Commercial Pilots Salary

The median commercial pilots salary in the United States is $123,220 per year. Salaries range from $58,850 at the entry level to $266,620+ for the top 10% of earners. There are 47,630 commercial pilots jobs nationwide. Employment is projected to grow 5.1% through 2034.

Last updated: June 2026 Β· Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

Also known asCommercial PilotCorporate PilotHelicopter PilotCFIFlight Instructor
Median Salary
$123,220
per year
Employment
47,630
jobs in the U.S.

Salary Distribution

10th percentile
$58,850
25th percentile
$84,540
Median
$123,220
75th percentile
$190,440
90th percentile
$266,620

Job Growth (2024-2034)

+5.1%
Faster than average

Annual Openings

6,600
jobs/year (growth + replacements)

Education Required

Postsecondary nondegree award

Training Needed

Moderate-term on-the-job training

Commercial Pilots Career Guide

Interview questions, resume templates, and a career ladder written specifically for commercial pilotss.

Commercial pilots fly for regional airlines + charter + corporate + cargo + agriculture + aerial application. Entry regional first officer $85-110k; major airline first officer $115-185k; major airline captain $200-350k+; senior wide-body captain $350-500k+ (top-scale $600k+ with OT). Different from Airline Pilots category. Path: ATP certification + 1,500+ hours + type ratings. Massive pilot demand + retirement wave = strong compensation growth.

Core Skills Hiring Managers Screen For

Aircraft operation + systems
Type-specific aircraft systems + normal + abnormal + emergency procedures + limitations.
Instrument + IFR flying
IFR procedures + approach + departure + enroute + weather + minimum equipment.
CRM + team leadership
Crew Resource Management + coordination with first officer + flight attendants + dispatch.
Aviation weather + planning
METAR + TAF + winds aloft + turbulence + icing + thunderstorm + performance + fuel.
FAR + Company OpSpec
FAR 121 + 135 + company operations specifications + rest + duty limits + specific procedures.
Aeronautical decision making
Risk assessment + go/no-go + diversion + emergency + PIC authority + safety-first.
Physical + medical
First-class FAA medical + physical fitness + hearing + vision + no disqualifying conditions.

How to Become a Commercial Pilots

  1. 1
    Get pilot certifications progressively
    PPL ($10-15k) β†’ Instrument ($8-15k) β†’ Commercial ($20-40k) β†’ Multi-engine ($5-10k) β†’ CFI ($5-10k) β†’ ATP ($5-8k).
  2. 2
    Build 1,500+ hours (Restricted ATP)
    1,500 hours total time for ATP. Military 750h + degrees + Part 141 school 1,000-1,250h eligible for reduced.
  3. 3
    Choose path: military + civilian
    Military = free training + guaranteed job + faster hours + veterans benefits. Civilian = $70-150k+ training cost + freedom.
  4. 4
    First job: CFI + charter + regional airline
    CFI $30-50k while building hours. Regional airline first officer $85-110k + fast progression + sign-on bonuses.
  5. 5
    Move to major airline + specialty
    5-8 years regional β†’ major airline. Wide-body + international + specialty captain positions premium pay.

Career Progression

Flight Instructor / Entry Pilot
0-3 yrs$32-65k (part-time to full)
  • β€’Instruct students
  • β€’Build flight hours
  • β€’Achieve ATP + build type ratings
  • β€’Explore niches
Next: Regional Airline First Officer at 3-5 years.
Regional Airline First Officer / Corporate Pilot
3-8 yrs$85-135k + per diem
  • β€’Operate regional aircraft
  • β€’Complete type ratings
  • β€’Build airline hours + experience
  • β€’Union apprenticeship
Next: Major Airline FO or Captain at 5-10 years.
Major Airline First Officer / Captain (Regional)
5-15 yrs$135-250k + benefits + pension
  • β€’Operate airline aircraft
  • β€’Captain-level training + upgrade
  • β€’Union rep involvement
  • β€’Specialty (international + check pilot)
Next: Wide-body Captain / Instructor at 12-20 years.
Senior Major Airline Captain / Wide-body
15+ yrs$220-500k+ (wide-body $350-500k+, top-scale $600k+ with OT + international)
  • β€’Lead flight operations
  • β€’International + wide-body + specialty
  • β€’Instructor + check airman
  • β€’Union leadership
Next: Retirement at 65 (FAA mandate) + consultant + flight school owner.

Interview Questions & Answers

5 free questions below. Career Kit unlocks 13 total plus resume bullets for every level.

Q1. Walk me through a challenging go-around.behavioral
Situation (weather + traffic) + decision + communication + execution + landing + debrief + document.
Q2. How do you handle a captain making a bad call?situational
CRM: raise concern respectfully + provide facts + insist if safety + document + report if pattern.
Q3. Explain personal minimums.technical
Weather + rest + experience-based limits below FAR/company mins + preserves safety margins.
Q4. Tell me about a diversion decision.behavioral
STAR: situation + factors + decision + coordination + outcome + lessons.
Q5. Where do you see career in 5 years?closer
Major airline captain + type ratings + potentially instructor + wide-body path.

Resume Template β€” CFI / Entry Pilot (0-3 yrs)

Copy these bullets into your resume as a starting point. Career Kit includes bullets for every level of the ladder.

CFI / Entry Pilot (0-3 yrs)
  • β–ΈLogged 1,650 flight hours as CFI including 350 multi-engine + 220 instrument + 180 night.
  • β–ΈInstructed 32 primary + instrument + commercial students with 96% first-attempt checkride pass rate.
  • β–ΈPassed ATP + first officer type rating within 30 days of hitting 1,500-hour threshold.
  • β–ΈZero incidents + zero enforcement actions + first-class FAA medical maintained continuously.

What Gets You Rejected

  • βœ—Poor training/checkride history.
  • βœ—FAA enforcement actions.
  • βœ—Medical certificate issues.
  • βœ—Weak CRM + attitude.
  • βœ—Cant handle high-stress emergencies.
  • βœ—Poor decision-making.

Salary Negotiation Levers

  • βœ“Regional airline sign-on bonuses: $10-100k (Envoy + Endeavor + SkyWest paying most).
  • βœ“Type ratings + PIC time = major leverage.
  • βœ“Major airline pay scales are contractual β€” negotiate seniority + base + fleet.
  • βœ“Corporate + business jet = premium over airlines.
  • βœ“International + wide-body = major pay premium.
  • βœ“Union protections + pension at major airlines.
  • βœ“Federal pilot pay scales for USAJobs positions.

Commercial Pilots Resume Review β€” $29

Personalized resume review from someone who has hired commercial pilotss. Purchase, email your resume to support@weblabra.com, and receive detailed written feedback within 7 days.

  • βœ“ Occupation-specific critique (not generic)
  • βœ“ Rewrite suggestions for weak bullets
  • βœ“ Missing skills / keywords flagged
  • βœ“ Formatting + ATS-readability feedback
  • βœ“ 7-day turnaround, 100% refund if we miss it

Commercial Pilots Career Kit β€” $19

  • βœ“ All 13 interview questions with expert answers
  • βœ“ 6 real questions aggregated from Glassdoor, Blind, Reddit, LinkedIn
  • βœ“ Interview format intel for 7 top employers
  • βœ“ 3 copy-paste salary negotiation emails
  • βœ“ Resume bullets for every level of the career ladder
  • βœ“ 30–60–90 day plan for your first role
  • βœ“ Cover letter templates specific to this occupation
  • βœ“ Detailed salary negotiation script
  • βœ“ Ranked list of certifications with cost + ROI
  • βœ“ Downloadable PDF for offline access
  • βœ“ Instant access, no expiration, no subscription
βœ“ 7-day money-back guarantee β€” no questions asked

One-time purchase. 7-day refund guarantee.

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Commercial Pilots Salary by State

Best Cities (cost-adjusted) β†’

Salary Map β€” Click a state for details

$84K
$232Kβ–  No data

Top Paying States

Connecticut
$232K
+88%
New Jersey
$227K
+84%
New York
$177K
+44%
California
$166K
+34%
Delaware
$164K
+33%
Ohio
$150K
+22%
Georgia
$145K
+18%
Colorado
$140K
+13%
Texas
$138K
+12%
Vermont
$138K
+12%
Vertical line = national median. Click a state for full details.
StateMedianvs. National
Connecticut$232,160+88.4%
New Jersey$226,710+84.0%
New York$177,430+44.0%
California$165,590+34.4%
Delaware$163,600+32.8%
Ohio$150,330+22.0%
Georgia$145,100+17.8%
Colorado$139,680+13.4%
Texas$137,960+12.0%
Vermont$137,810+11.8%
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Commercial Pilots Salary by Metro Area

Metro AreaMedianvs. National
Waterbury-Shelton, CT$315,450+156.0%
Kiryas Joel-Poughkeepsie-Newburgh, NY$280,630+127.7%
Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA$274,730+123.0%
Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury, CT$232,600+88.8%
New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ$225,900+83.3%
Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT$211,350+71.5%
Trenton-Princeton, NJ$205,700+66.9%
Midland, TX$198,480+61.1%
Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN$193,940+57.4%
Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI$177,730+44.2%
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Data Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS). Data reflects the most recent annual survey.
How does this compare to pro athletes?
A commercial pilots earning $123,220/year would need 484 years to match Stephen Curry's NBA salary, or 519 yearsto match Patrick Mahomes' NFL contract.
See all sports & celebrity salaries β†’
πŸ“ˆ See how commercial pilots salaries have changed over the past decade.
View Commercial Pilots salary trend (2011–2024) β†’