Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers Salary
The median pay for a airline pilots, copilots, and flight engineers in Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI is $428,570/year, per BLS data. The range runs from $199K at the entry level to $429K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 100.3), that's roughly $427,288 in purchasing power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,411/month, or 5.7% of estimated take-home pay.
So what does $429K get you in Detroit-Warren-Dearborn?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Detroit-Warren-Dearborn’s Regional Price Parity (100.3). 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 Detroit-Warren-Dearborn
Detroit-Warren-Dearborn sits well above the national pay line for airline pilots, copilots, and flight engineers, local pay runs about 85% higher than the U.S. median of $232K. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,411/month, 6.1% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Cost of living (RPP 100.3) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. Combined with manageable housing costs, Detroit-Warren-Dearborn 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 Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood | $171K | $179K |
| Cincinnati | $351K | $368K |
| Akron | $162K | $173K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI
Entry-level airline pilots, copilots, and flight engineers (10th percentile) start around $199K. Mid-career wages sit at $429K. Top earners bring in $429K or more, a $230K 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 Detroit-Warren-Dearborn numbers change.
Related careers in Transportation
Frequently asked questions
Can a airline pilots, copilots, and flight engineer afford a 2BR apartment alone in Detroit-Warren-Dearborn?
Yes — at the median salary of $429K, rent takes 6.1% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,411/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 Detroit-Warren-Dearborn?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new airline pilots, copilots, and flight engineers typically earn — is $199K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $11,921/month. At HUD’s $1,411/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 Detroit-Warren-Dearborn?
Local pay is 85% above the national median — $429K here vs. $232K nationally.
How does Detroit-Warren-Dearborn compare to the national average for airline pilots, copilots, and flight engineers?
Detroit-Warren-Dearborn pays $429K median vs. the U.S. average of $232K — that’s +85%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 100.3), the purchasing-power equivalent is $427K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do airline pilots, copilots, and flight engineers make in Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI?
The median is $428,570 a year. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $198,690, and experienced airline pilots, copilots, and flight engineers can clear $428,570. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $429K enough to live in Detroit-Warren-Dearborn?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $23,073/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,411/month, which eats 6.1% 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 Detroit-Warren-Dearborn?
Detroit-Warren-Dearborn has a Regional Price Parity of 100.3 (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 $427,288 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.