53 Series · SOC 53-2012
Commercial Pilots Salary
National pay, percentile range, growth outlook, and state-by-state detail from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS survey (May 2025).
- $123,220
- Median / year
- $266,620
- Top 10% earn
- +5.1%
- Growth '23–'33
- 47,630
- US workers
Commercial Pilots earn a median of $123,220 per year.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS survey, the median annual wage is $123,220, based on the most recent survey of employers. Reported pay ranges from $58,850 (10th percentile) to $266,620 (90th percentile) nationally, across roughly 47,630 US workers. Connecticut pays the most ($232,160), since pay varies by state and metro area.
The pay verdict
Commercial Pilots earn a median of $123,220, putting them among the better-paid US occupations and higher than 91% of the 825 occupations with a published BLS median. Within Transportation and Material Moving, it ranks #3 of 50 by median pay. Employment is projected to grow 5.1% by 2033.
- $123,220
- Median annual wage
- Top 9%
- of 825 US occupations with published wages
- #3 of 50
- in Transportation and Material Moving
- 4.5×
- 90th-to-10th pay spread
Highest-paying state: Connecticut at $232,160. Typical entry-level education: Postsecondary nondegree award.
Commercial Pilots (SOC 53-2012) pays a national median of $123,220 per year according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey released in May 2025. Full-range compensation stretches from $58,850 at the 10th percentile to $266,620 at the 90th, with a mean of $146,080 indicating a right-skew where top earners pull the average above the midpoint. An estimated 47,630 Americans work in this occupation across 49 reporting states and 207 metro areas.
BLS Employment Projections forecast a +5.1% change in employment from 2024 to 2034, which the agency classifies as about average relative to the 5% all-occupations baseline. About 6,600 openings are projected per year, combining new positions with replacement needs from retirements and occupation-switchers. Typical entry-level preparation is Postsecondary nondegree award and moderate-term on-the-job training of on-the-job training. The BLS Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries (CFOI) and Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses (SOII) produce a workplace-safety grade of C for this role, with a fatality rate of 69 per 100,000 and injury rate of 1 per 100.
Geographic variation matters as much as the headline median. Connecticut pays the highest state median at $232,160, which is +88% above the national figure. The top metro is Waterbury-Shelton, CT at $315,450 - metro premiums typically reflect higher cost of living, industry concentration, or specialized employer demand. When using this page for negotiation or career planning, pair the national median with the state and metro rows below, remember that BLS wages exclude benefits, bonuses, and overtime, and revisit after each May OEWS release since percentiles shift with cost-of-living cycles and industry demand. See our methodology for exactly how these figures are sourced, computed, and verified.
Median Salary
$123,220
per year
Median Hourly
N/A
per hour
Mean Salary
$146,080
average
Employment
47,630
jobs nationwide
How does this pay compare nationally?
Where Commercial Pilots pay sits nationally
Median annual wage vs. 825 detailed BLS occupations with a published median
$123,220 Top 9% higher than 91% of 825 US occupations
Each bar is a $20K-wide band; taller bars hold more US occupations. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.
Source U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS · May 2025
Does this job pay well and grow?
Each dot is a 53-series occupation, placed by projected 2024–2034 growth and median pay. The highlighted dot is Commercial Pilots; the upper-right quadrant is the sweet spot (high pay + fast growth).
Among 24 53-series occupations with growth data, Commercial Pilots sits on the faster-growing side at +5.1% growth and $123,220 median pay.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS (wages, May 2025) and Employment Projections (2024–2034).
Job Outlook (2024–2034)
Projected Growth
+5.1%
About average
Annual Openings
6,600
per year (projected)
Typical Education
Postsecondary nondegree award
On-the-Job Training
Moderate-term on-the-job training
Source: BLS Employment Projections, 2024–2034
Workplace Safety
All safety ratings →Moderate Risk
Safety Grade (BLS 2023)
Fatality Rate
69/100K
Injury Rate
1/100
Danger Index
38.5/100
Source: BLS Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries (CFOI) & Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses (SOII), 2023
Career Intelligence
Skills, knowledge, and tasks most important for Commercial Pilots roles, ranked by importance. Source: O*NET.
Top Skills
Knowledge Areas
Key Tasks
- ▸ Check aircraft prior to flights to ensure that the engines, controls, instruments, and other systems are functioning properly.
- ▸ Co-pilot aircraft or perform captain's duties, as required.
- ▸ Consider airport altitudes, outside temperatures, plane weights, and wind speeds and directions to calculate the speed needed to become airborne.
- ▸ Use instrumentation to pilot aircraft when visibility is poor.
- ▸ Monitor engine operation, fuel consumption, and functioning of aircraft systems during flights.
- ▸ Order changes in fuel supplies, loads, routes, or schedules to ensure safety of flights.
- ▸ Contact control towers for takeoff clearances, arrival instructions, and other information, using radio equipment.
- ▸ Plan flights according to government and company regulations, using aeronautical charts and navigation instruments.
- ▸ Start engines, operate controls, and pilot airplanes to transport passengers, mail, or freight according to flight plans, regulations, and procedures.
- ▸ Check baggage or cargo to ensure that it has been loaded correctly.
Source: O*NET Online, National Center for O*NET Development. Data represents typical importance ratings for this occupation.
Salary Range
Annual Salary Distribution
Hourly Rate Distribution
10th Percentile
$58,850
25th Percentile
$84,540
Median
$123,220
75th Percentile
$190,440
90th Percentile
$266,620
Salary by State
Highest Paying States
View all 49 states →
| # | State | Median Salary | vs National |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Connecticut | $232,160 | +88% above national |
| 2 | New Jersey | $226,710 | +84% above national |
| 3 | New York | $177,430 | +44% above national |
| 4 | California | $165,590 | +34% above national |
| 5 | Delaware | $163,600 | +33% above national |
| 6 | Ohio | $150,330 | +22% above national |
| 7 | Georgia | $145,100 | +18% above national |
| 8 | Colorado | $139,680 | +13% above national |
| 9 | Texas | $137,960 | +12% above national |
| 10 | Vermont | $137,810 | +12% above national |
| 11 | Pennsylvania | $134,030 | +9% above national |
| 12 | North Dakota | $133,010 | +8% above national |
| 13 | Maryland | $131,210 | +6% above national |
| 14 | Kentucky | $129,990 | +5% above national |
| 15 | Wisconsin | $129,860 | +5% above national |
| 16 | North Carolina | $127,310 | +3% above national |
| 17 | Michigan | $126,670 | +3% above national |
| 18 | Oklahoma | $126,180 | +2% above national |
| 19 | Illinois | $126,100 | +2% above national |
| 20 | Florida | $121,890 | 1% below national |
| 21 | Oregon | $120,760 | 2% below national |
| 22 | Washington | $117,730 | 4% below national |
| 23 | Maine | $117,560 | 5% below national |
| 24 | Tennessee | $117,480 | 5% below national |
| 25 | Hawaii | $113,030 | 8% below national |
| 26 | Idaho | $109,620 | 11% below national |
| 27 | West Virginia | $105,950 | 14% below national |
| 28 | South Carolina | $105,740 | 14% below national |
| 29 | Kansas | $105,440 | 14% below national |
| 30 | Nevada | $105,340 | 15% below national |
| 31 | Virginia | $104,890 | 15% below national |
| 32 | Nebraska | $104,780 | 15% below national |
| 33 | Indiana | $104,160 | 15% below national |
| 34 | Montana | $103,690 | 16% below national |
| 35 | Mississippi | $103,640 | 16% below national |
| 36 | Arizona | $103,060 | 16% below national |
| 37 | Missouri | $102,990 | 16% below national |
| 38 | Wyoming | $102,990 | 16% below national |
| 39 | Iowa | $101,800 | 17% below national |
| 40 | Alabama | $101,420 | 18% below national |
| 41 | Alaska | $100,120 | 19% below national |
| 42 | Utah | $99,610 | 19% below national |
| 43 | Rhode Island | $98,820 | 20% below national |
| 44 | Minnesota | $98,630 | 20% below national |
| 45 | New Mexico | $97,920 | 21% below national |
| 46 | Louisiana | $95,940 | 22% below national |
| 47 | Arkansas | $94,410 | 23% below national |
| 48 | South Dakota | $83,710 | 32% below national |
| 49 | Puerto Rico | $81,070 | 34% below national |
Salary by Metro Area
Highest Paying Metros
View all 207 metro areas →
| # | Metro Area | Median Salary | vs National |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Waterbury-Shelton, CT | $315,450 | +156% above national |
| 2 | Kiryas Joel-Poughkeepsie-Newburgh, NY | $280,630 | +128% above national |
| 3 | Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA | $274,730 | +123% above national |
| 4 | West North Dakota nonmetropolitan area | $237,050 | +92% above national |
| 5 | Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury, CT | $232,600 | +89% above national |
| 6 | New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | $225,900 | +83% above national |
| 7 | North Coast Region of California nonmetropolitan area | $216,950 | +76% above national |
| 8 | Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT | $211,350 | +72% above national |
| 9 | Trenton-Princeton, NJ | $205,700 | +67% above national |
| 10 | Midland, TX | $198,480 | +61% above national |
| 11 | Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN | $193,940 | +57% above national |
| 12 | Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI | $177,730 | +44% above national |
| 13 | Columbus, OH | $175,690 | +43% above national |
| 14 | Port St. Lucie, FL | $173,100 | +40% above national |
| 15 | San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $173,070 | +40% above national |
| 16 | Wilmington, NC | $172,320 | +40% above national |
| 17 | Lexington Park, MD | $171,560 | +39% above national |
| 18 | Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ | $170,600 | +38% above national |
| 19 | Southern Ohio nonmetropolitan area | $170,140 | +38% above national |
| 20 | Colorado Springs, CO | $167,310 | +36% above national |
| 21 | Cleveland, OH | $166,520 | +35% above national |
| 22 | Boulder, CO | $165,780 | +35% above national |
| 23 | Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | $160,160 | +30% above national |
| 24 | San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $159,420 | +29% above national |
| 25 | Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | $158,670 | +29% above national |
| 26 | Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | $157,420 | +28% above national |
| 27 | Manchester-Nashua, NH | $157,210 | +28% above national |
| 28 | Northwest Colorado nonmetropolitan area | $157,040 | +27% above national |
| 29 | Oklahoma City, OK | $156,760 | +27% above national |
| 30 | Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY | $153,210 | +24% above national |
| 31 | Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA | $149,200 | +21% above national |
| 32 | Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA | $146,880 | +19% above national |
| 33 | Fort Collins-Loveland, CO | $145,210 | +18% above national |
| 34 | Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC | $144,750 | +17% above national |
| 35 | Modesto, CA | $140,920 | +14% above national |
| 36 | Mobile, AL | $137,960 | +12% above national |
| 37 | Burlington-South Burlington, VT | $137,810 | +12% above national |
| 38 | Bismarck, ND | $137,510 | +12% above national |
| 39 | Tulsa, OK | $137,490 | +12% above national |
| 40 | Bozeman, MT | $137,430 | +12% above national |
| 41 | Winston-Salem, NC | $137,180 | +11% above national |
| 42 | New Orleans-Metairie, LA | $135,950 | +10% above national |
| 43 | Redding, CA | $135,340 | +10% above national |
| 44 | Pittsburgh, PA | $134,030 | +9% above national |
| 45 | Greensboro-High Point, NC | $133,870 | +9% above national |
| 46 | Reading, PA | $133,240 | +8% above national |
| 47 | Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI | $133,220 | +8% above national |
| 48 | Naples-Marco Island, FL | $132,980 | +8% above national |
| 49 | Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO | $132,810 | +8% above national |
| 50 | Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX | $132,400 | +7% above national |
| 51 | Fargo, ND-MN | $131,950 | +7% above national |
| 52 | Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN | $131,590 | +7% above national |
| 53 | Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX | $131,420 | +7% above national |
| 54 | Kansas City, MO-KS | $131,000 | +6% above national |
| 55 | Boise City, ID | $130,900 | +6% above national |
| 56 | Chattanooga, TN-GA | $130,630 | +6% above national |
| 57 | Raleigh-Cary, NC | $130,600 | +6% above national |
| 58 | Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN | $130,230 | +6% above national |
| 59 | Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD | $129,850 | +5% above national |
| 60 | Rochester, NY | $129,350 | +5% above national |
| 61 | Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood, IN | $128,900 | +5% above national |
| 62 | Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood, MI | $128,770 | +5% above national |
| 63 | Lansing-East Lansing, MI | $128,500 | +4% above national |
| 64 | Fayetteville, NC | $128,170 | +4% above national |
| 65 | San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | $128,080 | +4% above national |
| 66 | Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL | $127,360 | +3% above national |
| 67 | Birmingham, AL | $127,280 | +3% above national |
| 68 | Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | $126,990 | +3% above national |
| 69 | Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI | $126,550 | +3% above national |
| 70 | Ann Arbor, MI | $126,400 | +3% above national |
| 71 | Crestview-Fort Walton Beach-Destin, FL | $126,270 | +2% above national |
| 72 | Hawaii / Kauai nonmetropolitan area | $126,230 | +2% above national |
| 73 | Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | $125,850 | +2% above national |
| 74 | Salem, OR | $125,120 | +2% above national |
| 75 | Medford, OR | $124,990 | +1% above national |
| 76 | Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | $124,570 | +1% above national |
| 77 | Northern Michigan nonmetropolitan area | $124,230 | +1% above national |
| 78 | Chico, CA | $123,880 | +1% above national |
| 79 | South Georgia nonmetropolitan area | $123,400 | same as national |
| 80 | Knoxville, TN | $123,000 | same as national |
| 81 | Eastern Sierra-Mother Lode Region of California nonmetropolitan area | $122,770 | same as national |
| 82 | Memphis, TN-MS-AR | $122,420 | 1% below national |
| 83 | Greenville-Anderson-Greer, SC | $122,230 | 1% below national |
| 84 | Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA | $121,490 | 1% below national |
| 85 | Dayton-Kettering-Beavercreek, OH | $120,910 | 2% below national |
| 86 | Southeast Alabama nonmetropolitan area | $120,280 | 2% below national |
| 87 | Jackson, MS | $119,990 | 3% below national |
| 88 | Richmond, VA | $119,710 | 3% below national |
| 89 | Bakersfield-Delano, CA | $119,400 | 3% below national |
| 90 | Charleston-North Charleston, SC | $118,980 | 3% below national |
| 91 | San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX | $118,190 | 4% below national |
| 92 | Southwest Maine nonmetropolitan area | $117,960 | 4% below national |
| 93 | Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL | $117,790 | 4% below national |
| 94 | Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville, FL | $117,660 | 5% below national |
| 95 | Stockton-Lodi, CA | $115,450 | 6% below national |
| 96 | Eau Claire, WI | $114,560 | 7% below national |
| 97 | Kingsport-Bristol, TN-VA | $114,350 | 7% below national |
| 98 | Springfield, MO | $114,000 | 7% below national |
| 99 | Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA | $112,320 | 9% below national |
| 100 | Sioux Falls, SD-MN | $112,100 | 9% below national |
| 101 | Fresno, CA | $112,000 | 9% below national |
| 102 | Grand Forks, ND-MN | $111,680 | 9% below national |
| 103 | Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA | $111,170 | 10% below national |
| 104 | Lexington-Fayette, KY | $111,030 | 10% below national |
| 105 | West Montana nonmetropolitan area | $110,670 | 10% below national |
| 106 | South Florida nonmetropolitan area | $110,510 | 10% below national |
| 107 | Omaha, NE-IA | $110,210 | 11% below national |
| 108 | Madison, WI | $109,740 | 11% below national |
| 109 | Tucson, AZ | $109,480 | 11% below national |
| 110 | Reno, NV | $108,550 | 12% below national |
| 111 | Western Washington nonmetropolitan area | $108,160 | 12% below national |
| 112 | Corpus Christi, TX | $107,810 | 13% below national |
| 113 | Ogden, UT | $107,600 | 13% below national |
| 114 | Cheyenne, WY | $106,860 | 13% below national |
| 115 | Northeastern Wisconsin nonmetropolitan area | $106,690 | 13% below national |
| 116 | Providence-Warwick, RI-MA | $106,510 | 14% below national |
| 117 | Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL | $106,440 | 14% below national |
| 118 | Jacksonville, FL | $106,350 | 14% below national |
| 119 | Wichita, KS | $106,250 | 14% below national |
| 120 | Greeley, CO | $106,150 | 14% below national |
| 121 | Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA | $105,910 | 14% below national |
| 122 | Billings, MT | $105,830 | 14% below national |
| 123 | Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ | $105,770 | 14% below national |
| 124 | Eastern Wyoming nonmetropolitan area | $105,740 | 14% below national |
| 125 | North Port-Bradenton-Sarasota, FL | $105,720 | 14% below national |
| 126 | Las Vegas-Henderson-North Las Vegas, NV | $105,340 | 15% below national |
| 127 | Southeast-Central Idaho nonmetropolitan area | $104,950 | 15% below national |
| 128 | Topeka, KS | $104,530 | 15% below national |
| 129 | West Delta Mississippi nonmetropolitan area | $104,480 | 15% below national |
| 130 | Northwestern Idaho nonmetropolitan area | $104,440 | 15% below national |
| 131 | Missoula, MT | $104,260 | 15% below national |
| 132 | Fairbanks-College, AK | $103,570 | 16% below national |
| 133 | Urban Honolulu, HI | $103,460 | 16% below national |
| 134 | Salinas, CA | $102,580 | 17% below national |
| 135 | Prescott Valley-Prescott, AZ | $102,460 | 17% below national |
| 136 | Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA | $102,300 | 17% below national |
| 137 | North Region of Texas nonmetropolitan area | $102,140 | 17% below national |
| 138 | Albuquerque, NM | $101,820 | 17% below national |
| 139 | Peoria, IL | $101,820 | 17% below national |
| 140 | Border Region of Texas nonmetropolitan area | $101,560 | 18% below national |
| 141 | Huntsville, AL | $101,540 | 18% below national |
| 142 | Lakeland-Winter Haven, FL | $101,050 | 18% below national |
| 143 | Arizona nonmetropolitan area | $100,950 | 18% below national |
| 144 | Helena, MT | $100,940 | 18% below national |
| 145 | Sierra Vista-Douglas, AZ | $100,420 | 19% below national |
| 146 | Ocala, FL | $100,240 | 19% below national |
| 147 | Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers, AR | $100,230 | 19% below national |
| 148 | Hill Country Region of Texas nonmetropolitan area | $100,230 | 19% below national |
| 149 | North Arkansas nonmetropolitan area | $100,220 | 19% below national |
| 150 | Alaska nonmetropolitan area | $100,170 | 19% below national |
| 151 | Eastern North Carolina nonmetropolitan area | $100,080 | 19% below national |
| 152 | Anchorage, AK | $99,920 | 19% below national |
| 153 | Salt Lake City-Murray, UT | $99,720 | 19% below national |
| 154 | Lake Charles, LA | $99,600 | 19% below national |
| 155 | Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR | $99,600 | 19% below national |
| 156 | La Crosse-Onalaska, WI-MN | $99,350 | 19% below national |
| 157 | Columbus, IN | $99,250 | 19% below national |
| 158 | Balance of Nevada nonmetropolitan area | $99,210 | 19% below national |
| 159 | Bend, OR | $99,010 | 20% below national |
| 160 | North Florida nonmetropolitan area | $98,710 | 20% below national |
| 161 | Southeast Missouri nonmetropolitan area | $98,140 | 20% below national |
| 162 | Pensacola-Ferry Pass-Brent, FL | $98,000 | 20% below national |
| 163 | Northwest Minnesota nonmetropolitan area | $97,900 | 21% below national |
| 164 | Eastern New Mexico nonmetropolitan area | $97,830 | 21% below national |
| 165 | Cape Coral-Fort Myers, FL | $97,780 | 21% below national |
| 166 | South Central Wisconsin nonmetropolitan area | $97,770 | 21% below national |
| 167 | North Valley-Northern Mountains Region of California nonmetropolitan area | $97,650 | 21% below national |
| 168 | Houma-Bayou Cane-Thibodaux, LA | $97,570 | 21% below national |
| 169 | Western Wyoming nonmetropolitan area | $97,090 | 21% below national |
| 170 | Kansas nonmetropolitan area | $96,820 | 21% below national |
| 171 | West Tennessee nonmetropolitan area | $96,230 | 22% below national |
| 172 | Daphne-Fairhope-Foley, AL | $95,870 | 22% below national |
| 173 | High Desert Utah nonmetropolitan area | $95,730 | 22% below national |
| 174 | El Paso, TX | $94,690 | 23% below national |
| 175 | Northwest Iowa nonmetropolitan area | $94,580 | 23% below national |
| 176 | Tallahassee, FL | $94,410 | 23% below national |
| 177 | East Tennessee nonmetropolitan area | $93,800 | 24% below national |
| 178 | Southwest Louisiana nonmetropolitan area | $93,770 | 24% below national |
| 179 | Southwest Alabama nonmetropolitan area | $92,320 | 25% below national |
| 180 | Columbia, SC | $92,300 | 25% below national |
| 181 | Provo-Orem-Lehi, UT | $92,150 | 25% below national |
| 182 | West Kentucky nonmetropolitan area | $91,570 | 26% below national |
| 183 | St. Louis, MO-IL | $91,540 | 26% below national |
| 184 | Monroe, LA | $91,490 | 26% below national |
| 185 | Montgomery, AL | $91,120 | 26% below national |
| 186 | South Arkansas nonmetropolitan area | $91,090 | 26% below national |
| 187 | Baton Rouge, LA | $89,700 | 27% below national |
| 188 | South Central Kentucky nonmetropolitan area | $87,140 | 29% below national |
| 189 | Oshkosh-Neenah, WI | $86,860 | 30% below national |
| 190 | Rapid City, SD | $86,150 | 30% below national |
| 191 | Central Kentucky nonmetropolitan area | $84,780 | 31% below national |
| 192 | Akron, OH | $84,170 | 32% below national |
| 193 | Eastern Washington nonmetropolitan area | $83,590 | 32% below national |
| 194 | San Juan-Bayamon-Caguas, PR | $81,180 | 34% below national |
| 195 | Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC | $80,160 | 35% below national |
| 196 | West South Dakota nonmetropolitan area | $79,990 | 35% below national |
| 197 | Lafayette, LA | $79,430 | 36% below national |
| 198 | Southwest Minnesota nonmetropolitan area | $78,120 | 37% below national |
| 199 | West Northwestern Ohio nonmetropolitan area | $77,910 | 37% below national |
| 200 | East South Dakota nonmetropolitan area | $77,780 | 37% below national |
| 201 | Deltona-Daytona Beach-Ormond Beach, FL | $77,750 | 37% below national |
| 202 | Visalia, CA | $75,600 | 39% below national |
| 203 | Flagstaff, AZ | $68,460 | 44% below national |
| 204 | Champaign-Urbana, IL | $67,770 | 45% below national |
| 205 | Toledo, OH | $61,080 | 50% below national |
| 206 | South Nebraska nonmetropolitan area | $57,240 | 54% below national |
| 207 | Sebastian-Vero Beach-West Vero Corridor, FL | $45,160 | 63% below national |
Similar Occupations in the Same Category
Other roles in SOC major group 53 (transportation and material moving) with comparable pay and career paths.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does a Commercial Pilots make? ▼
What state pays Commercial Pilots the most? ▼
What education do you need to become a Commercial Pilots? ▼
How dangerous is being a Commercial Pilots? ▼
Is Commercial Pilots a good career? ▼
How does Commercial Pilots pay vary by state? ▼
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What to do with this data
How to use Commercial Pilots pay figures in a real decision
- For an experienced offer, anchor on the 75th percentile (about $190,440/year), not the median. The median marks the middle worker; the upper quartile is the realistic target with strong experience. Salary calculator
- Location moves pay significantly: Connecticut leads at $232,160/year for this role. Weigh state pay against local cost of living before relocating or negotiating remote. Pay by state
- Compare this occupation against similar roles before you decide, so you are reading the pay band in context rather than in isolation. Compare jobs
These are BLS survey estimates for the occupation, not a salary offer or a prediction for any individual. Your pay depends on experience, employer, exact role, and location.
Every figure on WageDex is rendered directly from U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics wage data, no number is typed in by an editor. This occupation's figures are computed directly from the BLS OEWS and Employment Projections datasets, nothing is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of May 2025.
This page is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial or career advice. Actual pay for a specific role, employer, or offer may differ from these national/state figures, consult a qualified career counselor, recruiter, or financial advisor before making decisions based on this data.