Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers Salary
The median pay for a airline pilots, copilots, and flight engineers in Kentucky is $350,950/year, per BLS data. The range runs from $183K at the entry level to $408K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 90.23), which stretches that salary to about $388,950 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,110/month, or 5.5% of estimated take-home pay.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Kentucky. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $351K get you in Kentucky?
About airline pilots, copilots, and flight engineers
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What this looks like in Kentucky
Kentucky sits well above the national pay line for airline pilots, copilots, and flight engineers, local pay runs about 51% higher than the U.S. median of $232K. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,110/month, 5.7% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Regional Price Parity sits at 90.23 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 10% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Combined with manageable housing costs, Kentucky offers a genuinely strong financial position for airline pilots, copilots, and flight engineerss at the median.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Kentucky
Entry-level airline pilots, copilots, and flight engineers (10th percentile) start around $183K. Mid-career wages sit at $351K. Top earners bring in $408K or more, a $225K spread from bottom to top.
Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers salary by metro in Kentucky
1 metro area with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lexington-Fayette | $209K | -41% | N/A |
Compare to other states
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BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Kentucky numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a airline pilots, copilots, and flight engineer afford a 2BR apartment alone in Kentucky?
Yes — at the median salary of $351K, rent takes 5.7% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,110/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 Kentucky?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new airline pilots, copilots, and flight engineers typically earn — is $183K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $10,967/month. At HUD’s $1,110/month FMR, rent would take 10% of that take-home — manageable on an entry-level income.
Is airline pilots, copilots, and flight engineer a high-paying job in Kentucky?
Local pay is 51% above the national median — $351K here vs. $232K nationally.
How does Kentucky compare to the national average for airline pilots, copilots, and flight engineers?
Kentucky pays $351K median vs. the U.S. average of $232K — that’s +51%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 90.23), the purchasing-power equivalent is $389K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do airline pilots, copilots, and flight engineers make in Kentucky?
The median is $350,950 a year. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $182,780, and experienced airline pilots, copilots, and flight engineers can clear $407,760. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $351K enough to live in Kentucky?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $19,368/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,110/month, which eats 5.7% 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 Kentucky?
Kentucky has a Regional Price Parity of 90.23 (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 $388,950 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.