Commercial Pilots Salary
Commercial Pilots in Ann Arbor, MI make a median of $126,400 a year. The range runs from $58K at the entry level to $179K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 100.88), that's roughly $125,297 in purchasing power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,656/month, or 21.6% of estimated take-home pay.
Where the paycheck goes
What $126K actually covers in Ann Arbor, month by month
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Ann Arbor’s Regional Price Parity (100.88). 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 commercial pilots
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What this looks like in Ann Arbor
Commercial pilots pay in Ann Arbor tracks closely to the national median, $126K locally vs. $123K nationwide, a 3% difference. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,656/month, 21.7% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Cost of living (RPP 100.88) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for commercial pilots in metros near Ann Arbor, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Detroit-Warren-Dearborn | $133K | $133K |
| Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood | $129K | $135K |
| Lansing-East Lansing | $129K | $135K |
| Columbus | $99K | $107K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Ann Arbor, MI
Entry-level commercial pilots (10th percentile) start around $58K. Mid-career wages sit at $126K. Top earners bring in $179K or more, a $120K spread from bottom to top.
Commercial Pilots pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Commercial Pilots salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Connecticut | $232K | +88% | 460 |
| New Jersey | $227K | +84% | 670 |
| New York | $177K | +44% | 1,070 |
| California | $166K | +34% | 4,900 |
| Delaware | $164K | +33% | 220 |
| Ohio | $150K | +22% | 2,680 |
| Georgia | $145K | +18% | 1,020 |
| Colorado | $140K | +13% | 1,240 |
| Texas | $138K | +12% | 4,120 |
| Vermont | $138K | +12% | 40 |
| Pennsylvania | $134K | +9% | 530 |
| North Dakota | $133K | +8% | 370 |
| Maryland | $131K | +6% | 360 |
| Kentucky | $130K | +5% | 800 |
| Wisconsin | $130K | +5% | 1,090 |
| North Carolina | $127K | +3% | 1,520 |
| Michigan | $127K | +3% | 1,390 |
| Oklahoma | $126K | +2% | 540 |
| Illinois | $126K | +2% | 1,170 |
| Florida | $122K | -1% | 6,340 |
| Oregon | $121K | -2% | 670 |
| Washington | $118K | -4% | 890 |
| Maine | $118K | -5% | 100 |
| Tennessee | $117K | -5% | 1,030 |
| Hawaii | $113K | -8% | 350 |
| Idaho | $110K | -11% | 310 |
| West Virginia | $106K | -14% | 40 |
| South Carolina | $106K | -14% | 290 |
| Kansas | $105K | -14% | 680 |
| Nevada | $105K | -15% | 1,100 |
| Virginia | $105K | -15% | 1,130 |
| Nebraska | $105K | -15% | 290 |
| Indiana | $104K | -15% | 960 |
| Montana | $104K | -16% | 330 |
| Mississippi | $104K | -16% | 240 |
| Arizona | $103K | -16% | 1,540 |
| Wyoming | $103K | -16% | 190 |
| Missouri | $103K | -16% | 670 |
| Iowa | $102K | -17% | 300 |
| Alabama | $101K | -18% | 780 |
| Alaska | $100K | -19% | 1,000 |
| Utah | $100K | -19% | 540 |
| Rhode Island | $99K | -20% | 80 |
| Minnesota | $99K | -20% | 910 |
| New Mexico | $98K | -21% | 370 |
| Louisiana | $96K | -22% | 910 |
| Arkansas | $94K | -23% | 460 |
| South Dakota | $84K | -32% | 320 |
Showing 1–10 of 48 states with published data
BLS does not publish data for every state when sample sizes are too small
Track commercial pilots salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Ann Arbor numbers change.
Related careers in Transportation
Quick answers
The stuff people actually ask about this job
Can a commercial pilot afford a 2BR apartment alone in Ann Arbor?
Yes — at the median salary of $126K, rent takes 21.7% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,656/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for commercial pilots in Ann Arbor?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new commercial pilots typically earn — is $58K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $3,866/month. At HUD’s $1,656/month FMR, rent would take 43% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is commercial pilot a high-paying job in Ann Arbor?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $126K locally vs. $123K nationally, a 3% difference.
How does Ann Arbor compare to the national average for commercial pilots?
Ann Arbor pays $126K median vs. the U.S. average of $123K — that’s +3%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 100.88), the purchasing-power equivalent is $125K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do commercial pilots make in Ann Arbor, MI?
The median is $126,400 a year. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $58,280, and experienced commercial pilots can clear $178,520. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $126K enough to live in Ann Arbor?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $7,648/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,656/month, which eats 21.7% of your paycheck. That's under the 30% guideline most financial planners use, so the numbers work.
How far does a commercial pilots salary go in Ann Arbor?
Ann Arbor has a Regional Price Parity of 100.88 (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 commercial pilots salary is worth about $125,297 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do commercial pilots 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.