Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers Salary
The median pay for a airline pilots, copilots, and flight engineers in Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA is $173,190/year, per BLS data. The range runs from $100K at the entry level to $425K for experienced workers.
So what does $173K get you in Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro’s Regional Price Parity (105.4). 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
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What this looks like in Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro
Pay for airline pilots, copilots, and flight engineers in Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro runs about 25% below the U.S. median of $232K. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,835/month, 19.3% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Cost-of-living overall is 5% above the national average (BEA RPP 105.4), so groceries and services cost more too. Lower pay, lower costs, Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro 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 Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Boise City | $508K | , |
| Spokane-Spokane Valley | $219K | , |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim | $365K | , |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue | $230K | , |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA
Entry-level airline pilots, copilots, and flight engineers (10th percentile) start around $100K. Mid-career wages sit at $173K. Top earners bring in $425K or more, a $325K 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 Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a airline pilots, copilots, and flight engineer afford a 2BR apartment alone in Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro?
Yes — at the median salary of $173K, rent takes 19.3% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,835/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 Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new airline pilots, copilots, and flight engineers typically earn — is $100K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $6,016/month. At HUD’s $1,835/month FMR, rent would take 31% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is airline pilots, copilots, and flight engineer a high-paying job in Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro?
Local pay runs 25% below the national median — $173K here vs. $232K nationally.
How does Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro compare to the national average for airline pilots, copilots, and flight engineers?
Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro pays $173K median vs. the U.S. average of $232K — that’s -25%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 105.4), the purchasing-power equivalent is $164K — below the national median.
How much do airline pilots, copilots, and flight engineers make in Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA?
The median is $173,190 a year. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $100,260, and experienced airline pilots, copilots, and flight engineers can clear $424,850. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $173K enough to live in Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $9,498/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,835/month, which eats 19.3% 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 Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro?
Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro has a Regional Price Parity of 100 (100 is the national average). That's right at the national average. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median airline pilots, copilots, and flight engineers salary is worth about $164,317 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.