Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers Salary
The median pay for a airline pilots, copilots, and flight engineers in Fresno, CA is $195,310/year, per BLS data. The range runs from $117K at the entry level to $423K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 102.16), that's roughly $191,181 in purchasing power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,664/month, or 14.9% of estimated take-home pay.
So what does $195K get you in Fresno?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Fresno’s Regional Price Parity (102.16). 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
Sponsored links, AffordMap may earn a commission at no cost to you. Learn more
What this looks like in Fresno
Pay for airline pilots, copilots, and flight engineers in Fresno runs about 16% below the U.S. median of $232K. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,664/month, 15.2% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Cost of living (RPP 102.16) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. Lower pay, lower costs, Fresno 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 Fresno, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim | $365K | $321K |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont | $375K | $324K |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad | $322K | $288K |
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario | $207K | $194K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Fresno, CA
Entry-level airline pilots, copilots, and flight engineers (10th percentile) start around $117K. Mid-career wages sit at $195K. Top earners bring in $423K or more, a $306K 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 Fresno numbers change.
Related careers in Transportation
Frequently asked questions
Can a airline pilots, copilots, and flight engineer afford a 2BR apartment alone in Fresno?
Yes — at the median salary of $195K, rent takes 15.2% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,664/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 Fresno?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new airline pilots, copilots, and flight engineers typically earn — is $117K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $7,025/month. At HUD’s $1,664/month FMR, rent would take 24% of that take-home — manageable on an entry-level income.
Is airline pilots, copilots, and flight engineer a high-paying job in Fresno?
Local pay runs 16% below the national median — $195K here vs. $232K nationally.
How does Fresno compare to the national average for airline pilots, copilots, and flight engineers?
Fresno pays $195K median vs. the U.S. average of $232K — that’s -16%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 102.16), the purchasing-power equivalent is $191K — below the national median.
How much do airline pilots, copilots, and flight engineers make in Fresno, CA?
The median is $195,310 a year. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $117,080, and experienced airline pilots, copilots, and flight engineers can clear $423,020. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $195K enough to live in Fresno?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $10,928/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,664/month, which eats 15.2% 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 Fresno?
Fresno has a Regional Price Parity of 102.16 (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 $191,181 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.