Commercial Pilots Salary in Columbia, SC
Commercial Pilots in Columbia, SC make a median of $128,740 a year. Entry-level workers start around $80K. (BLS did not publish a top-end figure for this area.) Cost of living is below average (RPP 93.66), which stretches that salary to about $137,455 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,276/month, or 16.3% of estimated take-home pay.
AffordMap analysis of BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (latest release, May 2024)
So what does $129K get you in Columbia?
About commercial pilots
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Columbia, SC
Entry-level commercial pilots (10th percentile) start around $80K. Mid-career wages sit at $129K.BLS did not publish 90th percentile data for this occupation in this area (sample size too small).
Commercial Pilots pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Connecticut | $227K | +85% | 360 |
| New York | $173K | +41% | 1,070 |
| Texas | $163K | +33% | 5,030 |
| Delaware | $156K | +27% | 100 |
| Georgia | $139K | +14% | 920 |
| Massachusetts | $137K | +12% | 300 |
| Maine | $135K | +10% | 110 |
| Nevada | $132K | +8% | 1,590 |
| Michigan | $131K | +6% | 1,400 |
| Florida | $131K | +6% | 6,100 |
| Maryland | $131K | +6% | 400 |
| Pennsylvania | $130K | +6% | 740 |
| North Carolina | $127K | +3% | 1,470 |
| Wyoming | $127K | +3% | 150 |
| Missouri | $124K | +1% | 810 |
Track commercial pilots salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Columbia numbers change.
Related careers in Transportation
Frequently asked questions
How much do commercial pilots make in Columbia, SC?
The median is $128,740 a year. The range is wide: entry-level workers start around $79,990. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $129K enough to live in Columbia?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $7,678/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,276/month (HUD Fair Market Rent), which eats 16.6% 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 Columbia?
Columbia has a Regional Price Parity of 93.66 (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 commercial pilots salary is worth about $137,455 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.