Commercial Pilots Salary
Transportation and Material Moving Occupations · 48K employed in the U.S.
Median annual
$123,220
Median hourly
$59
Average annual
$146,080
Typical range
$58,850–$266,620
Pay distribution
10th to 90th percentile, with the median marked.
What this role pays
The median annual salary for Commercial Pilots is $123,220 as of May 2025, based on the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey. That works out to about $59 an hour at a full-time schedule.
Pilot and navigate the flight of fixed-wing aircraft on nonscheduled air carrier routes, or helicopters. Requires Commercial Pilot certificate.
Most earn between $58,850 and $266,620 a year. There are roughly 48K people employed as commercial pilots in the United States. Use the state and metro pages below to see how pay changes by location, and the calculator to convert any hourly or annual figure.
Salary calculator
Convert your pay and see where it lands for Commercial Pilots.
- Hourly
- $59.24
- Daily
- $474
- Weekly
- $2,370
- Bi-weekly
- $4,739
- Monthly
- $10,268
- Annual
- $123,220
$123,220 a year is around the 50th percentile for Commercial Pilotss. The median is $123,220.
Highest-paying states
Median annual wage by state.
- 1Connecticut$232,160
- 2New Jersey$226,710
- 3New York$177,430
- 4California$165,590
- 5Delaware$163,600
- 6Ohio$150,330
- 7Georgia$145,100
- 8Colorado$139,680
- 9Texas$137,960
- 10Vermont$137,810
- 11Pennsylvania$134,030
- 12North Dakota$133,010
Top-paying metro areas
Median annual wage by metro area.
- 1Waterbury-Shelton, CT$315,450
- 2Kiryas Joel-Poughkeepsie-Newburgh, NY$280,630
- 3Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA$274,730
- 4Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury, CT$232,600
- 5New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ$225,900
- 6Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT$211,350
- 7Trenton-Princeton, NJ$205,700
- 8Midland, TX$198,480
- 9Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN$193,940
- 10Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI$177,730
- 11Columbus, OH$175,690
- 12Port St. Lucie, FL$173,100
Related job titles
Employers advertise Commercial Pilots roles under these titles.
- Advanced Air Mobility Operator (AAM Operator)
- Advanced Air Mobility Pilot (AAM Pilot)
- Advanced Air Mobility Technician (AAM Technician)
- Aerial Advertiser
- Aerial Crop Duster
- Aerial Hurricane Hunter
- Aerial Sprayer
- Agricultural Pilot
- Air Ambulance Captain
- Air Ambulance Helicopter Pilot
- Air Tour Pilot
- Air Transport Pilot
- Airplane Patroller
- Aviator
- Balloon Pilot
- Balloonist
Related occupations
- Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers$232,140
- Air Traffic Controllers$148,080
- Airfield Operations Specialists$56,850
- Transportation Inspectors$92,100
- Locomotive Engineers$81,410
- Aircraft Mechanics and Service Technicians$79,870
- Captains, Mates, and Pilots of Water Vessels$92,460
- Avionics Technicians$82,280
What a Commercial Pilots does
- Check aircraft prior to flights to ensure that the engines, controls, instruments, and other systems are functioning properly.
- Co-pilot aircraft or perform captain's duties, as required.
- Consider airport altitudes, outside temperatures, plane weights, and wind speeds and directions to calculate the speed needed to become airborne.
- Use instrumentation to pilot aircraft when visibility is poor.
- Monitor engine operation, fuel consumption, and functioning of aircraft systems during flights.
- Order changes in fuel supplies, loads, routes, or schedules to ensure safety of flights.
- Contact control towers for takeoff clearances, arrival instructions, and other information, using radio equipment.
- Plan flights according to government and company regulations, using aeronautical charts and navigation instruments.
Frequently asked questions
- How much does a Commercial Pilots make?
- The median annual wage for Commercial Pilots is $123,220 ($59 per hour). Pay ranges from about $58,850 at the 10th percentile to $266,620 at the 90th percentile.
- What is the average salary for a Commercial Pilots?
- The average (mean) annual salary is $146,080, which is higher than the median because a small number of high earners pull the average up.
- Which state pays Commercial Pilotss the most?
- Connecticut has the highest median annual wage for this occupation at $232,160.
- Is Commercial Pilots a growing occupation?
- BLS employment data for May 2025 counts about 48K people in this occupation. Projected growth is published separately in the BLS Employment Projections program.
- What does a Commercial Pilots do?
- Check aircraft prior to flights to ensure that the engines, controls, instruments, and other systems are functioning properly.; Co-pilot aircraft or perform captain's duties, as required.; Consider airport altitudes, outside temperatures, plane weights, and wind speeds and directions to calculate the speed needed to become airborne..