Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers Wages
SOC 53-2011 • Full occupation profile
The median annual wage for Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers is $219,140 nationally (2023 BLS OEWS). The 10th percentile is $101,710 and the 90th percentile is $0, showing the wide spread of wages in this occupation.
National Wage Distribution (2023)
Employment
93,670
P10
$101,710
P25
$142,770
Median
$219,140
P75
—
P90
—
National Wage Trend
How national median and mean wages for Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers have moved across BLS OEWS release years.
| Year | Median | Mean | P10 | P90 | Employment | YoY Median |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | $219,140 | $250,050 | $101,710 | — | 93,670 | — |
| 2022 | $211,790 | $225,740 | $98,680 | — | 89,580 | -3.35% |
| 2021 | $202,180 | $198,190 | $100,110 | — | 81,310 | -4.54% |
| 2020 | $160,970 | $186,870 | $80,920 | — | 83,550 | -20.38% |
Wages by State (2023)
State-level OEWS wage estimates for Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers. The highest median is in Texas at $233,910, 7% above the U.S. median.
| Area | Median Annual | vs National | Mean Annual | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Texas | $233,910 | +6.7% | $227,380 | 7,800 |
| New York | $231,830 | +5.8% | $238,630 | 7,240 |
| Ohio | $224,100 | +2.3% | $221,190 | 650 |
| Virginia | $214,930 | -1.9% | $245,980 | 3,230 |
| Arizona | $196,020 | -10.6% | $220,410 | 2,150 |
| Nevada | $191,310 | -12.7% | $220,750 | 1,630 |
| New Jersey | $171,300 | -21.8% | $220,990 | 3,220 |
| Minnesota | $171,270 | -21.8% | $179,770 | — |
| Colorado | $166,170 | -24.2% | $179,460 | 5,490 |
| Arkansas | $159,310 | -27.3% | $155,560 | 380 |
| North Carolina | $142,360 | -35% | $143,140 | — |
| Missouri | $138,920 | -36.6% | $225,220 | 90 |
| Iowa | $134,910 | -38.4% | $182,670 | 80 |
| Tennessee | $134,850 | -38.5% | $128,620 | 260 |
| Connecticut | $128,110 | -41.5% | $153,930 | 40 |
| Oklahoma | $124,760 | -43.1% | $131,760 | 170 |
| New Mexico | $123,530 | -43.6% | $137,610 | 80 |
| Nebraska | $120,000 | -45.2% | $115,080 | 90 |
| Kansas | $119,890 | -45.3% | $122,600 | 70 |
| Mississippi | $118,370 | -46% | $121,280 | 160 |
| South Carolina | $114,150 | -47.9% | $117,460 | 90 |
| Wyoming | $102,720 | -53.1% | $106,790 | 40 |
| Louisiana | $94,760 | -56.8% | $102,160 | 190 |
| Wisconsin | $78,850 | -64% | $85,010 | 130 |
| Montana | $46,710 | -78.7% | $55,010 | 160 |
| Alabama | — | — | — | 260 |
| Alaska | — | — | — | 1,100 |
| California | — | — | $286,040 | 9,140 |
| Florida | — | — | $283,740 | 7,130 |
| Georgia | — | — | $219,370 | — |
| Illinois | — | — | $298,460 | 7,820 |
| Indiana | — | — | — | 760 |
| Michigan | — | — | $240,620 | 2,550 |
| Pennsylvania | — | — | — | 3,820 |
| Washington | — | — | $369,440 | 3,670 |