Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers Salary
The median pay for a airline pilots, copilots, and flight engineers in Colorado is $307,490/year, per BLS data. The range runs from $189K at the entry level to $378K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 103.71), that's roughly $296,490 in purchasing power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,832/month, or 10.2% of estimated take-home pay.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Colorado. Jump to a metro for precise data:
Where the paycheck goes
What $307K actually covers in Colorado, month by month
About airline pilots, copilots, and flight engineers
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What this looks like in Colorado
Colorado sits well above the national pay line for airline pilots, copilots, and flight engineers, local pay runs about 32% higher than the U.S. median of $232K. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,832/month, 10.7% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Cost of living (RPP 103.71) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. Combined with manageable housing costs, Colorado offers a genuinely strong financial position for airline pilots, copilots, and flight engineers at the median.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Colorado
Entry-level airline pilots, copilots, and flight engineers (10th percentile) start around $189K. Mid-career wages sit at $307K. Top earners bring in $378K or more, a $189K spread from bottom to top.
Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers salary by metro in Colorado
1 metro area with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Denver-Aurora-Centennial | $307K | +0% | 5,600 |
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BLS updates this data annually. We'll email you when Colorado numbers change.
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Quick answers
The stuff people actually ask about this job
Can a airline pilots, copilots, and flight engineer afford a 2BR apartment alone in Colorado?
Yes — at the median salary of $307K, rent takes 10.7% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,832/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 Colorado?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new airline pilots, copilots, and flight engineers typically earn — is $189K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $11,044/month. At HUD’s $1,832/month FMR, rent would take 17% of that take-home — manageable on an entry-level income.
Is airline pilots, copilots, and flight engineer a high-paying job in Colorado?
Local pay is 32% above the national median — $307K here vs. $232K nationally.
How does Colorado compare to the national average for airline pilots, copilots, and flight engineers?
Colorado pays $307K median vs. the U.S. average of $232K — that’s +32%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 103.71), the purchasing-power equivalent is $296K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do airline pilots, copilots, and flight engineers make in Colorado?
The median is $307,490 a year. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $189,150, and experienced airline pilots, copilots, and flight engineers can clear $377,860. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $307K enough to live in Colorado?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $17,141/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,832/month, which eats 10.7% 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 Colorado?
Colorado has a Regional Price Parity of 103.71 (100 is the national average). Prices are above average here, so your dollar buys less than the same salary would in a cheaper metro. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median airline pilots, copilots, and flight engineers salary is worth about $296,490 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.