Occupation Salary Profile

Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers

SOC Code: 53-2011

Pilot and navigate the flight of fixed-wing aircraft, usually on scheduled air carrier routes, for the transport of passengers and cargo. Requires Federal Air Transport certificate and rating for specific aircraft type used. Includes regional, national, and international airline pilots and flight instructors of airline pilots. Excludes ā€œElectro-Mechanical and Mechatronics Technologists and Techniciansā€ (17-3024).

National Median (BLS)
$141,140
ā–² +7.76% Nominal +4.35% Real
H-1B Sponsor Median
$243,360
ā–² +20.43% Nominal +16.77% Real
Average Base Salary
$143,040
Domestic Mean Pay
Total U.S. Employment
2,720
Active Positions (BLS)
Highest Paying State Calculatingā€¦
Highest Employment State Calculatingā€¦
Highest Paying Metro Calculatingā€¦

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National Baseline Wage Distribution

Empirical wage tiers reported across all 50 states by the Bureau of Labor Statistics for Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers.

Percentile Tier Annual Base Salary
10th Percentile $110,910
25th Percentile $126,050
National Median (50th Percentile) $141,140
75th Percentile $161,580
90th Percentile $174,470
P10: $110,910 P50 (Median): $141,140 P90: $174,470
Foreign Talent Market

H-1B Visa Sponsor Compensation Benchmarks

Based on 206 certified Labor Condition Applications (LCAs) filed by U.S. employers (Trailing 12 Months vs Prior 12 Months).

H-1B National Median $243,360
YoY Nominal Growth (T12M) ā–² +20.43%
Real Wage Growth (CPI-U Adj) ā–² +16.77%
H-1B Percentile Tier Sponsored Base Salary
10th Percentile $147,380
25th Percentile $197,538
H-1B Median (50th Percentile) $243,360
75th Percentile $343,200
90th Percentile $357,448
H-1B P10: $147,380 H-1B P50: $243,360 H-1B P90: $357,448
šŸ’” Market Premium Insight: The median salary for foreign talent sponsored for Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers roles ($243,360) is +72.4% higher than the broader domestic BLS national median ($141,140).