Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers Salary
The median pay for a airline pilots, copilots, and flight engineers in Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN is $350,950/year, per BLS data. The range runs from $183K at the entry level to $464K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 95.37), that's roughly $367,988 in purchasing power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,353/month, or 6.7% of estimated take-home pay.
So what does $351K get you in Cincinnati?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Cincinnati’s Regional Price Parity (95.37). Rent from HUD Fair Market Rents. Taxes estimated for single filer, standard deduction. * Healthcare is the employee-paid share only (premiums + out-of-pocket). Actual costs vary by coverage type: employer-sponsored, ACA marketplace, or uninsured.
About airline pilots, copilots, and flight engineers
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What this looks like in Cincinnati
Cincinnati sits well above the national pay line for airline pilots, copilots, and flight engineers, local pay runs about 51% higher than the U.S. median of $232K. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,353/month, 6.9% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Cost of living (RPP 95.37) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. Combined with manageable housing costs, Cincinnati offers a genuinely strong financial position for airline pilots, copilots, and flight engineerss at the median.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for airline pilots, copilots, and flight engineers in metros near Cincinnati, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Akron | $162K | $173K |
| Detroit-Warren-Dearborn | $429K | $427K |
| Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood | $171K | $179K |
| Lexington-Fayette | $209K | $225K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN
Entry-level airline pilots, copilots, and flight engineers (10th percentile) start around $183K. Mid-career wages sit at $351K. Top earners bring in $464K or more, a $281K spread from bottom to top.
Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Georgia | $618K | +166% | 8,770 |
| Idaho | $508K | +119% | 330 |
| Michigan | $429K | +85% | N/A |
| California | $354K | +52% | 10,670 |
| Kentucky | $351K | +51% | 6,260 |
| Colorado | $307K | +32% | 5,830 |
| Illinois | $293K | +26% | 6,460 |
| New York | $255K | +10% | 6,900 |
| Alaska | $232K | +0% | 1,350 |
| Washington | $230K | -1% | 3,450 |
| Arizona | $228K | -2% | 2,200 |
| Florida | $225K | -3% | 7,760 |
| Texas | $215K | -7% | 10,930 |
| Minnesota | $211K | -9% | 2,960 |
| Ohio | $204K | -12% | 1,550 |
| Connecticut | $200K | -14% | 80 |
| Nevada | $192K | -17% | 2,160 |
| Utah | $175K | -25% | 1,880 |
| Oregon | $173K | -25% | 750 |
| Indiana | $171K | -26% | N/A |
| Arkansas | $169K | -27% | 250 |
| Pennsylvania | $165K | -29% | 2,270 |
| Rhode Island | $165K | -29% | 40 |
| North Carolina | $152K | -35% | 2,240 |
| Maine | $148K | -36% | 40 |
| Tennessee | $144K | -38% | 110 |
| South Carolina | $144K | -38% | 110 |
| Mississippi | $144K | -38% | 360 |
| Kansas | $144K | -38% | 80 |
| New Mexico | $137K | -41% | 50 |
| Alabama | $137K | -41% | 360 |
| Oklahoma | $134K | -42% | 180 |
| Iowa | $132K | -43% | 100 |
| Nebraska | $132K | -43% | 60 |
| Louisiana | $121K | -48% | 150 |
| New Hampshire | $99K | -57% | 50 |
| Missouri | $98K | -58% | 120 |
Showing 1–10 of 37 states
BLS does not publish data for every state when sample sizes are too small
Track airline pilots, copilots, and flight engineers salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Cincinnati numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a airline pilots, copilots, and flight engineer afford a 2BR apartment alone in Cincinnati?
Yes — at the median salary of $351K, rent takes 6.9% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,353/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for airline pilots, copilots, and flight engineers in Cincinnati?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new airline pilots, copilots, and flight engineers typically earn — is $183K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $10,967/month. At HUD’s $1,353/month FMR, rent would take 12% of that take-home — manageable on an entry-level income.
Is airline pilots, copilots, and flight engineer a high-paying job in Cincinnati?
Local pay is 51% above the national median — $351K here vs. $232K nationally.
How does Cincinnati compare to the national average for airline pilots, copilots, and flight engineers?
Cincinnati pays $351K median vs. the U.S. average of $232K — that’s +51%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 95.37), the purchasing-power equivalent is $368K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do airline pilots, copilots, and flight engineers make in Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN?
The median is $350,950 a year. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $182,780, and experienced airline pilots, copilots, and flight engineers can clear $463,830. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $351K enough to live in Cincinnati?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $19,633/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,353/month, which eats 6.9% of your paycheck. That's under the 30% guideline most financial planners use, so the numbers work.
How far does a airline pilots, copilots, and flight engineers salary go in Cincinnati?
Cincinnati has a Regional Price Parity of 95.37 (100 is the national average). That's below average, your money stretches further here than the raw salary number suggests. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median airline pilots, copilots, and flight engineers salary is worth about $367,988 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do airline pilots, copilots, and flight engineers get paid the most?
The table above ranks every state by median pay for this role. Keep in mind that the highest-paying states tend to have the highest costs of living, so the top salary doesn't always mean the most money in your pocket.