Commercial Pilots Salary
Commercial Pilots in Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA make a median of $146,880 a year. The range runs from $53K at the entry level to $226K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 100.06), that's roughly $146,792 in purchasing power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,820/month, or 20.4% of estimated take-home pay.
So what does $147K get you in Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell’s Regional Price Parity (100.06). 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 Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell
Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell sits well above the national pay line for commercial pilots, local pay runs about 19% higher than the U.S. median of $123K. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,820/month, 21.1% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Cost of living (RPP 100.06) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. Combined with manageable housing costs, Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell offers a genuinely strong financial position for commercial pilotss at the median.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for commercial pilots in metros near Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Sebastian-Vero Beach-West Vero Corridor | $45K | $46K |
| Ocala | $100K | $105K |
| Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach | $127K | $112K |
| Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford | $118K | $116K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA
Entry-level commercial pilots (10th percentile) start around $53K. Mid-career wages sit at $147K. Top earners bring in $226K or more, a $172K 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 Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell numbers change.
Related careers in Transportation
Frequently asked questions
Can a commercial pilot afford a 2BR apartment alone in Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell?
Yes — at the median salary of $147K, rent takes 21.1% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,820/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for commercial pilots in Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new commercial pilots typically earn — is $53K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $3,201/month. At HUD’s $1,820/month FMR, rent would take 57% 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 Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell?
Local pay is 19% above the national median — $147K here vs. $123K nationally.
How does Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell compare to the national average for commercial pilots?
Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell pays $147K median vs. the U.S. average of $123K — that’s +19%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 100.06), the purchasing-power equivalent is $147K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do commercial pilots make in Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA?
The median is $146,880 a year. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $53,350, and experienced commercial pilots can clear $225,640. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $147K enough to live in Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $8,628/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,820/month, which eats 21.1% 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 Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell?
Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell has a Regional Price Parity of 100.06 (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 $146,792 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.