The average salary for a commercial pilot in the United States is around $123,220 per year.
Avg Salary
Commercial pilots earn an average yearly salary of $123,220.
Wages typically start from $58,850 and go up to $266,620.
108% above national average Updated in 2025
Commercial pilot earnings by seniority
90th percentile
Top-level commercial pilot earnings begin at:
$128.18 per hour
$266,620 per year
75th percentile
Senior-level commercial pilot earnings begin at:
$91.56 per hour
$190,440 per year
50th percentile
Mid-level commercial pilot earnings begin at:
$59.24 per hour
$123,220 per year
25th percentile
Junior-level commercial pilot earnings begin at:
$40.64 per hour
$84,540 per year
10th percentile
Starting level commercial pilot earnings begin at:
$28.29 per hour
$58,850 per year
Approximate values based on highest and lowest earning segments.
Commercial pilot salary by state
| State Name | Average Salary |
|---|---|
| Utah | $99,610 |
| Rhode Island | $98,820 |
| Minnesota | $98,630 |
| New Mexico | $97,920 |
| Louisiana | $95,940 |
| Arkansas | $94,410 |
| South Dakota | $83,710 |
| New Hampshire | $57,210 |
| Connecticut | $232,160 |
| New Jersey | $226,710 |
| New York | $177,430 |
| California | $165,590 |
| Delaware | $163,600 |
| Ohio | $150,330 |
| Georgia | $145,100 |
| Colorado | $139,680 |
| Texas | $137,960 |
| Vermont | $137,810 |
| Pennsylvania | $134,030 |
| North Dakota | $133,010 |
| Maryland | $131,210 |
| Kentucky | $129,990 |
| Wisconsin | $129,860 |
| North Carolina | $127,310 |
| Michigan | $126,670 |
| Oklahoma | $126,180 |
| Illinois | $126,100 |
| Florida | $121,890 |
| Oregon | $120,760 |
| Washington | $117,730 |
| Maine | $117,560 |
| Tennessee | $117,480 |
| Hawaii | $113,030 |
| Idaho | $109,620 |
| West Virginia | $105,950 |
| South Carolina | $105,740 |
| Kansas | $105,440 |
| Nevada | $105,340 |
| Virginia | $104,890 |
| Massachusetts | $104,830 |
| Nebraska | $104,780 |
| Indiana | $104,160 |
| Montana | $103,690 |
| Mississippi | $103,640 |
| Arizona | $103,060 |
| Missouri | $102,990 |
| Wyoming | $102,990 |
| Iowa | $101,800 |
| Alabama | $101,420 |
| Alaska | $100,120 |
How do commercial pilot salaries compare to similar careers?
Commercial pilots earn about the same as related careers in the United States. On average, they make less than air crew officers but more than shipmates.
| Career | Median Salary |
|---|---|
| Air crew officer salary | $232K |
| Air traffic controller salary | $148K |
| Commercial pilot salary | $123K |
| Ship engineer salary | $110K |
| Transportation planner salary | $101K |
| Ship captain salary | $92K |
| Shipmate salary | $92K |
Source: CareerExplorer (Aggregated)