Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers
SOC 53-2011 • View wages by state
The median annual wage for Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers is $219,140, based on BLS OEWS 2023 data. The mean annual wage is $250,050, and an estimated 93,670 workers are employed in this occupation nationally. Between 2020 and 2023, pay rose +36.1% while consumer prices rose 17.7% — a real change of +15.6% after inflation. BLS projects employment will grow 3.9% between 2024 and 2034.
Wage Trend & Inflation Adjustment
How the national median wage for Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers has moved across BLS OEWS release years, and what each year's wage is worth in 2023 dollars after adjusting for CPI inflation. "Real" change strips out inflation — the truest measure of whether pay is actually rising.
| Year | Median (nominal) | In 2023 $ (real) | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | $219,140 | $219,140 | 93,670 |
| 2022 | $211,790 | $220,508 | 89,580 |
| 2021 | $202,180 | $227,349 | 81,310 |
| 2020 | $160,970 | $189,512 | 83,550 |
Nominal change
+36.1%
Inflation (CPI)
+17.7%
Real change
+15.6%
Job Outlook (2024–2034 BLS projection)
The BLS Employment Projections program estimates how each occupation's employment will change over the coming decade, and how many job openings to expect each year (from both growth and the need to replace workers who leave).
Projected Growth
+3.9%
Faster than average
Employment 2024
100,000
Projected 2034
103,900
Annual Openings
11,700
Typical entry-level education: Bachelor's degree.
Highest-Paying Areas (2023)
Where Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers earn the most, and how each area's median compares to the national median of $219,140. A positive premium means the area pays above the national rate.
| Area | Median Annual | vs National | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Texas | $233,910 | +6.7% | 7,800 |
| New York | $231,830 | +5.8% | 7,240 |
| Ohio | $224,100 | +2.3% | 650 |
| Virginia | $214,930 | -1.9% | 3,230 |
| Arizona | $196,020 | -10.6% | 2,150 |
| Nevada | $191,310 | -12.7% | 1,630 |
| New Jersey | $171,300 | -21.8% | 3,220 |
| Minnesota | $171,270 | -21.8% | — |
| Colorado | $166,170 | -24.2% | 5,490 |
| Arkansas | $159,310 | -27.3% | 380 |
Wage Distribution (National, 2023)
10th, 25th, 50th (median), 75th, and 90th percentile annual wages from BLS OEWS — the full spread, not just an average.
10th Pct
$101,710
25th Pct
$142,770
Median
$219,140
75th Pct
—
90th Pct
—
H-1B Employer Filings
Employer-certified wages from DOL H-1B LCA filings — competitive market benchmark, not approved visas.
| Employer | State | Filings | Median Wage |
|---|---|---|---|
| SkyWest Airlines | IL | 13 | $187,200 |
| SkyWest Airlines | GA | 11 | $187,200 |
| Frontier Airlines | CO | 10 | $208,000 |
| Spirit Airlines | FL | 8 | $194,168 |
| GoJet Airlines, LLC | MO | 5 | $316,160 |
| CommuteAir LLC | TX | 4 | $193,388 |
| Allegiant Air, LLC | NV | 3 | $297,232 |
| Atlas Air, Inc. | FL | 2 | $447,491 |
| Sky Lease I, Inc. | FL | 2 | $385,840 |
| Air Transport International | TX | 1 | $288,840 |
| Air Ambulance Worldwide, LLC | FL | 1 | $100,000 |
| Red Wing Aeroplane, LLC | TX | 1 | $130,000 |
| Red Wing Aeroplane, LLC | TN | 1 | $80,300 |
| GoJet Airlines, LLC | IL | 1 | $296,400 |
| Air Wisconsin Airlines LLC | OH | 1 | $126,672 |
| National Air Cargo Group, Inc. | FL | 1 | $249,600 |
| Kalitta Air LLC | MI | 1 | $243,360 |
| Jet Select Aviation, LLC | ID | 1 | $180,000 |
| Ameriflight, LLC | TX | 1 | $86,797 |
| Red Wing Aeroplane, LLC | GA | 1 | $73,000 |
Source: DOL Office of Foreign Labor Certification, H-1B LCA data.
Related Occupations in Transportation & Material Moving
Other occupations in the same SOC major group, ranked by national median wage.