Salary for Airline Pilot, Copilot, or Flight Engineer Jobs

Highest Salaries By City for Airline Pilot, Copilot, or Flight Engineer Jobs

Top Cities by Popularity for Airline Pilot, Copilot, or Flight Engineer Jobs

Highest Salaries By City Top Cities by Popularity

Highest Salaries By City 1. Memphis, Tennessee 2. Phoenix, Arizona 3. Atlanta, Georgia 4. San Francisco, California 5. Denver, Colorado 6. Washington, District of Columbia 7. Dallas, Texas 8. Chicago, Illinois 9. Seattle, Washington 10. Miami, Florida 11. Houston, Texas 12. Los Angeles, California 13. New York, New York 14. Orlando, Florida 15. Minneapolis, Minnesota 16. Baltimore, Maryland 17. Salt Lake City, Utah 18. Charlotte, North Carolina Top Cities by Popularity 1. New York, New York 2. Atlanta, Georgia 3. Los Angeles, California 4. San Francisco, California 5. Houston, Texas 6. Denver, Colorado 7. Chicago, Illinois

What are Airline Pilot Salaries Like?

In the airline industry, the potential is there for high salaries, great benefits (including free travel) and the chance to be in command of an aircraft. For those who love to fly, this might sound ideal. But airline pilots face great competition as they try to break into the field. Pilots must undergo extensive training before becoming employed, and only a few will actually get positions with major airline carriers. For pilots who do get those coveted jobs, some seniority is required before earning the top airline pilot salaries. As shown in the chart on Airline Pilot Salaries by Years Experience, there is a huge difference between entry-level and more experienced airline pilot salaries. Pilots are also away from home for part of each month and extensive traveling can be tiring. Not that all 10-year-olds should put away their remote-control airplanes and start dreaming of life as a banker. On the contrary, if you're drawn to this profession, working as an airline pilot can be an exciting and rewarding career. Before enrolling in flight school, though, use PayScale's data on airline pilot salaries to make more informed decisions about your aviation career.

Airline Pilot Salary Data

Pilots are employed in a variety of industries, including the military. Take a look at the chart on Airline Pilot Salaries by Industry to see how the salary for a commercial airline pilot compares to salaries in other industries. You might also want to compare Airline Pilot Salaries by Employer Name to see which companies tend to offer higher airline pilot salaries. Location is another important factor affecting airline pilot salaries. Major hubs exist across the U.S., but researching median airline pilot salaries for different areas reveals major differences from one location to the next. The chart on Airline Pilot Salaries by City shows a wide salary range for each location. In each city, the upper end of the salary range is in the triple digits, but some cities definitely rank higher than others for salary potential. Of course, some of these cities are also known for having a high cost of living. Use the PayScale Cost of Living Calculator to find data on Cost of Living and Airline Pilot Salaries in New York, Los Angeles and other cities.

Beyond Airline Pilot Salaries

For a different take on a pilot career, be sure to read "Cabin Crew Salaries: Hot Air Balloon Pilot" over in the Salary Stories blog. It's the real-life story of "Captain Crystal" Stout, a professional hot air balloon pilot with 22 years of experience.