Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers Salary
The median pay for a airline pilots, copilots, and flight engineers in Minnesota is $211,470/year, per BLS data. The range runs from $128K at the entry level to $353K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 92.6), which stretches that salary to about $228,369 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,384/month, or 11.4% of estimated take-home pay.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Minnesota. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $211K get you in Minnesota?
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What this looks like in Minnesota
Airline pilots, copilots, and flight engineers pay in Minnesota tracks closely to the national median, $211K locally vs. $232K nationwide, a 9% difference. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,384/month, 11.6% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Regional Price Parity sits at 92.6 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 7% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Minnesota
Entry-level airline pilots, copilots, and flight engineers (10th percentile) start around $128K. Mid-career wages sit at $211K. Top earners bring in $353K or more, a $225K spread from bottom to top.
Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers salary by metro in Minnesota
1 metro area with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington | $211K | +0% | 2,940 |
Compare to other states
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BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Minnesota numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a airline pilots, copilots, and flight engineer afford a 2BR apartment alone in Minnesota?
Yes — at the median salary of $211K, rent takes 11.6% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,384/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 Minnesota?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new airline pilots, copilots, and flight engineers typically earn — is $128K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $7,684/month. At HUD’s $1,384/month FMR, rent would take 18% of that take-home — manageable on an entry-level income.
Is airline pilots, copilots, and flight engineer a high-paying job in Minnesota?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $211K locally vs. $232K nationally, a 9% difference.
How does Minnesota compare to the national average for airline pilots, copilots, and flight engineers?
Minnesota pays $211K median vs. the U.S. average of $232K — that’s -9%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 92.6), the purchasing-power equivalent is $228K — below the national median.
How much do airline pilots, copilots, and flight engineers make in Minnesota?
The median is $211,470 a year. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $128,070, and experienced airline pilots, copilots, and flight engineers can clear $353,410. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $211K enough to live in Minnesota?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $11,927/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,384/month, which eats 11.6% 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 Minnesota?
Minnesota has a Regional Price Parity of 92.6 (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 $228,369 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.