How much do pilots make?
Answer
There is no single pilot salary: BLS publishes pay for each type. Medians range from $123,220 to $232,140 a year (May 2025).
| Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers | $232,140 | $106,710 | $463,830 | 103,560 | Bachelor's degree | +8.3% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Commercial Pilots | $123,220 | $58,850 | $266,620 | 47,630 | Postsecondary nondegree award | +5.2% |
BLS OEWS, May 2025 (released April 30, 2026); typical education and growth from BLS Employment Projections 2025–35.
How the types of pilot compare
The pilot page covers two official occupations with very different pay. Airline pilots, copilots and flight engineers have a median of $232,140, and hold 103,560 jobs in our data. Commercial pilots, who fly charters, corporate aircraft, air ambulances, tours and agricultural planes, have a median of $123,220, with 47,630 jobs.
Training overlaps but the finish line differs. A commercial pilot needs a commercial pilot certificate, which requires at least 250 hours of flight time under the FAA's Part 61 rules, an age of at least 18 and a second-class medical. To fly as a pilot at an airline, you also need an airline transport pilot (ATP) certificate, which normally takes 1,500 hours and an age of 23, plus a type rating for the aircraft. BLS lists a bachelor's degree as the typical entry education for airline pilots, while commercial pilots usually need flight training, with some employers preferring a degree.
The work differs too. Airline pilots fly fixed routes on large jets, with pay and schedules tied to seniority under union contracts. Commercial pilots fly smaller aircraft, often stay closer to home, and may do ground tasks as well. Many airline pilots spend their early years as commercial pilots or flight instructors to build hours.
Pilot salary by state
Median annual pay by type
| Alabama | $136,990 | $101,420 |
|---|---|---|
| Alaska | $232,140 | $100,120 |
| Arizona | $227,870 | $103,060 |
| Arkansas | $168,970 | $94,410 |
| California | $353,900 | $165,590 |
| Colorado | $307,490 | $139,680 |
| Connecticut | $199,870 | $232,160 |
| Delaware | — | $163,600 |
| District of Columbia | — | — |
| Florida | $225,020 | $121,890 |
| Georgia | $618,090 | $145,100 |
| Hawaii | — | $113,030 |
| Idaho | $507,640 | $109,620 |
| Illinois | $293,490 | $126,100 |
| Indiana | $171,260 | $104,160 |
| Iowa | $131,730 | $101,800 |
| Kansas | $143,580 | $105,440 |
| Kentucky | $350,950 | $129,990 |
| Louisiana | $120,740 | $95,940 |
| Maine | $147,930 | $117,560 |
| Maryland | — | $131,210 |
| Massachusetts | — | — |
| Michigan | $428,570 | $126,670 |
| Minnesota | $211,470 | $98,630 |
| Mississippi | $143,580 | $103,640 |
| Missouri | $97,680 | $102,990 |
| Montana | — | $103,690 |
| Nebraska | $131,650 | $104,780 |
| Nevada | $192,460 | $105,340 |
| New Hampshire | $99,280 | — |
| New Jersey | — | $226,710 |
| New Mexico | $136,990 | $97,920 |
| New York | $255,240 | $177,430 |
| North Carolina | $151,540 | $127,310 |
| North Dakota | — | $133,010 |
| Ohio | $204,170 | $150,330 |
| Oklahoma | $133,680 | $126,180 |
| Oregon | $173,190 | $120,760 |
| Pennsylvania | $164,990 | $134,030 |
| Rhode Island | $164,880 | $98,820 |
| South Carolina | $143,580 | $105,740 |
| South Dakota | — | $83,710 |
| Tennessee | $143,580 | $117,480 |
| Texas | $215,150 | $137,960 |
| Utah | $174,590 | $99,610 |
| Vermont | — | $137,810 |
| Virginia | — | $104,890 |
| Washington | $229,900 | $117,730 |
| West Virginia | — | $105,950 |
| Wisconsin | — | $129,860 |
| Wyoming | — | $102,990 |
Median annual pay by state, BLS OEWS, May 2025. “—” means BLS did not publish the figure. Each occupation’s own page has its full state table with cost-of-living-adjusted pay.
What pilots do
A pilot flies and navigates aircraft, but the job looks very different depending on who you fly for. Airline pilots work in two-person crews on scheduled passenger and cargo flights: the captain is in command and the first officer shares the flying, radio work and checklists. Before each flight they review weather and the flight plan, check fuel and weight, and inspect the aircraft; in the air they manage the autopilot and flight computers, talk with air traffic control and handle anything from turbulence to a mechanical problem.
Commercial pilots fly everything that is not a scheduled airline: charter and corporate jets, air ambulances, crop-dusting planes, aerial tours, firefighting aircraft, pipeline patrols and flight instruction. Many fly helicopters. Their jobs often include more than flying, such as scheduling, arranging maintenance or loading bags.
Airline pilots usually spend several nights a week away from home, with schedules set by seniority. Federal rules limit duty time and require rest between flights, and pilots flying for airlines must stop at age 65.
A typical day
- Review weather, notices and the flight plan, and decide on fuel and alternates
- Walk around the aircraft and run preflight checklists on systems and instruments
- Confirm weight and balance and how cargo and passengers are loaded
- Fly takeoffs and landings and manage the autopilot and flight computers en route
- Talk with air traffic control and change altitude or route for weather or traffic
- Handle abnormal situations using checklists and crew coordination
- Log the flight and report any aircraft problems for maintenance after landing
Also called: pilots, airbus captain, airline captain, airline pilot, captain, check airman, co-pilot, commercial airline pilot.
How to become a pilot
Full guideTo become a pilot, you earn a series of FAA certificates: student, private, instrument rating and commercial pilot (at least 250 hours and age 18). Airline pilots then need an airline transport pilot certificate, normally 1,500 hours and age 23, and usually a bachelor's degree.
- Typical time
- 4 years or more for an airline career
- Fastest: Commercial pilot as soon as you log 250 hours; airline eligibility after 750-1,500 hours
- Minimum education
- No degree required by the FAA; airlines typically expect a bachelor's degree
- License
- Required: FAA pilot certificates and a medical certificate (federal, the same in every state)
- Typical training cost
- $9.8K–$129K
- See the guide for what it includes
Read the step-by-step guide to becoming a 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 years or more for an airline career
- Typical path in our guide
- Training cost
- $9.8K–$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
- 4–55%
- 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 years or more for an airline career 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 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, much faster than the 3.5% expected for all occupations, with about 11,200 openings a year. Commercial pilot jobs are projected to grow 5%. Across both groups, BLS expects about 16,400 openings a year.
Most openings will come from pilots retiring, including those who reach the mandatory airline retirement age of 65, or leaving the field. Growth in air travel, especially leisure trips, and in e-commerce freight supports airline hiring, while charter flying supports commercial pilot jobs.
Outlook shown for airline pilots, copilots, and flight engineers; each type’s growth is in the table at the top.
Related careers and their pay
- Commercial Pilot$123,220
- Air Traffic Controller$148,080
- Aircraft Mechanic$79,870
- Aerospace Engineer$134,960
- Flight Attendant$63,580
- Train Conductor$78,000
Related occupations from O*NET 31.0; median annual pay from BLS OEWS, May 2025.
Pilot salary FAQ
Do airline pilots earn more than commercial pilots?
Yes, by a wide margin. In our data, airline pilots, copilots and flight engineers have a median of $232,140, while commercial pilots have a median of $123,220, about half as much. Airline pay climbs with seniority under union contracts. Commercial pilots fly charters, corporate jets, air ambulances, tours and crop dusters, and their pay depends heavily on the employer and the aircraft.
How many hours do airline pilots work?
BLS reports that airline pilots fly an average of 75 hours a month and spend about another 150 hours a month on other duties, such as checking weather and preparing flight plans. Federal rules cap duty time and require rest between flights. Schedules often mean several days on followed by days off, with overnight layovers paid for by the airline. Senior pilots get first choice of routes and days.
Do pilots have to retire at 65?
Pilots flying for U.S. airlines under the FAA's Part 121 rules may not serve as pilots once they reach their 65th birthday. That rule creates a steady stream of retirements and openings at airlines. Commercial pilots outside the airlines, such as corporate, charter or agricultural pilots, are not covered by that airline age limit, though they still need a valid FAA medical certificate.
Do new airline pilots start at the median salary?
Usually not. The airline pilot median, $232,140, is the midpoint for every airline pilot in the data, from new first officers to senior captains, across regional, cargo and major carriers. New hires start at the bottom of an airline's seniority list, and pay rises with each year of service and with upgrades to captain or larger aircraft under the union contract. The percentiles do not line up with years of service, so check the specific airline's contract.
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 61.83 Eligibility requirements for student pilots, Electronic Code of Federal Regulations (FAA rules) · checked October 28, 2026
- 14 CFR 61.103 and 61.109 Private pilot eligibility and aeronautical experience, Electronic Code of Federal Regulations (FAA rules) · checked October 28, 2026
- 14 CFR 61.123 and 61.129 Commercial pilot eligibility and aeronautical experience, Electronic Code of Federal Regulations (FAA rules) · checked October 28, 2026
- 14 CFR 61.159 and 61.160 ATP aeronautical experience and restricted privileges, Electronic Code of Federal Regulations (FAA rules) · checked October 28, 2026
- 14 CFR 61.153 ATP eligibility requirements, Electronic Code of Federal Regulations (FAA rules) · checked October 28, 2026
- 14 CFR 61.23 Medical certificates: Requirement and duration, Electronic Code of Federal Regulations (FAA rules) · checked October 28, 2026
- 14 CFR 121.436 and 121.383 Pilot qualification and age limit, Electronic Code of Federal Regulations (FAA rules) · checked October 28, 2026
- License Finder, CareerOneStop (U.S. Department of Labor) · checked October 28, 2026
- Aviation Program Costs, South Dakota State University · checked October 28, 2026
Careers and Salaries is not affiliated with the Bureau of Labor Statistics or any government agency. Found an error? Tell us; corrections are listed on the editorial policy page.