Loading
Assembling your view…
Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Real salary distribution from 288 tracked cities across 46 states. Compare entry-level, median, and senior compensation — then adjust for cost of living.
This is the salary picture most job boards don't show you. The national median salary for Airline Pilots in 2026 is $182,491, with entry-level positions averaging $131,393 and senior roles reaching $259,137. But those numbers flatten a reality with enormous geographic variation — Santa Clara pays a median of $339,681, while other markets fall well below the national average. We tracked 288 cities to build the complete picture.
Airline Pilot falls within the Transportation & Logistics sector, specifically in Transportation. The typical education path involves Bachelor's + ATP license. The career outlook? Growing. Work style is flight schedule — which means location flexibility varies, and so does the premium different markets are willing to pay. That salary-to-cost ratio is genuinely competitive.
$198,090 separates the highest and lowest-paying cities. A Airline Pilot in Santa Clara, California earns a median of $339,681 — $198,090 more than their counterpart in Toledo, Ohio ($141,591). That gap alone is more than many cities' annual rent. In the right market, this is a six-figure career path.
Breaking down the numbers: entry-level Airline Pilots average $131,393, the median sits at $182,491, and senior earners pull in $259,137. That $127,744 gap represents the full earning trajectory of this career. The median is $102,124 above the national median household income of $80,367 — meaning even a mid-career professional in this field outearns the typical American household.
The pay gap between the top and bottom markets is dramatic: $321,532 (average of the top 3 cities) versus $145,072 (average of the bottom 3). That $176,460 delta is real money — $14,705/month before taxes. But the highest-paying cities tend to be the most expensive. The cost-adjusted comparison below tells the more important story.
A Airline Pilot in Santa Clara, California earns a median of $339,681 — $198,090 more than their counterpart in Toledo, Ohio ($141,591). That gap alone is more than many cities' annual rent.
The national average entry-level (P10) salary for Airline Pilot is $131,393, while senior-level (P90) earners average $259,137. That $127,744 trajectory represents the earning growth a career in this field can deliver.
Hawaii pays the highest average median salary for Airline Pilots at $231,818 across 1 tracked cities. The gap between #1 and #5 (New Hampshire at $190,386) is $41,432.
At the 90th percentile, Airline Pilots pull in an average of $259,137. In the top-paying markets, that figure climbs even higher — making this one of the more lucrative career trajectories in its field.
| Country | Coverage | Entry (P10) | Median | Senior (P90) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| United States | 288 | $131,393 | $182,491 | $259,137 |
| United Kingdom | 27 | £87,933 | £122,129 | £173,423 |
| Canada | 21 | CA$141,607 | CA$196,676 | CA$279,280 |
| Australia | 13 | A$163,712 | A$227,377 | A$322,876 |
| Sweden | 24 | 998,659 kr | 1,387,026 kr | 1,969,577 kr |
| State | Cities | Entry (P10) | Median | Senior (P90) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hawaii | 1 | $166,909 | $231,818 | $329,182 |
| California | 61 | $149,962 | $208,281 | $295,759 |
| Massachusetts | 4 | $144,566 | $200,787 | $285,117 |
| Rhode Island | 1 | $140,776 | $195,522 | $277,641 |
| New Hampshire | 1 | $137,078 | $190,386 | $270,348 |
| Washington | 8 | $134,335 | $186,576 | $264,938 |
| Oregon | 5 | $132,837 | $184,496 | $261,984 |
| Colorado | 11 | $132,135 | $183,522 | $260,601 |
| South Carolina | 3 | $132,065 | $183,423 | $260,461 |
| New York | 5 | $131,432 | $182,544 | $259,213 |
| Illinois | 5 | $131,136 | $182,133 | $258,629 |
| Nevada | 5 | $129,632 | $180,044 | $255,663 |
| Virginia | 7 | $129,558 | $179,942 | $255,517 |
| Idaho | 3 | $129,558 | $179,942 | $255,517 |
| Utah | 4 | $128,479 | $178,444 | $253,390 |
| Florida | 22 | $128,359 | $178,276 | $253,152 |
| Arizona | 12 | $128,233 | $178,101 | $252,904 |
| New Jersey | 4 | $128,079 | $177,887 | $252,600 |
| Wisconsin | 2 | $126,600 | $175,833 | $249,682 |
| Tennessee | 6 | $125,737 | $174,634 | $247,980 |
| Michigan | 6 | $125,593 | $174,434 | $247,697 |
| New Mexico | 3 | $125,531 | $174,349 | $247,575 |
| Connecticut | 5 | $125,268 | $173,984 | $247,057 |
| District of Columbia | 1 | $123,271 | $171,210 | $243,118 |
| Alaska | 1 | $123,271 | $171,210 | $243,118 |
| Iowa | 2 | $123,271 | $171,210 | $243,118 |
| North Dakota | 1 | $123,271 | $171,210 | $243,118 |
| Montana | 1 | $123,271 | $171,210 | $243,118 |
| Pennsylvania | 3 | $121,586 | $168,870 | $239,795 |
| Minnesota | 2 | $121,422 | $168,642 | $239,472 |
| North Carolina | 9 | $121,408 | $168,623 | $239,444 |
| Texas | 40 | $121,243 | $168,394 | $239,119 |
| Oklahoma | 4 | $120,837 | $167,829 | $238,316 |
| Georgia | 6 | $120,498 | $167,358 | $237,648 |
| Louisiana | 4 | $120,343 | $167,144 | $237,344 |
| Indiana | 3 | $120,025 | $166,701 | $236,716 |
| Alabama | 5 | $118,685 | $164,841 | $234,074 |
| Ohio | 6 | $118,423 | $164,476 | $233,556 |
| Kentucky | 2 | $118,340 | $164,362 | $233,394 |
| Maryland | 1 | $118,217 | $164,190 | $233,150 |
| Missouri | 4 | $118,125 | $164,062 | $232,968 |
| Kansas | 4 | $117,847 | $163,677 | $232,421 |
| South Dakota | 1 | $117,354 | $162,992 | $231,449 |
| Nebraska | 2 | $116,738 | $162,136 | $230,233 |
| Arkansas | 1 | $109,218 | $151,692 | $215,403 |
| Mississippi | 1 | $104,164 | $144,672 | $205,434 |
At the state level, Hawaii leads with an average Airline Pilot median of $231,818 across 1 cities, followed by California ($208,281) and Massachusetts ($200,787). The demand picture adds context to these salary numbers. The lowest-paying states — Mississippi, Arkansas, Nebraska — offer medians between $144,672 and $162,136. But state averages mask city-level variation that's often just as large.
When you adjust the top-paying cities for cost of living, the ranking reshuffles. Santa Clara ($339,681 nominal, 198 cost index) delivers $171,556 in purchasing power — maintaining its lead even after cost adjustment. This is the metric that matters for anyone considering a geo-based career move.
Raw salary divided by the local cost index — this shows where your paycheck buys the most.
| # | City | Nominal Salary | Cost Index | Adjusted Salary | Est. Take-Home |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Oceanside California | $250,823 | 146 | $171,797 | $140,113 |
| 2 | Santa Clara California | $339,681 | 198 | $171,556 | $179,255 |
| 3 | Boston Massachusetts | $259,041 | 151 | $171,550 | $154,872 |
| 4 | Huntington Beach California | $289,859 | 169 | $171,514 | $157,308 |
| 5 | Fremont California | $303,555 | 177 | $171,500 | $163,341 |
| 6 | Irvine California | $315,540 | 184 | $171,489 | $168,621 |
| 7 | Bellevue Washington | $289,687 | 169 | $171,412 | $195,761 |
| 8 | Thousand Oaks California | $275,477 | 161 | $171,104 | $150,973 |
| 9 | Los Angeles California | $251,507 | 147 | $171,093 | $140,414 |
| 10 | Anaheim California | $249,795 | 146 | $171,092 | $139,660 |
The $127,744 gap between P10 and P90 represents the earning trajectory of a Airline Pilot career. Senior-level earners make 2.0× what entry-level professionals do — a solid progression that justifies the upfront investment. In the Transportation & Logistics sector, growing, which shapes both starting salaries and long-term ceiling.
The weighted national median salary for Airline Pilots is $182,491 in 2026, based on BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics across 288 U.S. metro areas. Entry-level (10th percentile) averages $131,393, while experienced professionals at the 90th percentile average $259,137.
The highest-paying city for Airline Pilots is Santa Clara, California with a median salary of $339,681. The top 3 cities are Santa Clara ($339,681), Irvine ($315,540), San Francisco ($309,376). Note: high-paying cities often have higher costs of living — check the cost-adjusted rankings above for purchasing power.
The lowest median Airline Pilot salary in our data is in Toledo, Ohio at $141,591. However, lower-paying cities often have significantly lower costs of living, which can offset the pay gap. Always compare salary data alongside local cost of living.
Entry-level Airline Pilots (10th percentile) average $131,393 nationally. This varies by city — in the highest-paying markets, entry-level pay can be close to $244,570. Experience, certifications, and employer type all influence starting salary.
At the 90th percentile (senior level), Airline Pilots average $259,137 nationally — $127,744 more than entry-level. In top-paying cities, senior Airline Pilots can earn up to $482,347.
The top-paying states for Airline Pilots are Hawaii ($231,818 median), California ($208,281 median), Massachusetts ($200,787 median). State averages are computed across all tracked cities in each state, weighted equally.
The typical education path for a Airline Pilot involves Bachelor's + ATP license. The field is in the Transportation & Logistics sector (Transportation), and the career outlook is growing. Work style is typically flight schedule.
With a national median of $182,491 and representation across 288 metro areas, Airline Pilot offers above-average earning potential compared to national household income. The $127,744 gap between entry and senior pay shows room for salary growth. Industry outlook: growing.
All salary data on this page is sourced from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) program, which surveys employers across U.S. metropolitan areas. We present 10th percentile (entry), 50th percentile (median), and 90th percentile (senior) pay benchmarks. Cost-of-living adjustments use our core database of 288 cities.
Salary data is sourced from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) program, which surveys employers across U.S. metropolitan and non-metropolitan areas. We present the 10th percentile (entry-level), 50th percentile (median), and 90th percentile (senior) pay benchmarks.
Cost-of-living adjustments use Livably's core index derived from Zillow rent data, Census income surveys, and regional BLS price data. Take-home pay estimates apply simplified federal brackets, 7.65% FICA, and state income tax rates from the Tax Foundation.
State and national averages are computed as simple means across all tracked cities with data for this occupation. Rankings are updated monthly as new BLS releases become available.