What are the main factors that influence a Pilot's salary?

The primary factors are: 1) Experience Level, 2) Geographic Location, 3) Education/Skills, 4) Company Size & Industry

How does experience change A Pilot's salary?

A Pilot's salary grows with experience: a Treasury Analyst I (0-2 years)earns $60,412, a Treasury Analyst II (2-4 years)earns $73,918, a Pilot (4-7 years)earns $84,997, a Treasury Analyst IV (7+ years)earns $127,583, a Treasury Analyst V (7-10 years)earns $163,988,

What are the highest paying states for a Pilot?

Pilot salary varies significantly by state. The top 3 highest paying states for Pilot roles are District of Columbia $93,275, California $92,922, Massachusetts $91,683. These tech hubs typically pay 10-15% above the national average.

How much do different types of Pilot roles make?

Salaries for Pilot level roles vary by specialization: Pilot in Commend: $196,700; Pilot IV: $196,644; Charter Pilot: $192,164; Airline Pilot: $170,901; Pilot III: $164,637.

How do different companies affect a Pilot's salary?

Company size, industry, and compensation structure create significant salary variations for Pilot roles. Large, established industry leaders like C R Bard Inc ($128,509) and Henry Schein Canada ($124,697) offer base salaries 35-40% above the national average. In contrast, smaller firms or startups may offer closer to $82,041.

Pilot Salary in the United States

How much does a Pilot make in the United States?

As of May 01, 2026, the average salary for a Pilot in the United States is $84,244 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $41.

However, a Pilot's salary can vary significantly. Here’s a look at the typical salary range:

Top Earners (90th percentile): $102,771
Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $73,413 to $93,942
Entry-Level (10th percentile): $63,552

Compensation Planning

Develop a Job Description

Pay Equity

2025 Compensation Trend

AI Onboarding

Recruit with AI

Salary Salary + Bonus Benefits

View as table

Pilot Salaries by Percentile

	Annual Salary	Monthly Pay	Weekly Pay	Hourly Wage
75th Percentile	$93,942	$7,829	$1,807	$45
Average	$84,244	$7,020	$1,620	$41
25th Percentile	$73,413	$6,118	$1,412	$35

You may get higher pay by adjusting the following factors:

Change Search Criteria

Check out Pilot Job Openings in the United States

Subway Sandwich Artist

Pilot Company - Wilmington, OH

Wendys Team Member

Pilot Company - Burbank, OH

Coffee Attendant

Pilot Company - Canton, OH

Coffee Attendant

Pilot Company - Burbank, OH

Search More Pilot Jobs in the United States

Key Factors That Influence Pilot Salaries

A 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, education and company size can directly affect your earning potential.

How Experience Level Affects Pilot Salaries?

Experience is a primary driver of a 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:

Entry-Level (less than 1 year): $60,412
Early Career (1-2 years): $73,918
Mid-Level (2-4 years): $84,997
Senior-Level (5-8 years): $127,583
Expert (over 8 years): $163,988

Levels	Salary
Treasury ... Level Pilot	$60,412
Treasury ... Level Pilot	$73,918
Pilot Level Pilot	$84,997
Treasury ... Level Pilot	$127,583
Treasury ... Level Pilot	$163,988

View as Graph

What Am I Worth?

How Do 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 Pilots. For example, consider the average annual salaries in these key locations:

District of Columbia: $93,275.
California: $92,922.
Massachusetts: $91,683.

District of Columbia $93,275 California $92,922 Massachusetts $91,683 Washington $91,346 New Jersey $91,313 Alaska $91,195 Connecticut $90,032 New York $89,560

Hawaii $88,052 Rhode Island $87,345 Maryland $86,864 Minnesota $86,207 Colorado $85,955 Illinois $85,870 Oregon $85,550 Delaware $85,314

New Hampshire $85,166 Virginia $84,834 Pennsylvania $83,865 Nevada $83,377 North Dakota $83,217 Michigan $82,964 Wisconsin $82,871 Vermont $82,686

Texas $82,172 Maine $82,138 Arizona $82,088 Ohio $82,029 Georgia $81,254 Indiana $80,866 Wyoming $80,790 Utah $80,672

Iowa $80,622 Kansas $80,218 Louisiana $80,100 North Carolina $80,057 Missouri $80,041 Florida $79,712 Montana $79,535 Nebraska $79,367

Kentucky $79,274 South Carolina $78,937 Tennessee $78,726 Idaho $78,642 New Mexico $78,027 Oklahoma $77,892 Alabama $77,395 South Dakota $76,561

Arkansas $76,106 West Virginia $75,862 Mississippi $75,129

Top Paying Cities for Pilots

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: $106,257
San Francisco: $105,094
Oakland: $102,879

San Jose, CA $106,257

San Francisco, CA $105,094

Oakland, CA $102,879

New York, NY $96,998

Paramus, NJ $95,819

Queens Village, NY $95,815

Passaic, NJ $95,734

Bergenfield, NJ $95,727

Stamford, CT $95,542

Huntington, NY $95,507

Newark, NJ $94,884

Bridgeport, CT $94,707

Vallejo, CA $94,539

New Brunswick, NJ $94,505

Petaluma, CA $94,455

Middlesex, NJ $94,295

Somerset, NJ $94,236

Santa Cruz, CA $94,126

Boston, MA $93,612

Monterey, CA $93,317

Seattle, WA $93,124

Santa Rosa, CA $93,107

Los Angeles, CA $93,082

Juneau, AK $92,863

Washington, DC $92,770

Orange, CA $92,470

Santa Ana, CA $92,248

Long Beach, CA $92,163

Anaheim, CA $92,147

Anchorage, AK $92,104

Santa Maria, CA $91,852

Everett, WA $91,835

Danbury, CT $91,538

Bremerton, WA $91,422

Tacoma, WA $91,119

New Suffolk, NY $91,117

Sacramento, CA $91,093

Santa Barbara, CA $91,001

Trenton, NJ $90,908

San Diego, CA $90,908

Brockton, MA $90,815

Fairbanks, AK $90,609

Lompoc, CA $90,394

Lowell, MA $90,326

Ventura, CA $90,310

Nashua, NH $90,293

Stockton, CA $90,285

Modesto, CA $89,670

Poughkeepsie, NY $89,484

Olympia, WA $89,324

Kennewick, WA $89,324

New Haven, CT $89,291

Lawrence, MA $88,987

Hartford, CT $88,903

Riverside, CA $88,886

New Bedford, MA $88,802

Richland, WA $88,802

Bakersfield, CA $88,684

San Bernardino, CA $88,650

New Britain, CT $88,642

Atlantic City, NJ $88,642

New London, CT $88,608

Norwich, CT $88,583

Portsmouth, NH $88,566

Boulder, CO $88,388

Portland, OR $88,271

Worcester, MA $88,263

Minneapolis, MN $88,002

Philadelphia, PA $87,884

Honolulu, HI $87,606

Saint Paul, MN $87,565

Vineland, NJ $87,547

Providence, RI $87,302

Chicago, IL $87,058

Bellingham, WA $86,957

Springfield, MA $86,890

Baltimore, MD $86,864

Chico, CA $86,654

Pittsfield, MA $86,426

Manchester, NH $86,266

Spokane, WA $85,896

Denver, CO $85,887

Albany, NY $85,491

Troy, NY $85,458

Nassau, NY $85,367

Schenectady, NY $85,281

Wilmington, DE $85,213

Burlington, VT $85,095

Salem, OR $85,062

Portland, ME $84,800

Yakima, WA $84,716

Rochester, MN $84,455

Reno, NV $84,413

Fresno, CA $84,413

Milwaukee, WI $84,337

Detroit, MI $84,253

Ann Arbor, MI $84,239

Allentown, PA $84,228

Colorado Springs, CO $84,084

Syracuse, NY $84,042

Carson City, NV $84,042

Houston, TX $83,924

Eugene, OR $83,882

Gary, IN $83,781

Springfield, OR $83,714

Bismarck, ND $83,697

Galveston, TX $83,638

Medford, OR $83,511

Fort Collins, CO $83,478

Concord, NH $83,436

Austin, TX $83,410

Mesa, AZ $83,233

Reading, PA $83,225

Phoenix, AZ $83,217

Dallas, TX $83,191

Saint Cloud, MN $83,110

Madison, WI $82,998

Utica, NY $82,770

Rochester, NY $82,635

Des Moines, IA $82,627

Raleigh, NC $82,618

Atlanta, GA $82,492

Battle Creek, MI $82,467

Salt Lake City, UT $82,442

Lancaster, PA $82,315

Harrisburg, PA $82,197

Kansas City, MO $82,113

Champaign, IL $82,096

Kansas City, KS $82,096

Fort Worth, TX $82,088

Columbus, OH $82,073

Boca Raton, FL $82,054

Pittsburgh, PA $82,020

Richmond, VA $81,987

Indianapolis, IN $81,970

Cleveland, OH $81,961

Las Vegas, NV $81,860

Cincinnati, OH $81,860

Petersburg, VA $81,734

Huntsville, AL $81,608

Lansing, MI $81,551

Lebanon, PA $81,540

Pueblo, CO $81,532

Appleton, WI $81,506

Buffalo, NY $81,473

Dayton, OH $81,447

Racine, WI $81,431

Charlotte, NC $81,422

Saint Louis, MO $81,397

York, PA $81,346

Elkhart, IN $81,346

Gastonia, NC $81,330

Billings, MT $81,310

Beaumont, TX $81,287

Lorain, OH $81,271

Benton Harbor, MI $81,254

Toledo, OH $81,237

Binghamton, NY $81,195

Rock Hill, SC $81,186

Rockford, IL $81,144

Springfield, IL $81,111

Elyria, OH $81,102

Fargo, ND $81,102

Flagstaff, AZ $81,043

Fort Lauderdale, FL $80,993

Duluth, MN $80,942

Miami, FL $80,942

Cheyenne, WY $80,883

Grand Forks, ND $80,883

Bangor, ME $80,698

Cedar Rapids, IA $80,605

Durham, NC $80,570

Louisville, KY $80,563

Grand Rapids, MI $80,546

Hialeah, FL $80,538

Casper, WY $80,420

Scranton, PA $80,319

New Orleans, LA $80,293

Virginia Beach, VA $80,285

Akron, OH $80,243

Peoria, IL $80,133

Sarasota, FL $80,116

Nashville, TN $80,057

Omaha, NE $80,057

Green Bay, WI $80,057

Baton Rouge, LA $80,015

Charleston, SC $79,998

Jamestown, NY $79,956

Davenport, IA $79,956

Tucson, AZ $79,914

Saint Petersburg, FL $79,864

Tampa, FL $79,847

Evansville, IN $79,796

Port Arthur, TX $79,796

Bradenton, FL $79,763

Santa Fe, NM $79,611

Orlando, FL $79,459

Clearwater, FL $79,434

Canton, OH $79,257

La Crosse, WI $79,257

Albuquerque, NM $79,207

Newport News, VA $79,198

High Point, NC $79,173

Ogden, UT $79,139

Corpus Christi, TX $79,072

Norfolk, VA $79,021

Laramie, WY $79,021

Rock Island, IL $78,971

Saginaw, MI $78,954

Jacksonville, FL $78,945

Salisbury, NC $78,929

Boise, ID $78,912

Moline, IL $78,870

Fort Myers, FL $78,844

Memphis, TN $78,827

Tulsa, OK $78,785

Waterloo, IA $78,735

Spartanburg, SC $78,651

Lincoln, NE $78,608

Fort Wayne, IN $78,592

Provo, UT $78,583

Cedar Falls, IA $78,482

San Antonio, TX $78,448

Greensboro, NC $78,415

South Bend, IN $78,406

Savannah, GA $78,314

Muskegon, MI $78,280

Birmingham, AL $78,271

Winston Salem, NC $78,230

Lake Charles, LA $78,027

Anderson, IN $78,010

Lexington, KY $77,985

Augusta, GA $77,960

Greenville, SC $77,960

Lima, OH $77,892

Wichita, KS $77,884

Tuscaloosa, AL $77,884

Columbia, SC $77,808

Springfield, OH $77,791

Asheville, NC $77,656

Bloomington, IN $77,598

Knoxville, TN $77,294

Shreveport, LA $77,286

Wilmington, NC $77,176

Roanoke, VA $77,176

Topeka, KS $77,025

Frankfort, KY $77,015

Oklahoma City, OK $76,957

Chillicothe, OH $76,924

Longview, TX $76,915

Melbourne, FL $76,907

Sioux Falls, SD $76,772

Mobile, AL $76,763

Terre Haute, IN $76,730

Altoona, PA $76,679

Amarillo, TX $76,620

Killeen, TX $76,595

Fayetteville, AR $76,528

Chattanooga, TN $76,502

Sioux City, IA $76,427

Idaho Falls, ID $76,410

Lynchburg, VA $76,342

Gainesville, FL $76,233

Portsmouth, OH $76,191

Little Rock, AR $76,174

Lafayette, LA $76,140

Youngstown, OH $76,140

Daytona Beach, FL $76,090

Clarksville, TN $76,081

Pensacola, FL $76,073

Temple, TX $76,067

Hopkinsville, KY $75,820

Erie, PA $75,803

Florence, SC $75,769

Charleston, WV $75,635

Great Falls, MT $75,593

Macon, GA $75,475

Tallahassee, FL $75,466

Fayetteville, NC $75,449

Waco, TX $75,432

Helena, MT $75,373

Pine Bluff, AR $75,341

Vincennes, IN $75,239

Lubbock, TX $75,205

Alamogordo, NM $75,154

Twin Falls, ID $75,079

Rapid City, SD $75,053

Jackson, MS $74,902

Huntington, WV $74,896

Greenville, MS $74,893

Parkersburg, WV $74,807

Montgomery, AL $74,792

Wichita Falls, TX $74,708

Springfield, MO $74,708

Biloxi, MS $74,666

Monroe, LA $74,582

Johnstown, PA $74,523

Sumter, SC $74,489

Columbus, GA $74,480

Pascagoula, MS $74,320

Abilene, TX $74,320

Kingsport, TN $74,101

Albany, GA $74,101

Gulfport, MS $74,076

Alexandria, LA $73,798

Fort Smith, AR $73,587

El Paso, TX $73,360

Las Cruces, NM $72,981

Harlingen, TX $72,767

Pocatello, ID $72,753

Florence, AL $72,644

Brownsville, TX $72,627

Mcallen, TX $72,450

Dothan, AL $72,332

Columbus, MS $71,832

Altus, OK $71,439

Lawton, OK $71,279

Pierre, SD $70,976

What Skills Can Increase a Pilot's Salary?

Demanded Skills for the Role:

Analysis (Mentioned in 6.39% Job Postings): Analysis is the process of considering something carefully or using statistical methods in order to understand it or explain it.
Treasury Operations (Mentioned in 1.76% Job Postings): Manages the incoming and outgoing funds for the state. The division receives and safeguards state money, maintains accounts of all receipts and expenditures, and serves as custodian of securities in trust.
Internal Control (Mentioned in 0.87% Job Postings): Internal control, as defined by accounting and auditing, is a process for assuring of an organization's objectives in operational effectiveness and efficiency, reliable financial reporting, and compliance with laws, regulations and policies.

See More Skills

Skills	Demand Percentage
Analysis	6.39%
Treasury Operations	1.76%
Internal Control	0.87%

What skills can make your compensation higher?

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 Pilot's salary.

Balance Sheet: Can increase your salary by up to 5%.
Corporate Finance: Can increase your salary by up to 4%.
Project Management: Can increase your salary by up to 4%.

Skill	Salary	Salary % Increase
Balance Sheet	$88,457	5%
Corporate Finance	$87,614	4%
Project Management	$87,614	4%
Continuous Improvement	$86,772	3%
Financial Services	$86,772	3%
Capital Market	$85,929	2%

Get Latest Data

How Education impacts a Pilot's Salary?

Your level of education can impact your salary potential. While many Pilots enter the field with a High School Diploma or Technical Certificate degree, higher education can lead to more specialized and higher-paying roles.

According to our 100% employer-reported salary data, the median salary for a Pilot with a High School Diploma or Technical Certificate is between $90,528 and $95,587).

Pilot Salaries by Degree Level

Typical Education for Pilot

No Diploma 1.9%

High School 1.9%

Associates 0.9%

Bachelors 36.8%

Masters 60.4%

Doctorate 0.0%

view as table

Degree Level	% of user with this level of education
No Diploma	1.9%
High School	1.9%
Associates	0.9%
Bachelors	36.8%
Masters	60.4%
Doctorate	0.0%

view as graph

Pilot Salary: Hourly Rate, Weekly Pay, and Monthly Pay

Understanding how a 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.

Last Updated on May 01, 2026

$73,413

Average $84,244/year

$93,942

$6,118

Average $7,020/month

$7,829

$1,412

Average $1,620/week

$1,807

$35

Average $41/hour

$45

	Annual Salary	Monthly Pay	Weekly Pay	Hourly Wage
75th Percentile	$93,942	$7,829	$1,807	$45
Average	$84,244	$7,020	$1,620	$41
25th Percentile	$73,413	$6,118	$1,412	$35

Salaries of jobs related to Pilot

Salary Trends for Pilot

Salaries for a Pilot can change over time, reflecting shifts in market demand and the overall economy. The median salary decreased from $88,158 in 2023 to around $87,390 in 2025, reflecting changes in demand, location, experience, and the wider economy. For a detailed analysis of Pilot salary trends, .

Average Annual Salary of Pilot Over Time

2022

$???

2023

$88,158

2024

$87,849

2025

$87,390

2026

$???

2027

$???

Year	Average Annual Salary
2022	View More
2023	$88,158
2024	$87,849
2025	$87,390
2026	View More
2027	View More

Most common benefits for Pilot

Social Security

401(k)

Disability

Healthcare

Pension

Time Off (days)

For Employers

If your compensation planning software is too rigid to deploy winning incentive strategies, it’s time to find an adaptable solution.

Compensation Planning

Biotechnology

the United States

Find Your Next Pilot Job

Ready to take the next step in your career? Browse thousands of current Pilot job openings on our job board. Use the search bar below to find your perfect match.

For Employees

Get a Salary Increase

Analyze the market and your qualifications to negotiate your salary with confidence.

Search Job Openings

Search thousands of open positions to find your next opportunity.

For Employers

Adjust Employee Salary

Individualize employee pay based on unique job requirements and personal qualifications.

Price My Industry Jobs

Get the latest market price for benchmark jobs and jobs in your industry.

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.

We offer detailed salary information across multiple percentiles for your reference. (Click here to learn Why the Salary Midpoint Formula Is Crucial for Achieving Pay Equity.)

With the most extensive online, real-time compensation data available, Salary.com helps you pinpoint your exact pay target.

Are you an HR manager or compensation specialist?

Salary.com's CompAnalyst platform offers:

Detailed skills and competency reports for specific positions
Job and employee pricing reports
Compensation data tools, salary structures, surveys and benchmarks.

Learn about