Commercial Pilots
Commercial Pilots (SOC 53-2012) earn a median $123,220 a year in the United States, with 47,630 employed as of May 2025; the highest-paying state is Connecticut.
What commercial pilots do
Commercial pilots fly aircraft for pay outside the scheduled airlines. The group includes charter pilots, air ambulance and air tour pilots, helicopter pilots, and pilots of fixed-wing aircraft on nonscheduled routes. The SOC definition requires a Commercial Pilot certificate. Before each flight the pilot inspects the aircraft, checks engines, controls, and instruments, and works out how altitude, temperature, load, and wind affect takeoff performance. In flight the pilot watches fuel burn and engine readings, uses instruments when visibility is poor, and may change routes or loads to keep the flight safe. Some jobs have a second pilot and others are flown alone, so the pilot may serve as copilot or captain depending on the operation. Pilots of regional, national, and international airlines fall in the separate airline pilot code.
Typical entry: O*NET reports that most workers in this occupation have a postsecondary certificate.
Also called: Advanced Air Mobility Operator (AAM Operator), Advanced Air Mobility Pilot (AAM Pilot), Advanced Air Mobility Technician (AAM Technician), Aerial Advertiser, Aerial Crop Duster.
National wage percentiles, May 2025
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||
| United States | Hourly | * | * | * | * | * | * | 47,630 |
| Annual | $58,850 | $84,540 | $123,220 | $190,440 | $266,620 | $146,080 | ||
Employment per 1,000 jobs and the location quotient are area measures; they appear in the state and metro tables below. To see what a wage in this range leaves after tax, use FastCalc's take-home pay calculator.
Where commercial pilots earn and work most
Five highest-paying states
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Connecticut | Hourly | * | * | * | * | * | * | 460 | 0.27 | 0.89 |
| Annual | $86,840 | $172,500 | $232,160 | $315,450 | $321,270 | $231,650 | ||||
| New Jersey | Hourly | * | * | * | * | * | * | 670 | 0.16 | 0.51 |
| Annual | $52,560 | $121,730 | $226,710 | $321,550 | $326,930 | $215,210 | ||||
| New York | Hourly | * | * | * | * | * | * | 1,070 | 0.11 | 0.36 |
| Annual | $63,080 | $103,390 | $177,430 | $257,810 | $297,680 | $184,580 | ||||
| California | Hourly | * | * | * | * | * | * | 4,900 | 0.27 | 0.88 |
| Annual | $63,890 | $85,020 | $165,590 | $278,940 | $500,170 | $202,040 | ||||
| Delaware | Hourly | * | * | * | * | * | * | 220 | 0.46 | 1.49 |
| Annual | $83,180 | $124,180 | $163,600 | $198,380 | $264,590 | $160,700 | ||||
Five states with the most jobs
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Florida | Hourly | * | * | * | * | * | * | 6,340 | 0.64 | 2.09 |
| Annual | $62,590 | $98,460 | $121,890 | $202,340 | $229,110 | $145,320 | ||||
| California | Hourly | * | * | * | * | * | * | 4,900 | 0.27 | 0.88 |
| Annual | $63,890 | $85,020 | $165,590 | $278,940 | $500,170 | $202,040 | ||||
| Texas | Hourly | * | * | * | * | * | * | 4,120 | 0.29 | 0.96 |
| Annual | $68,460 | $101,090 | $137,960 | $196,400 | $259,990 | $152,090 | ||||
| Ohio | Hourly | * | * | * | * | * | * | 2,680 | 0.48 | 1.58 |
| Annual | $60,300 | $82,440 | $150,330 | $211,620 | $219,140 | $145,490 | ||||
| Arizona | Hourly | * | * | * | * | * | * | 1,540 | 0.47 | 1.55 |
| Annual | $64,290 | $93,620 | $103,060 | $133,110 | $201,660 | $119,320 | ||||
Five highest-paying metropolitan areas
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Waterbury-Shelton, CT | Hourly | * | * | * | * | * | * | 130 | 0.82 | 2.67 |
| Annual | $173,750 | $224,700 | $315,450 | $321,270 | $321,270 | $267,680 | ||||
| Kiryas Joel-Poughkeepsie-Newburgh, NY | Hourly | * | * | * | * | * | * | 50 | 0.20 | 0.64 |
| Annual | $78,370 | $161,800 | $280,630 | $303,510 | $315,120 | $226,850 | ||||
| Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA | Hourly | * | * | * | * | * | * | 130 | 0.65 | 2.12 |
| Annual | $75,320 | $125,240 | $274,730 | $306,270 | $306,270 | $218,810 | ||||
| Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury, CT | Hourly | * | * | * | * | * | * | 90 | 0.22 | 0.72 |
| Annual | $91,550 | $125,340 | $232,600 | $330,520 | $339,700 | $226,590 | ||||
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | Hourly | * | * | * | * | * | * | 1,210 | 0.13 | 0.42 |
| Annual | $62,820 | $118,540 | $225,900 | $290,800 | $321,550 | $204,770 | ||||
Five metropolitan areas with the most jobs
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL | Hourly | * | * | * | * | * | * | 3,440 | 1.22 | 3.98 |
| Annual | $69,780 | $101,880 | $127,360 | $211,010 | $292,330 | $156,130 | ||||
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | Hourly | * | * | * | * | * | * | 1,980 | 0.32 | 1.03 |
| Annual | * | * | * | * | * | * | ||||
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | Hourly | * | * | * | * | * | * | 1,810 | 0.45 | 1.46 |
| Annual | $80,660 | $108,690 | $160,160 | $259,690 | $266,620 | $171,660 | ||||
| Columbus, OH | Hourly | * | * | * | * | * | * | 1,410 | 1.27 | 4.15 |
| Annual | $60,300 | $92,980 | $175,690 | $216,270 | $216,270 | $153,240 | ||||
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | Hourly | * | * | * | * | * | * | 1,210 | 0.13 | 0.42 |
| Annual | $62,820 | $118,540 | $225,900 | $290,800 | $321,550 | $204,770 | ||||
Top industries employing commercial pilots
Nonscheduled Air Transportation employ 39.0% of commercial pilots nationally (18,580 jobs) at a median $133,150 a year, followed by Technical and Trade Schools (12.6%) and Other Ambulatory Health Care Services (10.8%).
| Industry | Employment | Share of occupation | Median annual | Median hourly |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nonscheduled Air Transportation NAICS 481200 | 18,580 | 39.0% | $133,150 | * |
| Technical and Trade Schools NAICS 611500 | 6,010 | 12.6% | $93,650 | * |
| Other Ambulatory Health Care Services NAICS 621900 | 5,150 | 10.8% | $100,330 | * |
| Support Activities for Air Transportation NAICS 488100 | 4,210 | 8.8% | $123,090 | * |
| Management of Companies and Enterprises NAICS 551100 | 1,390 | 2.9% | $173,460 | * |
Share is the industry's employment over the occupation's national employment (47,630). Industries whose employment BLS withheld are not ranked.
Published medians, May 2021 to May 2025
BLS published a median annual wage of $99,640 for commercial pilots in May 2021 and $123,220 in May 2025, with employment of 42,770 and 47,630.
| Release | Median annual | Median hourly | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 2021 | $99,640 | * | 42,770 |
| May 2022 | $103,910 | * | 48,750 |
| May 2023 | $113,080 | * | 52,750 |
| May 2024 | $122,670 | * | 51,830 |
| May 2025 | $123,220 | * | 47,630 |
BLS does not design OEWS as a time series: each release pools three years of samples, and occupational classifications, area definitions and estimation methods change between releases, so a difference between two releases is not a measure of change over time. The figures are shown as published, side by side, and nothing is computed from them. See how often OEWS is updated.
Every state, by median wage
50 states and DC publish a row for this occupation. A linked state has its own page with the within-state metro table and comparison; the others appear here only.
| Rank | State | Median hourly | Median annual | 10th pct (annual) | 90th pct (annual) | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Connecticut profile | * | $232,160 | $86,840 | $321,270 | 460 | 0.27 | 0.89 |
| 2 | New Jersey profile | * | $226,710 | $52,560 | $326,930 | 670 | 0.16 | 0.51 |
| 3 | New York profile | * | $177,430 | $63,080 | $297,680 | 1,070 | 0.11 | 0.36 |
| 4 | California profile | * | $165,590 | $63,890 | $500,170 | 4,900 | 0.27 | 0.88 |
| 5 | Delaware profile | * | $163,600 | $83,180 | $264,590 | 220 | 0.46 | 1.49 |
| 6 | Ohio profile | * | $150,330 | $60,300 | $219,140 | 2,680 | 0.48 | 1.58 |
| 7 | Georgia profile | * | $145,100 | $53,010 | $247,410 | 1,020 | 0.21 | 0.68 |
| 8 | Colorado profile | * | $139,680 | $59,780 | $269,630 | 1,240 | 0.43 | 1.40 |
| 9 | Texas profile | * | $137,960 | $68,460 | $259,990 | 4,120 | 0.29 | 0.96 |
| 10 | Vermont profile | * | $137,810 | $56,820 | $233,150 | 40 | 0.12 | 0.40 |
| 11 | Pennsylvania profile | * | $134,030 | $74,610 | $263,290 | 530 | 0.09 | 0.29 |
| 12 | North Dakota profile | * | $133,010 | $65,630 | $237,050 | 370 | 0.86 | 2.81 |
| 13 | Maryland profile | * | $131,210 | $58,070 | $229,430 | 360 | 0.13 | 0.42 |
| 14 | Kentucky profile | * | $129,990 | $83,130 | $355,390 | 800 | 0.40 | 1.30 |
| 15 | Wisconsin profile | * | $129,860 | $66,390 | $269,990 | 1,090 | 0.37 | 1.21 |
| 16 | North Carolina profile | * | $127,310 | $61,050 | $243,090 | 1,520 | 0.31 | 1.00 |
| 17 | Michigan profile | * | $126,670 | $58,280 | $205,900 | 1,390 | 0.32 | 1.03 |
| 18 | Oklahoma profile | * | $126,180 | $75,880 | $220,610 | 540 | 0.32 | 1.04 |
| 19 | Illinois profile | * | $126,100 | $51,890 | $376,830 | 1,170 | 0.19 | 0.63 |
| 20 | Florida profile | * | $121,890 | $62,590 | $229,110 | 6,340 | 0.64 | 2.09 |
| 21 | Oregon profile | * | $120,760 | $50,960 | $307,900 | 670 | 0.34 | 1.11 |
| 22 | Washington profile | * | $117,730 | $70,420 | $314,200 | 890 | 0.25 | 0.82 |
| 23 | Maine profile | * | $117,560 | $73,310 | $252,760 | 100 | 0.15 | 0.49 |
| 24 | Tennessee profile | * | $117,480 | $54,740 | $204,650 | 1,030 | 0.32 | 1.03 |
| 25 | Hawaii profile | * | $113,030 | $58,470 | $214,630 | 350 | 0.56 | 1.84 |
| 26 | Idaho profile | * | $109,620 | $64,300 | $209,320 | 310 | 0.37 | 1.19 |
| 27 | West Virginia profile | * | $105,950 | $64,450 | $174,170 | 40 | 0.06 | 0.20 |
| 28 | South Carolina profile | * | $105,740 | $49,720 | $164,920 | 290 | 0.13 | 0.41 |
| 29 | Kansas profile | * | $105,440 | $49,060 | $175,820 | 680 | 0.47 | 1.53 |
| 30 | Nevada profile | * | $105,340 | $51,350 | $211,260 | 1,100 | 0.71 | 2.32 |
| 31 | Virginia profile | * | $104,890 | $55,310 | $228,970 | 1,130 | 0.27 | 0.89 |
| 32 | Nebraska profile | * | $104,780 | $53,710 | $167,450 | 290 | 0.29 | 0.94 |
| 33 | Indiana profile | * | $104,160 | $63,250 | $221,260 | 960 | 0.30 | 0.97 |
| 34 | Montana profile | * | $103,690 | $73,440 | $226,770 | 330 | 0.65 | 2.13 |
| 35 | Mississippi profile | * | $103,640 | $71,050 | $215,010 | 240 | 0.20 | 0.67 |
| 36 | Arizona profile | * | $103,060 | $64,290 | $201,660 | 1,540 | 0.47 | 1.55 |
| 37 | Missouri profile | * | $102,990 | $50,790 | $212,000 | 670 | 0.23 | 0.75 |
| 38 | Wyoming profile | * | $102,990 | $59,990 | $140,320 | 190 | 0.67 | 2.17 |
| 39 | Iowa profile | * | $101,800 | $77,790 | $199,340 | 300 | 0.19 | 0.62 |
| 40 | Alabama profile | * | $101,420 | $57,030 | $163,100 | 780 | 0.37 | 1.20 |
| 41 | Alaska profile | * | $100,120 | $49,610 | $163,410 | 1,000 | 3.08 | 10.07 |
| 42 | Utah profile | * | $99,610 | $60,060 | $175,000 | 540 | 0.31 | 1.02 |
| 43 | Rhode Island profile | * | $98,820 | $51,360 | $273,060 | 80 | 0.16 | 0.52 |
| 44 | Minnesota profile | * | $98,630 | $42,670 | $261,800 | 910 | 0.31 | 1.01 |
| 45 | New Mexico profile | * | $97,920 | $34,680 | $219,010 | 370 | 0.43 | 1.39 |
| 46 | Louisiana profile | * | $95,940 | $46,990 | $169,410 | 910 | 0.47 | 1.54 |
| 47 | Arkansas profile | * | $94,410 | $43,290 | $171,500 | 460 | 0.35 | 1.15 |
| 48 | South Dakota profile | * | $83,710 | $51,590 | $157,840 | 320 | 0.71 | 2.31 |
| – | Massachusetts profile | * | * | * | * | 160 | 0.04 | 0.14 |
| – | New Hampshire profile | * | * | * | * | 440 | 0.64 | 2.09 |
Related occupations
Occupations in the same SOC broad group (53-2010), with their national median annual wage.
Part of Transportation and Material Moving Occupations. Compare any area in the wage explorer.
Source and notes
Data: BLS OEWS May 2025, released 2026-05-15. Cross-industry estimates, all ownerships. BLS page: OEWS 53-2012 Commercial Pilots.
*- Wage estimate not available.
- Annual wages assume 2,080 hours a year at the hourly rate; occupations BLS publishes on one basis only show an en dash (–) on the other.
- Employment is rounded to the nearest 10 by BLS. Where BLS withholds a cell, nothing is estimated in its place.
- Top industries: nat4d_M2025_dl.xlsx in oesm25in4.zip (BLS OEWS May 2025, national, 4-digit NAICS, cross-ownership). Employment is the industry's rounded total for this occupation; industries whose employment BLS withheld (**) are not ranked. A withheld or top-coded median in that table shows the marker explained above.
- Published medians: national_M2021_dl.xlsx to national_M2024_dl.xlsx in oesm21nat.zip to oesm24nat.zip (BLS OEWS May 2021 to May 2024, national, cross-industry, all ownerships) and the May 2025 spine. Each release is shown as published; nothing is computed between them. A withheld or top-coded cell in that table shows the marker explained above.
Sources
- BLS Standard Occupational Classification 2018, definition of 53-2012, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- O*NET 30.1 Database, 53-2012.00, National Center for O*NET Development, USDOL/ETA (CC BY 4.0).
- OEWS May 2025 national industry-specific estimates, 4-digit NAICS (oesm25in4.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2021 national estimates (oesm21nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2022 national estimates (oesm22nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2023 national estimates (oesm23nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2024 national estimates (oesm24nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2025 national estimates (oesm25nat.zip), the site's data spine, US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
Includes information from O*NET 30.1 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration, used under the CC BY 4.0 license.
Description written 2026-10-17 in our own words from the sources above.