Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers Salary
The median pay for a airline pilots, copilots, and flight engineers in Illinois is $293,490/year, per BLS data. The range runs from $167K at the entry level to $422K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 93.85), which stretches that salary to about $312,722 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,407/month, or 8.4% of estimated take-home pay.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Illinois. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $293K get you in Illinois?
About airline pilots, copilots, and flight engineers
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What this looks like in Illinois
Illinois sits well above the national pay line for airline pilots, copilots, and flight engineers, local pay runs about 26% higher than the U.S. median of $232K. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,407/month, 8.6% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Regional Price Parity sits at 93.85 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 6% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Combined with manageable housing costs, Illinois offers a genuinely strong financial position for airline pilots, copilots, and flight engineerss at the median.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Illinois
Entry-level airline pilots, copilots, and flight engineers (10th percentile) start around $167K. Mid-career wages sit at $293K. Top earners bring in $422K or more, a $255K spread from bottom to top.
Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers salary by metro in Illinois
1 metro area with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin | $293K | +0% | 6,360 |
Compare to other states
Track airline pilots, copilots, and flight engineers salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Illinois numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a airline pilots, copilots, and flight engineer afford a 2BR apartment alone in Illinois?
Yes — at the median salary of $293K, rent takes 8.6% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,407/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 Illinois?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new airline pilots, copilots, and flight engineers typically earn — is $167K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $9,997/month. At HUD’s $1,407/month FMR, rent would take 14% of that take-home — manageable on an entry-level income.
Is airline pilots, copilots, and flight engineer a high-paying job in Illinois?
Local pay is 26% above the national median — $293K here vs. $232K nationally.
How does Illinois compare to the national average for airline pilots, copilots, and flight engineers?
Illinois pays $293K median vs. the U.S. average of $232K — that’s +26%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 93.85), the purchasing-power equivalent is $313K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do airline pilots, copilots, and flight engineers make in Illinois?
The median is $293,490 a year. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $166,620, and experienced airline pilots, copilots, and flight engineers can clear $421,610. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $293K enough to live in Illinois?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $16,327/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,407/month, which eats 8.6% 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 Illinois?
Illinois has a Regional Price Parity of 93.85 (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 $312,722 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.