticut | $231,650 | $232,160 | $111 | +58.6% | 460 |
| 2 | New Jersey | $215,210 | $226,710 | $103 | +47.3% | 670 |
| 3 | California | $202,040 | $165,590 | $97 | +38.3% | 4,900 |
| 4 | New York | $184,580 | $177,430 | $89 | +26.4% | 1,070 |
| 5 | Kentucky | $168,100 | $129,990 | $81 | +15.1% | 800 |
| 6 | Delaware | $160,700 | $163,600 | $77 | +10% | 220 |
| 7 | North Dakota | $157,900 | $133,010 | $76 | +8.1% | 370 |
| 8 | Illinois | $157,600 | $126,100 | $76 | +7.9% | 1,170 |
| 9 | Wisconsin | $156,970 | $129,860 | $75 | +7.5% | 1,090 |
| 10 | Colorado | $152,820 | $139,680 | $73 | +4.6% | 1,240 |
| 11 | Texas | $152,090 | $137,960 | $73 | +4.1% | 4,120 |
| 12 | Pennsylvania | $151,950 | $134,030 | $73 | +4% | 530 |
| 13 | Washington | $149,860 | $117,730 | $72 | +2.6% | 890 |
| 14 | Georgia | $147,610 | $145,100 | $71 | +1% | 1,020 |
| 15 | Ohio | $145,490 | $150,330 | $70 | -0.4% | 2,680 |
| 16 | Florida | $145,320 | $121,890 | $70 | -0.5% | 6,340 |
| 17 | Oregon | $144,320 | $120,760 | $69 | -1.2% | 670 |
| 18 | Maine | $139,890 | $117,560 | $67 | -4.2% | 100 |
| 19 | North Carolina | $138,680 | $127,310 | $67 | -5.1% | 1,520 |
| 20 | Maryland | $138,530 | $131,210 | $67 | -5.2% | 360 |
| 21 | Oklahoma | $136,510 | $126,180 | $66 | -6.6% | 540 |
| 22 | Rhode Island | $131,970 | $98,820 | $63 | -9.7% | 80 |
| 23 | Idaho | $131,800 | $109,620 | $63 | -9.8% | 310 |
| 24 | Vermont | $130,790 | $137,810 | $63 | -10.5% | 40 |
| 25 | Montana | $128,170 | $103,690 | $62 | -12.3% | 330 |
| 26 | Michigan | $127,700 | $126,670 | $61 | -12.6% | 1,390 |
| 27 | Tennessee | $126,190 | $117,480 | $61 | -13.6% | 1,030 |
| 28 | Indiana | $125,910 | $104,160 | $61 | -13.8% | 960 |
| 29 | Nevada | $125,470 | $105,340 | $60 | -14.1% | 1,100 |
| 30 | Iowa | $124,640 | $101,800 | $60 | -14.7% | 300 |
| 31 | Virginia | $124,590 | $104,890 | $60 | -14.7% | 1,130 |
| 32 | Minnesota | $123,240 | $98,630 | $59 | -15.6% | 910 |
| 33 | Mississippi | $120,670 | $103,640 | $58 | -17.4% | 240 |
| 34 | Hawaii | $120,320 | $113,030 | $58 | -17.6% | 350 |
| 35 | Missouri | $119,400 | $102,990 | $57 | -18.3% | 670 |
| 36 | Arizona | $119,320 | $103,060 | $57 | -18.3% | 1,540 |
| 37 | West Virginia | $119,040 | $105,950 | $57 | -18.5% | 40 |
| 38 | Utah | $115,970 | $99,610 | $56 | -20.6% | 540 |
| 39 | New Mexico | $114,690 | $97,920 | $55 | -21.5% | 370 |
| 40 | Kansas | $111,540 | $105,440 | $54 | -23.6% | 680 |
| 41 | Louisiana | $109,200 | $95,940 | $53 | -25.2% | 910 |
| 42 | South Carolina | $108,640 | $105,740 | $52 | -25.6% | 290 |
| 43 | Alabama | $108,580 | $101,420 | $52 | -25.7% | 780 |
| 44 | Alaska | $107,070 | $100,120 | $51 | -26.7% | 1,000 |
| 45 | Wyoming | $106,190 | $102,990 | $51 | -27.3% | 190 |
| 46 | Nebraska | $103,300 | $104,780 | $50 | -29.3% | 290 |
| 47 | Arkansas | $95,380 | $94,410 | $46 | -34.7% | 460 |
| 48 | South Dakota | $94,070 | $83,710 | $45 | -35.6% | 320 |
Top-Paying Metro Areas
Highest median pay among 210 metro areas.
| # | Metro area | Median | Mean | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Waterbury-Shelton, CT | $315,450 | $267,680 | 130 |
| 2 | Kiryas Joel-Poughkeepsie-Newburgh, NY | $280,630 | $226,850 | 50 |
| 3 | Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA | $274,730 | $218,810 | 130 |
| 4 | West North Dakota nonmetropolitan area | $237,050 | $176,990 | 90 |
| 5 | Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury, CT | $232,600 | $226,590 | 90 |
| 6 | New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | $225,900 | $204,770 | 1,210 |
| 7 | North Coast Region of California nonmetropolitan area | $216,950 | $188,000 | 50 |
| 8 | Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT | $211,350 | $185,920 | 100 |
| 9 | Trenton-Princeton, NJ | $205,700 | $183,200 | 50 |
| 10 | Midland, TX | $198,480 | $160,280 | 50 |
Pay by Industry
Highest-paying industries employing commercial pilotss (BLS OEWS, by median).
| # | Industry | Median | Mean | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sector 51 - Information | $283,880 | $234,110 | 360 |
| 2 | Computer Systems Design and Related Services | $257,050 | $243,860 | 400 |
| 3 | Sector 52 - Finance and Insurance | $228,310 | $203,740 | 660 |
| 4 | Pharmaceutical and Medicine Manufacturing | $227,840 | $198,540 | 70 |
| 5 | Farm and Garden Machinery and Equipment Merchant Wholesalers | $199,730 | $171,900 | — |
| 6 | Computer and Electronic Product Manufacturing | $199,290 | $196,250 | 90 |
| 7 | Oil and Gas Extraction | $197,160 | $181,270 | 150 |
| 8 | Oil and Gas Extraction | $197,160 | $181,270 | 150 |
| 9 | Aerospace Product and Parts Manufacturing | $196,910 | $190,320 | 720 |
| 10 | Sector 21 - Mining, Quarrying, and Oil and Gas Extraction | $194,160 | $163,400 | 200 |
| 11 | Chemical Manufacturing | $188,450 | $192,660 | 90 |
| 12 | Transportation Equipment Manufacturing | $184,820 | $188,980 | 800 |
Frequently Asked Questions
How much do commercial pilots make in the U.S.?
The median commercial pilots salary in the United States is $123,220 per year (mean $146,080), and about 80% earn between $58,850 and $266,620.
How much do commercial pilots make per hour?
Roughly $70 per hour, based on a mean annual wage of $146,080 and 2,080 work hours per year.
Which state pays commercial pilots the most?
Connecticut has the highest average pay for commercial pilots at $231,650 per year (median $232,160).
What is the job outlook for commercial pilots?
Employment is projected to change +5.1% from 2024 to 2034 (Faster than average), with about 6,600 openings per year.