Here's How Much Money Pilots Earn In Every State – Forbes
Airline pilots make very solid money in the U.S., though many pilots and airlines worry about a … [+]
Pilots serve an indispensable role in our society, connecting Americans effortlessly with the rest of the country and the rest of the world. And yet, there are some legitimate concerns about long-term trends occurring in airline and commercial aviation. According to ABC7 News, many are worried about a looming national shortage of pilots due to a massive wave of mandatory retirements coming as pilots approach age 65. Globally, over the next 20 years, airlines will need 790,000 new pilots. In the United States, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ (BLS) Occupational Outlook Handbook (OOH), over the 10 years from 2018 to 2028, employment of airline and commercial pilots will grow by 7,000, equivalent to a 6% increase, which is about as fast as the average for employment change across all occupations.
Using occupational data from the BLS, we’ve analyzed and compiled a round-up of the average pilot salary by state across the U.S. The BLS breaks pilot employment down into two main occupation categories:
Read on for a full breakdown of where pilots make the most money and where they’re making the least.
The national average annual wage of a commercial pilot is $102,870, according to the latest data from the BLS. This is nearly double the current average annual salary for all occupations, $53,490. As with most occupations, the average pilot salary can vary depending on geography, with some states featuring higher pay than others. Based on the latest occupational data from the BLS, here is a list of the top-10 highest-paying states for commercial pilots:
Commercial pilot salaries showed particularly strong growth in No. 7 Massachusetts. From an average annual wage of $71,040 in 2014, the average commercial pilot salary grew by 63.2% to $115,950 in 2019. No. 4 Alaska also demonstrated impressive growth in commercial pilot salaries, increasing by 59.1% over the last five years: From $76,080 in 2014, up to $121,080 in 2019.
The bottom-10 states where commercial pilots make the least money are an interesting geographic mix of states of New England, the Rocky Mountains and the Midwest. Average annual wages for these 10 states range from $60,550 to $78,570, which means commercial pilots still beat the average annual wage for all occupations in each individual state. Here’s a list of the bottom-10 lowest-paying states for commercial pilots.
Salaries for commercial pilots in these states also have been weak on growth or have even declined over the last five years. The average commercial pilot salary in Wisconsin declined by 4.4%, from $72,140 in 2014, down to $68,970 in 2019. West Virginia also witnessed a decline in commercial pilot salaries, with the average annual wage falling by 3.5%, from $80,260 in 2014 to $77,420 in 2019.
Airline pilots earn an average annual wage of $174,870, according to the BLS, more than triple the average annual wage for all occupations, $53,490. In the 10 states where airline pilot salaries are the highest, the average annual wage can be more than $200,000, although these states are very exceptional. Here’s a list of the top-10 highest-paying states for airline pilots.
The average annual wage for airline pilots in Michigan has grown substantially, from $114,640 in 2015 to $238,270, for a four-year increase of 107.8%. In Washington, the average airline pilot salary has also risen dramatically, from $97,290 in 2015 to $234,060, an increase of 140.6%.
Airline pilot salaries in these 10 states are still much higher than the average annual wage for all occupations. However, the difference between the average airline pilot salary in these 10 states and the top-paying 10 states is significant. Here’s a list of the bottom-10 lowest-paying states for airline pilots:
According to the BLS data, the average annual wage for airline pilots in Georgia has fallen by 31.3% over the last five years: From $145,060 in 2014, down to $99,640 in 2019. In Tennessee, which has the lowest average airline pilot salary, the average annual wage has declined by 6.8%: From $95,000 in 2014, down to $88,540 in 2019.
Below you’ll find two tables, one listing all the states and their respective average commercial pilot salaries from 2014 to 2019; the other lists the average airline pilot salaries. BLS data was more limited in regards to airline pilot salaries, only having 2019 data available for 34 states out of 50. For commercial pilot salaries, the BLS had 2019 data for 48 states.
Here’s how much commercial airline pilots earn in each state:
Average commercial pilot salary in each state, 2014-2019
Here’s how much airline pilots earn in each state:
Average airline pilot salary in each U.S. state, 2014-2019
