Occupation overview

Commercial Pilots Salary in the United States

The median annual wage for commercial pilots is $123,220, or — per hour. About 47,630 people work in this occupation nationwide. Wages vary substantially by state — from $232,160 in Connecticut to $83,710 in South Dakota.

Median annual

$123,220

Median hourly

—

Entry level (P10)

$58,850

Top 10% (P90)

$266,620

Employment

47,630

States covered

Wage distribution nationwide

Earnings spread across all U.S. workers in this occupation.

10th percentile90th percentile

$58,850

$84,540

$123,220

$190,440

$58,850$123,220$266,620

Annual wage distribution. Highlighted segment contains the median of $123,220.

Salary by state

All 48 states with published data, ranked by median annual wage.

#	State	Median annual	Median hourly	Employment	Location quotient
1	Connecticut	$232,160	—	460	0.89
2	New Jersey	$226,710	—	670	0.51
3	New York	$177,430	—	1,070	0.36
4	California	$165,590	—	4,900	0.88
5	Delaware	$163,600	—	220	1.49
6	Ohio	$150,330	—	2,680	1.58
7	Georgia	$145,100	—	1,020	0.68
8	Colorado	$139,680	—	1,240	1.40
9	Texas	$137,960	—	4,120	0.96
10	Vermont	$137,810	—	40	0.40
11	Pennsylvania	$134,030	—	530	0.29
12	North Dakota	$133,010	—	370	2.81
13	Maryland	$131,210	—	360	0.42
14	Kentucky	$129,990	—	800	1.30
15	Wisconsin	$129,860	—	1,090	1.21
16	North Carolina	$127,310	—	1,520	1.00
17	Michigan	$126,670	—	1,390	1.03
18	Oklahoma	$126,180	—	540	1.04
19	Illinois	$126,100	—	1,170	0.63
20	Florida	$121,890	—	6,340	2.09
21	Oregon	$120,760	—	670	1.11
22	Washington	$117,730	—	890	0.82
23	Maine	$117,560	—	100	0.49
24	Tennessee	$117,480	—	1,030	1.03
25	Hawaii	$113,030	—	350	1.84
26	Idaho	$109,620	—	310	1.19
27	West Virginia	$105,950	—	40	0.20
28	South Carolina	$105,740	—	290	0.41
29	Kansas	$105,440	—	680	1.53
30	Nevada	$105,340	—	1,100	2.32
31	Virginia	$104,890	—	1,130	0.89
32	Nebraska	$104,780	—	290	0.94
33	Indiana	$104,160	—	960	0.97
34	Montana	$103,690	—	330	2.13
35	Mississippi	$103,640	—	240	0.67
36	Arizona	$103,060	—	1,540	1.55
37	Wyoming	$102,990	—	190	2.17
38	Missouri	$102,990	—	670	0.75
39	Iowa	$101,800	—	300	0.62
40	Alabama	$101,420	—	780	1.20
41	Alaska	$100,120	—	1,000	10.07
42	Utah	$99,610	—	540	1.02
43	Rhode Island	$98,820	—	80	0.52
44	Minnesota	$98,630	—	910	1.01
45	New Mexico	$97,920	—	370	1.39
46	Louisiana	$95,940	—	910	1.54
47	Arkansas	$94,410	—	460	1.15
48	South Dakota	$83,710	—	320	2.31

Related occupations

Same job family, ranked by national employment.

Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand$40,240 Stockers and Order Fillers$37,330 Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers$58,640 Light Truck Drivers$44,860 Industrial Truck and Tractor Operators$46,420 First-Line Supervisors of Transportation and Material Moving Workers, Except Aircraft Cargo Handling Supervisors$62,890

Frequently asked questions

How much do commercial pilots make?

The median annual wage for commercial pilots in the United States is $123,220, or — per hour. Entry-level workers (10th percentile) earn $58,850, and the top 10% earn $266,620.

How many commercial pilots are employed in the U.S.?

About 47,630 people work as commercial pilots nationwide.

Which state pays commercial pilots the most?

Connecticut pays the most at a median of $232,160, followed by New Jersey ($226,710) and New York ($177,430).

Which state pays commercial pilots the least?

South Dakota has the lowest median at $83,710.

Where are commercial pilots jobs most concentrated?

The location quotient measures employment concentration relative to the national average. The highest is Alaska at 10.07×.

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS May 2025. Retrieved 2026-10-26. bls.gov/oes