Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers Salary Trend (2011–2024)
Historical salary and employment data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Median Salary in 2024
$226,600
↑ 114.6% since 2011
Median Salary Over Time
Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers — Median Annual Salary
Employment Over Time
Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers — Total Employment
Key Insights
📈Salaries grew 114.6% since 2011 ($105,580 → $226,600)
🏆Peak year: 2024 at $226,600
🦠COVID impact: Salary rose 9.3% from 2019 to 2020, likely reflecting workforce composition changes.
💰After inflation (~3%/yr), real growth is approximately +46%
Year-by-Year Salary Data
| Year | Median Salary | YoY Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $226,600 | +3.4% |
| 2023 | $219,140 | +3.5% |
| 2022 | $211,790 | +4.8% |
| 2021 | $202,180 | +25.6% |
| 2020 | $160,970 | +9.3% |
| 2019 | $147,220 | +4.9% |
| 2018 | $140,340 | +2.2% |
| 2017 | $137,330 | +7.4% |
| 2016 | $127,820 | +9.0% |
| 2015 | $117,290 | -0.7% |
| 2014 | $118,140 | +2.6% |
| 2013 | $115,190 | +0.9% |
| 2012 | $114,200 | +8.2% |
| 2011 | $105,580 | — |
Data Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), 2011–2024. All figures are annual median wages in nominal dollars.