Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers Salary
The median pay for a airline pilots, copilots, and flight engineers in Fort Smith, AR-OK is $170,960/year, per BLS data. The range runs from $133K at the entry level to $171K for experienced workers.
So what does $171K get you in Fort Smith?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Fort Smith’s Regional Price Parity (85.9). 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 Fort Smith
Pay for airline pilots, copilots, and flight engineers in Fort Smith runs about 26% below the U.S. median of $232K. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $937/month, 9.3% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Regional Price Parity sits at 85.9 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 14% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Lower pay, lower costs, Fort Smith can be a reasonable trade-off for airline pilots, copilots, and flight engineerss who value affordability over top-dollar markets.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for airline pilots, copilots, and flight engineers in metros near Fort Smith, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway | $131K | , |
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington | $213K | , |
| Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands | $308K | , |
| Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos | $211K | , |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Fort Smith, AR-OK
Entry-level airline pilots, copilots, and flight engineers (10th percentile) start around $133K. Mid-career wages sit at $171K. Top earners bring in $171K or more, a $38K 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 Fort Smith numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a airline pilots, copilots, and flight engineer afford a 2BR apartment alone in Fort Smith?
Yes — at the median salary of $171K, rent takes 9.3% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $937/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 Fort Smith?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new airline pilots, copilots, and flight engineers typically earn — is $133K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $7,957/month. At HUD’s $937/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 Fort Smith?
Local pay runs 26% below the national median — $171K here vs. $232K nationally. Cost of living is 14% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does Fort Smith compare to the national average for airline pilots, copilots, and flight engineers?
Fort Smith pays $171K median vs. the U.S. average of $232K — that’s -26%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 85.9), the purchasing-power equivalent is $199K — below the national median.
How much do airline pilots, copilots, and flight engineers make in Fort Smith, AR-OK?
The median is $170,960 a year. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $132,620, and experienced airline pilots, copilots, and flight engineers can clear $170,960. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $171K enough to live in Fort Smith?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $10,092/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $937/month, which eats 9.3% 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 Fort Smith?
Fort Smith has a Regional Price Parity of 100 (100 is the national average). That's right at the national average. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median airline pilots, copilots, and flight engineers salary is worth about $199,022 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.