SOC 53-2011 · Transportation and Material Moving Occupations
Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers wages by metro
National median annual wage
$232,140
- 10th percentile
- $106,710
- 25th percentile
- $182,280
- Median
- $232,140
- 75th percentile
- $384,440
- 90th percentile
- $463,830
- Mean
- $288,650
Annual wage from the May 2025 OEWS estimates. BLS reports this occupation on an annual basis. Hourly wages are not published.
National employment in May 2025: 103,560.
That median is 355.4% higher than the all-occupations national median of $50,980.
The metro and state figures below are the same May 2025 release. A blank wage means BLS did not publish it. See when a wage is not published.
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Highest published medians
| Occupation | Employment | 10th | Median | 90th |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA | 8,700 | $204,020 | $618,090 | $642,610 |
| Boise City, ID | Not available | $122,860 | $507,640 | $507,910 |
| Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI | Not available | $198,690 | $428,570 | $428,570 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | 2,900 | $187,960 | $374,680 | $598,960 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | 6,710 | $179,270 | $364,730 | $427,660 |
| Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN | 3,330 | $182,780 | $350,950 | $463,830 |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | 50 | $192,220 | $343,140 | $362,340 |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | 10,030 | $121,220 | $335,270 | $475,690 |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | 340 | $166,420 | $321,950 | $388,790 |
| Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX | 4,160 | $104,110 | $307,690 | $456,570 |
| Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO | 5,600 | $189,150 | $307,490 | $377,860 |
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | 6,360 | $179,840 | $293,490 | $429,040 |
| Anchorage, AK | 1,270 | $59,130 | $232,240 | $369,150 |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | 3,340 | $160,200 | $229,900 | $529,820 |
| Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL | 180 | $100,400 | $229,490 | $464,010 |
| Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ | 2,100 | $96,380 | $228,040 | $344,080 |
| Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA | Not available | $129,760 | $219,330 | $422,450 |
| Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL | 4,810 | $128,170 | $216,070 | $356,680 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | 5,980 | $92,370 | $212,810 | $417,070 |
| Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI | 2,940 | $130,420 | $211,470 | $353,410 |
Where employment is largest
| Occupation | Employment | 10th | Median | 90th |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | 10,030 | $121,220 | $335,270 | $475,690 |
| Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA | 8,700 | $204,020 | $618,090 | $642,610 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | 6,710 | $179,270 | $364,730 | $427,660 |
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | 6,360 | $179,840 | $293,490 | $429,040 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | 5,980 | $92,370 | $212,810 | $417,070 |
| Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO | 5,600 | $189,150 | $307,490 | $377,860 |
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | 5,100 | $94,790 | $209,750 | $358,480 |
| Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL | 4,810 | $128,170 | $216,070 | $356,680 |
| Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX | 4,160 | $104,110 | $307,690 | $456,570 |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | 3,340 | $160,200 | $229,900 | $529,820 |
| Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN | 3,330 | $182,780 | $350,950 | $463,830 |
| Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI | 2,940 | $130,420 | $211,470 | $353,410 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | 2,900 | $187,960 | $374,680 | $598,960 |
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | 2,120 | Not available | Not available | Not available |
| Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ | 2,100 | $96,380 | $228,040 | $344,080 |
| Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC | 2,090 | $97,700 | $151,540 | $206,700 |
| Las Vegas-Henderson-North Las Vegas, NV | 2,070 | $90,890 | $204,340 | $293,240 |
| Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL | 1,770 | Not available | Not available | Not available |
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | 1,760 | $89,580 | $180,330 | $390,340 |
| Salt Lake City-Murray, UT | 1,740 | $140,090 | $174,940 | $433,330 |
States and territories
| Occupation | Employment | 10th | Median | 90th |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Georgia | 8,770 | $187,570 | $618,090 | $642,610 |
| Idaho | 330 | $120,740 | $507,640 | $507,910 |
| Michigan | Not available | $181,880 | $428,570 | $428,570 |
| California | 10,670 | $179,270 | $353,900 | $427,660 |
| Kentucky | 6,260 | $182,780 | $350,950 | $407,760 |
| Colorado | 5,830 | $189,150 | $307,490 | $377,860 |
| Illinois | 6,460 | $166,620 | $293,490 | $421,610 |
| New York | 6,900 | $101,390 | $255,240 | $475,690 |
| Alaska | 1,350 | $59,130 | $232,140 | $369,150 |
| Washington | 3,450 | $140,780 | $229,900 | $529,820 |
| Arizona | 2,200 | $96,380 | $227,870 | $344,080 |
| Florida | 7,760 | $121,240 | $225,020 | $356,680 |
| Texas | 10,930 | $92,370 | $215,150 | $456,570 |
| Minnesota | 2,960 | $128,070 | $211,470 | $353,410 |
| Ohio | 1,550 | $100,300 | $204,170 | $406,110 |
| Connecticut | 80 | $94,130 | $199,870 | $530,080 |
| Nevada | 2,160 | $90,890 | $192,460 | $293,240 |
| Utah | 1,880 | $108,270 | $174,590 | $433,330 |
| Oregon | 750 | $100,260 | $173,190 | $424,850 |
| Indiana | Not available | $83,680 | $171,260 | $338,390 |
| Arkansas | 250 | $124,990 | $168,970 | $170,960 |
| Puerto Rico | 260 | $49,400 | $167,050 | $503,570 |
| Pennsylvania | 2,270 | $88,090 | $164,990 | $369,300 |
| Rhode Island | 40 | $93,300 | $164,880 | $286,150 |
| North Carolina | 2,240 | $97,700 | $151,540 | $206,700 |
| Maine | 40 | $96,630 | $147,930 | $354,100 |
| Kansas | 80 | $85,860 | $143,580 | $205,580 |
| Mississippi | 360 | $112,420 | $143,580 | $177,110 |
| South Carolina | 110 | $97,070 | $143,580 | $227,550 |
| Tennessee | 110 | $109,760 | $143,580 | $172,390 |
| Alabama | 360 | $108,890 | $136,990 | $176,620 |
| New Mexico | 50 | $117,080 | $136,990 | $172,330 |
| Oklahoma | 180 | $119,230 | $133,680 | $184,790 |
| Iowa | 100 | $64,100 | $131,730 | $201,080 |
| Nebraska | 60 | $59,400 | $131,650 | $233,970 |
| Louisiana | 150 | $74,700 | $120,740 | $251,190 |
| New Hampshire | 50 | $74,130 | $99,280 | $321,250 |
| Missouri | 120 | $60,920 | $97,680 | $172,330 |
| Massachusetts | 2,240 | Not available | Not available | Not available |
| Wyoming | 80 | Not available | Not available | Not available |
Other transportation and material moving occupations
- Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand
- Stockers and Order Fillers
- Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers
- Light Truck Drivers
- Industrial Truck and Tractor Operators
- First-Line Supervisors of Transportation and Material Moving Workers, Except Aircraft Cargo Handling Supervisors
- Packers and Packagers, Hand
- Driver/Sales Workers
Questions this page answers
What is the national median wage for Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers?
In the May 2025 OEWS estimates, the national median annual wage for Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers is $232,140. Employment is 103,560.
How does Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers pay compare with all occupations?
The national median for Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers is 355.4% higher than the all-occupations median of $50,980.
Which metro has the highest published median for Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers?
Among metros with a published annual median in the May 2025 tables, Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA is highest on this page's list at $618,090.