The US Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) issued their 2020 Occupational Outlook Handbook showing that “airline pilots, copilots, and flight engineers” had a median annual wage of $160,970, nearly four times the median wage for all US workers, who earned $41,950 on average.
BLS Data Shows Strong Salaries for Airline and Commercial Pilots
Key Takeaways:
- In 2020, "airline pilots, copilots, and flight engineers" had a median annual wage of $160,970, nearly four times the US median, while "commercial pilots" earned a median of $93,300.
- Pilot salaries varied significantly based on the type of air transportation (e.g., $173,780 for scheduled vs. $117,030 for nonscheduled) and geographical location, with California and Nevada among the highest and Mississippi among the lowest.
- The reported median annual wages did not account for additional benefits like expense allowances, per diem, international flight pay, or free/reduced-fare flights.
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