Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers Salary
The median pay for a airline pilots, copilots, and flight engineers in Iowa is $131,730/year, per BLS data. The range runs from $64K at the entry level to $201K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 88.86), which stretches that salary to about $148,244 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,064/month, or 13.3% of estimated take-home pay.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Iowa. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $132K get you in Iowa?
About airline pilots, copilots, and flight engineers
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What this looks like in Iowa
Pay for airline pilots, copilots, and flight engineers in Iowa runs about 43% below the U.S. median of $232K. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,064/month, 13.6% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Regional Price Parity sits at 88.86 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 11% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Lower pay, lower costs, Iowa can be a reasonable trade-off for airline pilots, copilots, and flight engineerss who value affordability over top-dollar markets.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Iowa
Entry-level airline pilots, copilots, and flight engineers (10th percentile) start around $64K. Mid-career wages sit at $132K. Top earners bring in $201K or more, a $137K spread from bottom to top.
Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers salary by metro in Iowa
1 metro area with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Des Moines-West Des Moines | $161K | +22% | 60 |
Compare to other states
Track airline pilots, copilots, and flight engineers salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Iowa numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a airline pilots, copilots, and flight engineer afford a 2BR apartment alone in Iowa?
Yes — at the median salary of $132K, rent takes 13.6% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,064/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 Iowa?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new airline pilots, copilots, and flight engineers typically earn — is $64K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $3,846/month. At HUD’s $1,064/month FMR, rent would take 28% of that take-home — manageable on an entry-level income.
Is airline pilots, copilots, and flight engineer a high-paying job in Iowa?
Local pay runs 43% below the national median — $132K here vs. $232K nationally. Cost of living is 11% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does Iowa compare to the national average for airline pilots, copilots, and flight engineers?
Iowa pays $132K median vs. the U.S. average of $232K — that’s -43%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 88.86), the purchasing-power equivalent is $148K — below the national median.
How much do airline pilots, copilots, and flight engineers make in Iowa?
The median is $131,730 a year. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $64,100, and experienced airline pilots, copilots, and flight engineers can clear $201,080. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $132K enough to live in Iowa?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $7,809/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,064/month, which eats 13.6% 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 Iowa?
Iowa has a Regional Price Parity of 88.86 (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 $148,244 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.