Commercial Airline Pilot Salary in the United States
How much does a Commercial Airline Pilot make in the United States?
As of September 01, 2026, the average salary for a Commercial Airline Pilot in the United States is $88,867 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $43.
However, a Commercial Airline Pilot's salary can vary significantly. Here’s a look at the typical salary range:
Top Earners (90th percentile): $107,656
Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $79,772 to $98,702
Key Factors That Influence Commercial Airline Pilot Salaries
A Commercial Airline Pilot's salary isn't a fixed number. It's shaped by several important factors.
Below, we'll explore how your years of experience, geographic location
and company size
can directly affect your earning potential.
How Experience Level Affects Commercial Airline Pilot Salaries?
Experience is a primary driver of a Commercial Airline Pilot's salary. As you build your skills and take on more complex tasks, your compensation generally increases. Here's how the average salary grows at different career stages:
How Do Commercial Airline Pilot Salaries Vary from State to State?
Your salary can change significantly depending on where you work. States with a higher cost of living and strong industrial sectors often pay more to attract Commercial Airline Pilots. For example, consider the average annual salaries in these key locations:
Salaries can also vary between different cities.
Major metropolitan areas or cities with a high demand for technicians often offer more competitive pay.
Here are a few examples of average annual salaries in different U.S. cities:
San Jose: $112,087
San Francisco: $110,860
Oakland: $108,524
San Jose, CA$112,087
San Francisco, CA$110,860
Oakland, CA$108,524
New York, NY$102,320
Paramus, NJ$101,076
Queens Village, NY$101,071
Passaic, NJ$100,987
Bergenfield, NJ$100,979
Stamford, CT$100,783
Huntington, NY$100,747
Newark, NJ$100,090
Bridgeport, CT$99,903
Vallejo, CA$99,726
New Brunswick, NJ$99,690
Petaluma, CA$99,637
Middlesex, NJ$99,468
Somerset, NJ$99,406
Santa Cruz, CA$99,291
Boston, MA$98,748
Monterey, CA$98,437
Seattle, WA$98,233
Santa Rosa, CA$98,215
Los Angeles, CA$98,189
Juneau, AK$97,958
Washington, DC$97,860
Orange, CA$97,543
Santa Ana, CA$97,309
Long Beach, CA$97,220
Anaheim, CA$97,202
Anchorage, AK$97,158
Santa Maria, CA$96,891
Everett, WA$96,873
Danbury, CT$96,561
Bremerton, WA$96,438
Tacoma, WA$96,118
New Suffolk, NY$96,116
Sacramento, CA$96,091
Santa Barbara, CA$95,994
Trenton, NJ$95,896
San Diego, CA$95,896
Brockton, MA$95,798
Fairbanks, AK$95,580
Lompoc, CA$95,354
Lowell, MA$95,282
Ventura, CA$95,265
Nashua, NH$95,247
Stockton, CA$95,238
Modesto, CA$94,590
Poughkeepsie, NY$94,394
Olympia, WA$94,225
Kennewick, WA$94,225
New Haven, CT$94,190
Lawrence, MA$93,870
Hartford, CT$93,781
Riverside, CA$93,763
New Bedford, MA$93,674
Richland, WA$93,674
Bakersfield, CA$93,550
San Bernardino, CA$93,514
New Britain, CT$93,505
Atlantic City, NJ$93,505
New London, CT$93,470
Norwich, CT$93,443
Portsmouth, NH$93,425
Boulder, CO$93,237
Portland, OR$93,114
Worcester, MA$93,105
Minneapolis, MN$92,830
Philadelphia, PA$92,706
Honolulu, HI$92,412
Saint Paul, MN$92,370
Vineland, NJ$92,350
Providence, RI$92,092
Chicago, IL$91,835
Bellingham, WA$91,728
Springfield, MA$91,657
Baltimore, MD$91,630
Chico, CA$91,408
Pittsfield, MA$91,168
Manchester, NH$90,999
Spokane, WA$90,608
Denver, CO$90,599
Albany, NY$90,182
Troy, NY$90,146
Nassau, NY$90,051
Schenectady, NY$89,960
Wilmington, DE$89,888
Burlington, VT$89,764
Salem, OR$89,729
Portland, ME$89,453
Yakima, WA$89,364
Rochester, MN$89,089
Reno, NV$89,044
Fresno, CA$89,044
Milwaukee, WI$88,964
Detroit, MI$88,875
Ann Arbor, MI$88,860
Allentown, PA$88,849
Colorado Springs, CO$88,698
Syracuse, NY$88,653
Carson City, NV$88,653
Houston, TX$88,529
Eugene, OR$88,484
Gary, IN$88,378
Springfield, OR$88,307
Bismarck, ND$88,289
Galveston, TX$88,227
Medford, OR$88,093
Fort Collins, CO$88,058
Concord, NH$88,013
Austin, TX$87,987
Mesa, AZ$87,800
Reading, PA$87,791
Phoenix, AZ$87,782
Dallas, TX$87,756
Saint Cloud, MN$87,670
Madison, WI$87,551
Utica, NY$87,311
Rochester, NY$87,169
Des Moines, IA$87,160
Raleigh, NC$87,151
Atlanta, GA$87,018
Battle Creek, MI$86,991
Salt Lake City, UT$86,965
Lancaster, PA$86,831
Harrisburg, PA$86,707
Kansas City, MO$86,618
Champaign, IL$86,600
Kansas City, KS$86,600
Fort Worth, TX$86,592
Columbus, OH$86,576
Boca Raton, FL$86,556
Pittsburgh, PA$86,520
Richmond, VA$86,485
Indianapolis, IN$86,467
Cleveland, OH$86,458
Las Vegas, NV$86,352
Cincinnati, OH$86,352
Petersburg, VA$86,218
Huntsville, AL$86,085
Lansing, MI$86,025
Lebanon, PA$86,014
Pueblo, CO$86,005
Appleton, WI$85,978
Buffalo, NY$85,943
Dayton, OH$85,916
Racine, WI$85,898
Charlotte, NC$85,889
Saint Louis, MO$85,863
York, PA$85,809
Elkhart, IN$85,809
Gastonia, NC$85,793
Billings, MT$85,771
Beaumont, TX$85,747
Lorain, OH$85,730
Benton Harbor, MI$85,712
Toledo, OH$85,694
Binghamton, NY$85,650
Rock Hill, SC$85,641
Rockford, IL$85,596
Springfield, IL$85,561
Elyria, OH$85,552
Fargo, ND$85,552
Flagstaff, AZ$85,490
Fort Lauderdale, FL$85,436
Duluth, MN$85,383
Miami, FL$85,383
Cheyenne, WY$85,321
Grand Forks, ND$85,321
Bangor, ME$85,125
Cedar Rapids, IA$85,027
Durham, NC$84,990
Louisville, KY$84,983
Grand Rapids, MI$84,965
Hialeah, FL$84,956
Casper, WY$84,832
Scranton, PA$84,725
New Orleans, LA$84,699
Virginia Beach, VA$84,690
Akron, OH$84,645
Peoria, IL$84,530
Sarasota, FL$84,512
Nashville, TN$84,450
Omaha, NE$84,450
Green Bay, WI$84,450
Baton Rouge, LA$84,405
Charleston, SC$84,388
Jamestown, NY$84,343
Davenport, IA$84,343
Tucson, AZ$84,299
Saint Petersburg, FL$84,245
Tampa, FL$84,228
Evansville, IN$84,174
Port Arthur, TX$84,174
Bradenton, FL$84,139
Santa Fe, NM$83,979
Orlando, FL$83,819
Clearwater, FL$83,792
Canton, OH$83,606
La Crosse, WI$83,606
Albuquerque, NM$83,552
Newport News, VA$83,543
High Point, NC$83,517
Ogden, UT$83,481
Corpus Christi, TX$83,410
Norfolk, VA$83,357
Laramie, WY$83,357
Rock Island, IL$83,303
Saginaw, MI$83,286
Jacksonville, FL$83,277
Salisbury, NC$83,259
Boise, ID$83,241
Moline, IL$83,197
Fort Myers, FL$83,170
Memphis, TN$83,152
Tulsa, OK$83,108
Waterloo, IA$83,055
Spartanburg, SC$82,966
Lincoln, NE$82,921
Fort Wayne, IN$82,904
Provo, UT$82,895
Cedar Falls, IA$82,788
San Antonio, TX$82,752
Greensboro, NC$82,717
South Bend, IN$82,708
Savannah, GA$82,610
Muskegon, MI$82,575
Birmingham, AL$82,566
Winston Salem, NC$82,522
Lake Charles, LA$82,308
Anderson, IN$82,290
Lexington, KY$82,264
Augusta, GA$82,237
Greenville, SC$82,237
Lima, OH$82,166
Wichita, KS$82,157
Tuscaloosa, AL$82,157
Columbia, SC$82,077
Springfield, OH$82,059
Asheville, NC$81,917
Bloomington, IN$81,855
Knoxville, TN$81,535
Shreveport, LA$81,526
Wilmington, NC$81,411
Roanoke, VA$81,411
Topeka, KS$81,251
Frankfort, KY$81,241
Oklahoma City, OK$81,180
Chillicothe, OH$81,144
Longview, TX$81,135
Melbourne, FL$81,126
Sioux Falls, SD$80,984
Mobile, AL$80,975
Terre Haute, IN$80,940
Altoona, PA$80,886
Amarillo, TX$80,824
Killeen, TX$80,797
Fayetteville, AR$80,726
Chattanooga, TN$80,700
Sioux City, IA$80,620
Idaho Falls, ID$80,602
Lynchburg, VA$80,531
Gainesville, FL$80,415
Portsmouth, OH$80,371
Little Rock, AR$80,353
Lafayette, LA$80,318
Youngstown, OH$80,318
Daytona Beach, FL$80,264
Clarksville, TN$80,255
Pensacola, FL$80,246
Temple, TX$80,240
Hopkinsville, KY$79,980
Erie, PA$79,962
Florence, SC$79,927
Charleston, WV$79,784
Great Falls, MT$79,740
Macon, GA$79,615
Tallahassee, FL$79,607
Fayetteville, NC$79,589
Waco, TX$79,571
Helena, MT$79,509
Pine Bluff, AR$79,475
Vincennes, IN$79,367
Lubbock, TX$79,331
Alamogordo, NM$79,278
Twin Falls, ID$79,198
Rapid City, SD$79,171
Jackson, MS$79,011
Huntington, WV$79,005
Greenville, MS$79,002
Parkersburg, WV$78,912
Montgomery, AL$78,896
Wichita Falls, TX$78,807
Springfield, MO$78,807
Biloxi, MS$78,762
Monroe, LA$78,674
Johnstown, PA$78,611
Sumter, SC$78,576
Columbus, GA$78,567
Pascagoula, MS$78,398
Abilene, TX$78,398
Kingsport, TN$78,167
Albany, GA$78,167
Gulfport, MS$78,140
Alexandria, LA$77,847
Fort Smith, AR$77,625
El Paso, TX$77,385
Las Cruces, NM$76,985
Harlingen, TX$76,759
Pocatello, ID$76,745
Florence, AL$76,630
Brownsville, TX$76,612
Mcallen, TX$76,425
Dothan, AL$76,301
Columbus, MS$75,773
Altus, OK$75,359
Lawton, OK$75,190
Pierre, SD$74,870
What Skills Can Increase a Commercial Airline Pilot's Salary?
Demanded Skills for the Role:
Analysis (Mentioned in 12.77% Job Postings): Analysis is the process of considering something carefully or using statistical methods in order to understand it or explain it.
Customer Satisfaction (Mentioned in 2.13% Job Postings): Customer satisfaction (often abbreviated as CSAT, more correctly CSat) is a term frequently used in marketing. It is a measure of how products and services supplied by a company meet or surpass customer expectation. Customer satisfaction is defined as "the number of customers, or percentage of total customers, whose reported experience with a firm, its products, or its services (ratings) exceeds specified satisfaction goals." The Marketing Accountability Standards Board (MASB) endorses the definitions, purposes, and constructs of classes of measures that appear in Marketing Metrics as part of its ongoing Common Language in Marketing Project. In a survey of nearly 200 senior marketing managers, 71 percent responded that they found a customer satisfaction metric very useful in managing and monitoring their businesses. It is seen as a key performance indicator within business and is often part of a Balanced Scorecard. In a competitive marketplace where businesses compete for customers, customer satisfaction is seen as a key differentiator and increasingly has become a key element of business strategy.
Sales and Marketing (Mentioned in 2.13% Job Postings): Marketing consists of the strategies your company employs to generate interest in your business. Sales are the methods by which you convert that interest into a transaction.
Mastering certain specialized skills can lead to a significant increase in pay.
Here are examples of skills and the potential impact they can have on a Commercial Airline Pilot's salary.
Sustainability: Can increase your salary by up to 13%.
Initiative: Can increase your salary by up to 11%.
Continuous Improvement: Can increase your salary by up to 7%.
Commercial Airline Pilot Salary by Industry: Top Paying Sectors
For Commercial Airline Pilot roles, the industry you choose can affect earning potential
by as much as 65% (the gap between the highest and lowest paying industries).
Data shows that the Pharmaceuticals and Energy & Utilities
sectors offer the strongest compensation, at 30% above the average.
In contrast, Commercial Airline Pilot positions in Financial Services or Hospitality & Leisure typically offer lower base pay,
as these industries often view Commercial Airline Pilot as a support function rather than a direct revenue driver.
The top paying industries for a Commercial Airline Pilot
Industry Sector
Average Annual Salary
Average Hourly Rate
Pay vs.Avg
Pharmaceuticals
$115,526
$56.0
30%
Energy & Utilities
$106,640
$51.0
20%
Software & Networking
$106,640
$51.0
20%
Aerospace & Defense
$102,196
$49.0
15%
Biotechnology
$97,753
$47.0
10%
Commercial Airline Pilot Salary: Hourly Rate, Weekly Pay, and Monthly Pay
Understanding how a Commercial Airline Pilot's annual salary breaks down can help with budgeting.
Below, you can see the average hourly rate, weekly pay, and monthly pay for this role.
Use the buttons to switch between different pay periods.
Hourly
Monthly
Weekly
Yearly
Table View
Last Updated on September 01, 2026
$79,772
Average$88,867/year
$98,702
$6,648
Average$7,406/month
$8,225
$1,534
Average$1,709/week
$1,898
$38
Average$43/hour
$47
Annual Salary
Monthly Pay
Weekly Pay
Hourly Wage
75th Percentile
$98,702
$8,225
$1,898
$47
Average
$88,867
$7,406
$1,709
$43
25th Percentile
$79,772
$6,648
$1,534
$38
Salaries of Jobs related to Commercial Airline Pilot
Salaries for a Commercial Airline Pilot can change over time,
reflecting shifts in market demand and the overall economy.
The median salary decreased from $83,012 in 2023
to around $82,518 in 2025,
reflecting changes in demand, location, experience, and the wider economy.
For a detailed analysis of Commercial Airline Pilot salary trends,
.
Average Annual Salary of Commercial Airline Pilot Over Time
$???
$83,012
$83,320
$82,518
$???
$???
2022
2023
2024
2025
2026
2027
Year
Average Annual Salary
2022
View More
2023
$83,012
2024
$83,320
2025
$82,518
2026
View More
2027
View More
Most common benefits for Commercial Airline Pilot
Social Security
401 (k)
Disability
Healthcare
Pension
Time Off (days)
Common company salaries for Commercial Airline Pilot
Here are companies hiring for Commercial Airline Pilot and their salaries, click below for more details.
C$128,509/per year
C R Bard IncBiotechnologythe United States
H$124,697/per year
Henry Schein CanadaBiotechnologythe United States
N$123,899/per year
Nordex IncBiotechnologythe United States
N$120,416/per year
Nipro CorpBiotechnologythe United States
E$115,870/per year
EnovisBiotechnologythe United States
A$114,553/per year
Advanced Research Projects Agency - EnergyBiotechnologythe United States
M$112,110/per year
MiniMed IncBiotechnologythe United States
L$111,500/per year
Labcorp Drug DevelopmentBiotechnologythe United States
L$110,229/per year
Life Technologies CorpBiotechnologythe United States
Z$106,224/per year
Zimmer BiometBiotechnologythe United States
P$103,077/per year
Promontory TherapeuticsBiotechnologythe United States
S$102,181/per year
Steris PLCBiotechnologythe United States
G$97,274/per year
Gavin Conferences Pty LtdBiotechnologythe United States
E$94,764/per year
Endeavor BioMedicinesBiotechnologythe United States
R$94,402/per year
Replay Holdings LLCBiotechnologythe United States
P$94,235/per year
Pleno IncBiotechnologythe United States
S$93,666/per year
Simulaids IncBiotechnologythe United States
N$88,880/per year
NOIRLab/CASBiotechnologythe United States
O$86,468/per year
Onward TechnologyBiotechnologythe United States
L$84,895/per year
LED Medical Diagnostics IncBiotechnologythe United States
E$84,682/per year
Eyeco LtdBiotechnologythe United States
P$84,523/per year
PaerosolBiotechnologythe United States
I$83,525/per year
IONIQ Sciences IncBiotechnologythe United States
S$82,815/per year
Stateside PPEBiotechnologythe United States
D$82,041/per year
Digi BioBiotechnologythe United States
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FAQ about Commercial Airline Pilot
1. What industry pays the highest salary for Commercial Airline Pilot?
The Pharmaceuticals industry offers the highest average compensation for Commercial Airline Pilot roles,
with salaries approximately 30% above the market median.
Where Does Our Salary Data Come From?
Salary.com provides salary estimates, histograms, trends, and comparisons using data from employer job postings and third-party sources.
