Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers Salary
The median pay for a airline pilots, copilots, and flight engineers in Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA is $229,900/year, per BLS data. The range runs from $160K at the entry level to $530K for experienced workers. Prices run high here (RPP 111.13), so that salary is closer to $206,875 in real purchasing power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $2,501/month, or 17.2% of estimated take-home pay.
So what does $230K get you in Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue’s Regional Price Parity (111.13). 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
Sponsored links, AffordMap may earn a commission at no cost to you. Learn more
What this looks like in Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue
Airline pilots, copilots, and flight engineers pay in Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue tracks closely to the national median, $230K locally vs. $232K nationwide, a 1% difference. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $2,501/month, 17.7% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Cost-of-living overall is 11% above the national average (BEA RPP 111.13), so groceries and services cost more too. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for airline pilots, copilots, and flight engineers in metros near Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Spokane-Spokane Valley | $219K | $219K |
| Boise City | $508K | $516K |
| Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro | $173K | $164K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA
Entry-level airline pilots, copilots, and flight engineers (10th percentile) start around $160K. Mid-career wages sit at $230K. Top earners bring in $530K or more, a $370K 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 Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue numbers change.
Related careers in Transportation
Frequently asked questions
Can a airline pilots, copilots, and flight engineer afford a 2BR apartment alone in Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue?
Yes — at the median salary of $230K, rent takes 17.7% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $2,501/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 Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new airline pilots, copilots, and flight engineers typically earn — is $160K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $9,612/month. At HUD’s $2,501/month FMR, rent would take 26% of that take-home — manageable on an entry-level income.
Is airline pilots, copilots, and flight engineer a high-paying job in Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $230K locally vs. $232K nationally, a 1% difference.
How does Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue compare to the national average for airline pilots, copilots, and flight engineers?
Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue pays $230K median vs. the U.S. average of $232K — that’s -1%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 111.13), the purchasing-power equivalent is $207K — below the national median.
How much do airline pilots, copilots, and flight engineers make in Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA?
The median is $229,900 a year. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $160,200, and experienced airline pilots, copilots, and flight engineers can clear $529,820. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $230K enough to live in Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $14,129/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $2,501/month, which eats 17.7% 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 Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue?
Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue has a Regional Price Parity of 111.13 (100 is the national average). Prices are above average here, so your dollar buys less than the same salary would in a cheaper metro. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median airline pilots, copilots, and flight engineers salary is worth about $206,875 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.