Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers Salary
The median pay for a airline pilots, copilots, and flight engineers in Richmond, VA is $130,100/year, per BLS data. The range runs from $56K at the entry level to $326K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 97.86), that's roughly $132,945 in purchasing power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,655/month, or 21% of estimated take-home pay.
So what does $130K get you in Richmond?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Richmond’s Regional Price Parity (97.86). 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 Richmond
Pay for airline pilots, copilots, and flight engineers in Richmond runs about 44% below the U.S. median of $232K. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,655/month, 21.4% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Cost of living (RPP 97.86) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. Lower pay, lower costs, Richmond 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 Richmond, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Lexington-Fayette | $209K | $225K |
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria | $210K | $193K |
| Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia | $152K | $156K |
| Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin | $144K | $149K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Richmond, VA
Entry-level airline pilots, copilots, and flight engineers (10th percentile) start around $56K. Mid-career wages sit at $130K. Top earners bring in $326K or more, a $271K 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 |
| Mississippi | $144K | -38% | 360 |
| Kansas | $144K | -38% | 80 |
| South Carolina | $144K | -38% | 110 |
| Tennessee | $144K | -38% | 110 |
| 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 with published data
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 Richmond numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a airline pilots, copilots, and flight engineer afford a 2BR apartment alone in Richmond?
Yes — at the median salary of $130K, rent takes 21.4% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,655/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 Richmond?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new airline pilots, copilots, and flight engineers typically earn — is $56K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $3,349/month. At HUD’s $1,655/month FMR, rent would take 49% 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 Richmond?
Local pay runs 44% below the national median — $130K here vs. $232K nationally.
How does Richmond compare to the national average for airline pilots, copilots, and flight engineers?
Richmond pays $130K median vs. the U.S. average of $232K — that’s -44%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 97.86), the purchasing-power equivalent is $133K — below the national median.
How much do airline pilots, copilots, and flight engineers make in Richmond, VA?
The median is $130,100 a year. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $55,810, and experienced airline pilots, copilots, and flight engineers can clear $326,430. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $130K enough to live in Richmond?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $7,726/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,655/month, which eats 21.4% 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 Richmond?
Richmond has a Regional Price Parity of 97.86 (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 $132,945 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.