Commercial Pilots Salary
Commercial Pilots in Delaware make a median of $163,600 a year. The range runs from $83K at the entry level to $265K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 97.51), that's roughly $167,778 in purchasing power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,448/month, or 15% of estimated take-home pay.
Statewide average. This is an aggregate across all of Delaware. BLS does not publish metro-level data for this occupation in this state.
So what does $164K get you in Delaware?
About commercial pilots
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What this looks like in Delaware
Delaware sits well above the national pay line for commercial pilots, local pay runs about 33% higher than the U.S. median of $123K. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,448/month, 15.4% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Cost of living (RPP 97.51) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. Combined with manageable housing costs, Delaware offers a genuinely strong financial position for commercial pilotss at the median.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Delaware
Entry-level commercial pilots (10th percentile) start around $83K. Mid-career wages sit at $164K. Top earners bring in $265K or more, a $181K spread from bottom to top.
Compare to other states
Track commercial pilots salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Delaware numbers change.
Related careers in Transportation
Frequently asked questions
Can a commercial pilot afford a 2BR apartment alone in Delaware?
Yes — at the median salary of $164K, rent takes 15.4% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,448/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for commercial pilots in Delaware?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new commercial pilots typically earn — is $83K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $4,991/month. At HUD’s $1,448/month FMR, rent would take 29% of that take-home — manageable on an entry-level income.
Is commercial pilot a high-paying job in Delaware?
Local pay is 33% above the national median — $164K here vs. $123K nationally.
How does Delaware compare to the national average for commercial pilots?
Delaware pays $164K median vs. the U.S. average of $123K — that’s +33%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 97.51), the purchasing-power equivalent is $168K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do commercial pilots make in Delaware?
The median is $163,600 a year. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $83,180, and experienced commercial pilots can clear $264,590. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $164K enough to live in Delaware?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $9,419/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,448/month, which eats 15.4% 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 Delaware?
Delaware has a Regional Price Parity of 97.51 (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 $167,778 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.