How much do airline pilots make?

Airline Pilot salary 2026 · BLS occupation: Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers (SOC 53-2011) · Updated October 28, 2026

Answer

Airline pilots in the US earned a median of $232,140 a year in May 2025, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The middle half earned $182,280 to $384,440.

Median annual pay: $232,140; Mean $288,650
Median hourly pay: Annual only; BLS publishes annual pay only for this occupation
Typical range (10th–90th): $107K–$464K; $106,710 to $463,830
US jobs: 103,560; +8.3% projected, 2025–35

BLS OEWS, May 2025, released April 30, 2026. Wages include tips, commissions and production bonuses but not overtime premiums, shift differentials, other bonuses or benefits; self-employed workers are not included. Methodology

How to become an airline pilot: steps, years and cost · Best-paying state after cost of living: Georgia

Airline Pilot pay range

Annual wages, May 2025

10th percentile$106,710
25th percentile$182,280
Median$232,140
75th percentile$384,440
90th percentile$463,830

Half of all airline pilots earned more than $232,140 and half earned less. The lowest-paid 10% made under $106,710; the top 10% made over $463,830. The middle 50%, from the 25th to the 75th percentile, ran from $182,280 to $384,440.

These percentiles describe everyone in the occupation at one time. They are not pay steps by years of experience: they mix new and senior workers, different states, employers and hours. Pay generally rises with experience, credentials and specialization, but BLS does not publish pay by experience.

Percentile	Annual	Hourly	Monthly
10th	$106,710	—	$8,893
25th	$182,280	—	$15,190
Median (50th)	$232,140	—	$19,345
75th	$384,440	—	$32,037
90th	$463,830	—	$38,653
Mean (average)	$288,650	—	$24,054

Airline Pilot salary by state

Median annual pay; cost of living from BEA regional price parities 2024

Median annual pay for airline pilots by state. Darker tiles pay more. A dash means BLS did not publish a figure.

Highest-paying states

1. Georgia $618,090
2. Idaho $507,640
3. Michigan $428,570
4. California $353,900
5. Kentucky $350,950

Lowest-paying states

37. Missouri $97,680
36. New Hampshire $99,280
35. Louisiana $120,740
34. Nebraska $131,650
33. Iowa $131,730

Best after cost of living: Georgia. Its median of $618,090 is worth about $641,885 at national-average prices.


Alabama	$136,990	30	$154,228	28	—	360	0.17
Alaska	$232,140	9	$226,790	9	—	1,350	4.13
Arizona	$227,870	11	$226,338	10	—	2,200	0.68
Arkansas	$168,970	21	$194,359	16	—	250	0.19
California	$353,900	4	$319,635	5	—	10,670	0.59
Colorado	$307,490	6	$298,383	6	—	5,830	2.03
Connecticut	$199,870	16	$192,906	17	—	80	0.04
Delaware	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
District of Columbia	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
Florida	$225,020	12	$217,591	13	—	7,760	0.78
Georgia	$618,090	1	$641,885	1	—	8,770	1.79
Hawaii	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
Idaho	$507,640	2	$531,594	2	—	330	0.38
Illinois	$293,490	7	$293,613	7	—	6,460	1.06
Indiana	$171,260	20	$183,501	19	—	—	—
Iowa	$131,730	33	$150,099	32	—	100	0.07
Kansas	$143,580	26	$159,413	26	—	80	0.06
Kentucky	$350,950	5	$389,257	4	—	6,260	3.13
Louisiana	$120,740	35	$136,883	35	—	150	0.07
Maine	$147,930	25	$152,427	30	—	40	0.06
Maryland	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
Massachusetts	—	—	—	—	—	2,240	0.62
Michigan	$428,570	3	$445,420	3	—	—	—
Minnesota	$211,470	14	$214,427	15	—	2,960	1.00
Mississippi	$143,580	27	$165,124	23	—	360	0.31
Missouri	$97,680	37	$107,557	36	—	120	0.04
Montana	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
Nebraska	$131,650	34	$146,111	34	—	60	0.06
Nevada	$192,460	17	$192,500	18	—	2,160	1.39
New Hampshire	$99,280	36	$95,310	37	—	50	0.07
New Jersey	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
New Mexico	$136,990	31	$148,560	33	—	50	0.05
New York	$255,240	8	$236,506	8	—	6,900	0.71
North Carolina	$151,540	24	$160,656	25	—	2,240	0.45
North Dakota	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
Ohio	$204,170	15	$220,072	12	—	1,550	0.28
Oklahoma	$133,680	32	$152,181	31	—	180	0.11
Oregon	$173,190	19	$167,558	22	—	750	0.38
Pennsylvania	$164,990	22	$169,096	21	—	2,270	0.37
Rhode Island	$164,880	23	$161,205	24	—	40	0.09
South Carolina	$143,580	28	$153,154	29	—	110	0.05
South Dakota	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
Tennessee	$143,580	29	$156,286	27	—	110	0.03
Texas	$215,150	13	$221,674	11	—	10,930	0.78
Utah	$174,590	18	$176,596	20	—	1,880	1.08
Vermont	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
Virginia	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
Washington	$229,900	10	$214,834	14	—	3,450	0.97
West Virginia	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
Wisconsin	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
Wyoming	—	—	—	—	—	80	0.29

BLS OEWS, May 2025, state estimates. Adjusted pay = median ÷ (state price level ÷ 100), using BEA regional price parities for 2024; it ignores taxes. Figures for states with few workers in the occupation have larger survey errors and can change sharply from one year to the next. “—” means BLS did not publish the figure (14 states). State names link to each state’s highest-paying jobs.

Best-paying metro areas for airline pilots

46 metro areas with published pay

Highest median pay
Metro area	Median	Adjusted	Jobs
Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA	$618,090	$617,732	8,700
Boise City, ID	$507,640	$515,941	—
Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI	$428,570	$427,297	—
San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA	$374,680	$324,081	2,900
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA	$364,730	$321,161	6,710
Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN	$350,950	$367,988	3,330
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA	$343,140	$310,750	50
New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ	$335,270	$297,851	10,030
San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA	$321,950	$287,746	340
Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX	$307,690	$311,967	4,160

Most jobs
Metro area	Jobs	Median	Adjusted
New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ	10,030	$335,270	$297,851
Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA	8,700	$618,090	$617,732
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA	6,710	$364,730	$321,161
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN	6,360	$293,490	$283,305
Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX	5,980	$212,810	$206,431
Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO	5,600	$307,490	$290,683
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV	5,100	$209,750	$192,636
Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL	4,810	$216,070	$189,278
Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX	4,160	$307,690	$311,967
Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA	3,340	$229,900	$206,869

BLS OEWS, May 2025, metropolitan statistical areas; adjusted with BEA metro price parities (2024).

What moves airline pilot pay: employers and settings

Airline pilots, copilots and flight engineers earned a median of $232,140 in May 2025. The type of flying matters a lot. Scheduled airlines, which employ 87.7% of these pilots, pay a median of $293,240; courier and express delivery carriers pay more, at $334,930. Support activities for air transportation pay $202,680. Federal government pilots earn $141,140 and those at flight schools $88,230.

Within an airline, pay and advancement follow seniority under collective bargaining contracts, and pay generally rises with the seat (captain over first officer), the size of the aircraft and the size of the carrier. Seniority is tied to one airline, so a pilot who changes carriers starts again near the bottom of the new list.

By state, Georgia leads with $618,090, followed by Idaho at $507,640, Michigan at $428,570, California at $353,900, and Kentucky at $350,950; Georgia and Kentucky host large airline and cargo hubs. At the 10th percentile pilots earn $106,710, and at the 90th, $463,830, more than four times as much. The median roughly doubled from $117,290 in 2015.

Where airline pilots work
Industry	Share of jobs	Median pay
Scheduled Air Transportation	87.7%	$293,240
Couriers and Express Delivery Services	5.5%	$334,930
Federal Executive Branch	2.6%	$141,140
Support Activities for Air Transportation	2.5%	$202,680
Management of Companies and Enterprises	0.6%	$130,170
Technical and Trade Schools	0.2%	$88,230

Private employers and government
Employer type	Jobs	Median pay
Private employers	100,790	$283,560
Federal government (incl. Postal Service)	2,720	$141,140

BLS OEWS, May 2025, national industry-specific and ownership estimates (4-digit NAICS).

Airline Pilot pay over time

Median annual pay, 2015–2025

$232K $117K

2015
2016
2017
2018
2019
2020
2021
2022
2023
2024
2025

Nominal median (dollars of each year)In May 2025 dollars (adjusted with CPI-U)

The median rose from $117,290 in 2015 to $232,140 in 2025, up 98% in nominal dollars. After inflation, the 2015 median is worth $158,553 in May 2025 dollars, so real pay grew 46% over the period.

BLS OEWS, May 2025 and earlier May releases; inflation from the CPI-U, US city average, May of each year.

What airline pilots do

Airline pilots fly passengers and cargo on scheduled routes for regional, major and cargo carriers. Every airliner has at least two: the captain, who commands the flight and signs for the aircraft, and the first officer, who shares the flying and the radio, checklist and systems work. Long international flights add a relief pilot or two.

A trip starts well before pushback. The crew reviews the dispatch release, weather, fuel load, weight and balance and any maintenance write-ups, walks around the aircraft and programs the flight management computer. In flight, they talk with air traffic control, watch systems and fuel, divert around storms and handle anything that goes wrong, from a sick passenger to an engine problem. Most of the flying uses the autopilot, but takeoffs and landings, and every abnormal situation, call for hands-on skill and tight crew coordination. Pilots work trips of one to several days out of a home base, with nights in hotels, and they spend regular days in simulators for recurrent training and checkrides.

A typical day

Review the flight plan, weather, fuel and maintenance status with dispatch before each leg
Inspect the airplane on a walkaround and program the flight management system
Fly takeoffs, climbs and approaches, alternating legs between captain and first officer
Follow air traffic control clearances and reroute around storms or turbulence
Monitor engines, fuel burn and aircraft systems, and work through checklists for any fault
Brief flight attendants and coordinate with ground crews, gate agents and mechanics
Complete recurrent training, simulator checkrides and medical exams to stay qualified

Also called: commercial airline pilot, airline captain, first officer, airbus captain, captain, check airman, co-pilot, first officer (fo).

How to become an airline pilot

Full guide

To become an airline pilot, you earn FAA private, instrument, commercial and multiengine credentials, build to 1,500 flight hours (fewer for military pilots and some aviation graduates), complete the ATP Certification Training Program and earn an airline transport pilot (ATP) certificate at age 23 or older. From zero experience this usually takes about 4 to 6 years, and most airlines prefer a bachelor's degree.

Typical time: 4-6 years; Fastest: About 2-3 years
Minimum education: No degree is legally required; most airlines prefer a bachelor's degree, and an FAA airline transport pilot (ATP) certificate is mandatory
License: Federal, not state: an FAA airline transport pilot certificate, a type rating for the aircraft and a first-class medical certificate are required nationwide
Typical training cost: $37.9K–$129K; See the guide for what it includes

Read the step-by-step guide to becoming an airline pilot: each step with its time and cost, education options, exams, licensing and advancement.

Is it worth it? Training cost against pay

Compare careers

Training time: 4-6 years; Typical path in our guide
Training cost: $37.9K–$129K; Tuition and exam fees, before aid
Median pay: $232,140; $181,160 above the all-jobs median ($50,980)
Cost vs. one year's pay: 16–55%; Training cost as a share of a year at the median

Once qualified, the pay difference over the typical US job at the median ($181,160 a year before tax) would repay the training cost in less than a year after training ends (4-6 years in our guide). This is a rough guide: it ignores taxes, financial aid, interest, earnings given up while training and how pay changes over a career. How we calculate ROI.

Job outlook for airline pilots

BLS Employment Projections 2025–35

Projected growth: +8.3%; All occupations +3.5%
Jobs in 2025: 104,600; 113,300 projected for 2035
Openings each year: 11,200; New jobs plus replacements
Self-employed: —; Not in the pay figures above

BLS projects airline pilot jobs to grow 8.3% from 2025 to 2035, from 104,600 to 113,300, more than twice the 3.5% average for all occupations. Growth in air travel, especially leisure trips, drives demand, and rising e-commerce adds cargo flying. Replacement needs matter even more than growth: federal rules bar pilots from airline flying after age 65, so a steady stream of captains leaves each year. Altogether BLS expects about 11,200 openings a year.

Related careers and their pay

Related occupations from O*NET 31.0; median annual pay from BLS OEWS, May 2025.

Airline Pilot salary FAQ

Which state pays airline pilots the most?

Georgia has the highest median pay for airline pilots, $618,090 a year, followed by Idaho ($507,640) and Michigan ($428,570). After adjusting for each state's price level, Georgia comes out ahead at about $641,885 in national-average dollars.

Do airline pilots make $200,000 a year?

Most do: based on the BLS percentiles, between 50% and 75% of airline pilots earn more than $200,000 a year. The median is $232,140, and the top 10% earn more than $463,830. Pay generally rises with experience, specialization and location.

What do airline pilots make when they start?

BLS does not publish pay by years of experience. The lowest-paid 10% of airline pilots earn less than $106,710 a year and the lowest-paid quarter less than $182,280. New workers are often in the lower part of the range, but percentiles also reflect location, employer and hours, not only experience.

What is the difference between a captain and a first officer?

The captain is the pilot in command and has final authority and legal responsibility for the flight; the first officer is second in command and shares the flying, usually alternating legs. At a Part 121 airline, both need an ATP certificate and a type rating, but captains must also have 1,000 hours as a Part 121 first officer or equivalent. Captains sit in the left seat and earn higher contract rates.

Do cargo pilots make more than passenger airline pilots?

At the median, yes. Courier and express delivery companies paid their pilots a median of $334,930 in May 2025, compared with $293,240 for scheduled airlines, which carry most passengers. Cargo flying often involves overnight and international schedules on large aircraft. Pay at any carrier still depends on its contract, the aircraft, the seat and seniority.

How many hours do airline pilots work?

BLS says airline pilots average about 75 hours a month in the air plus roughly 150 more hours on duty for planning, waiting and other work. For passenger airlines, federal rules cap flight time at 100 hours in any 672 consecutive hours and 1,000 hours a year, and require at least 10 hours of rest before each duty period. Schedules come in multiday trips, with days off between them.

Sources

Data updated October 28, 2026 · Text checked against its sources October 28, 2026

U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 estimates, released April 30, 2026, SOC 53-2011
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections 2025–2035, released September 2026
O*NET 31.0 Database (53-2011.00), U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA), used under CC BY 4.0; tasks rewritten by Careers and Salaries
U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by state and metro area, 2024
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U), US city average, May values
U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard field-of-study and institution data, most recent cohorts, released 2026-10-15
Airline and Commercial Pilots: Occupational Outlook Handbook, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · checked October 28, 2026
14 CFR 61.159 Aeronautical experience: Airplane category rating, Electronic Code of Federal Regulations (FAA) · checked October 28, 2026
14 CFR 61.160 and 61.153 (restricted ATP and ATP eligibility), Electronic Code of Federal Regulations (FAA) · checked October 28, 2026
14 CFR 61.156 ATP Certification Training Program, Electronic Code of Federal Regulations (FAA) · checked October 28, 2026
14 CFR 61.23 Medical certificates: Requirement and duration, Electronic Code of Federal Regulations (FAA) · checked October 28, 2026
14 CFR 61.129 Aeronautical experience (commercial pilot), Electronic Code of Federal Regulations (FAA) · checked October 28, 2026
14 CFR 121.436 Pilot qualification: Certificates and experience requirements, Electronic Code of Federal Regulations (FAA) · checked October 28, 2026
14 CFR 121.383 Airman: Limitations on use of services, Electronic Code of Federal Regulations (FAA) · checked October 28, 2026
Aviation Program Costs, South Dakota State University · checked October 28, 2026
License Finder, CareerOneStop (U.S. Department of Labor) · checked October 28, 2026
14 CFR 61.109 Aeronautical experience (private pilot), Electronic Code of Federal Regulations (FAA) · checked October 28, 2026
14 CFR Part 117 Flight and duty limitations and rest requirements (117.1, 117.23, 117.25), Electronic Code of Federal Regulations (FAA) · checked October 28, 2026

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