Commercial Pilots Salary
Commercial Pilots in Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO make a median of $132,810 a year. The range runs from $57K at the entry level to $286K for experienced workers. Prices run high here (RPP 105.78), so that salary is closer to $125,553 in real purchasing power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $2,169/month, or 26.4% of estimated take-home pay.
Where the paycheck goes
What $133K actually covers in Denver-Aurora-Centennial, month by month
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Denver-Aurora-Centennial’s Regional Price Parity (105.78). 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 Denver-Aurora-Centennial
Commercial pilots pay in Denver-Aurora-Centennial tracks closely to the national median, $133K locally vs. $123K nationwide, a 8% difference. Rent runs $2,169/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 27.2% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Cost-of-living overall is 6% above the national average (BEA RPP 105.78), so groceries and services cost more too. Pay and costs are both near average, leaving limited margin for savings at the median wage.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for commercial pilots in metros near Denver-Aurora-Centennial, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler | $106K | $102K |
| Wichita | $106K | $119K |
| Salt Lake City-Murray | $100K | $99K |
| Oklahoma City | $157K | $173K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO
Entry-level commercial pilots (10th percentile) start around $57K. Mid-career wages sit at $133K. Top earners bring in $286K or more, a $228K 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 annually. We'll email you when Denver-Aurora-Centennial 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 Denver-Aurora-Centennial?
Yes — at the median salary of $133K, rent takes 27.2% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $2,169/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for commercial pilots in Denver-Aurora-Centennial?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new commercial pilots typically earn — is $57K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $3,784/month. At HUD’s $2,169/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 Denver-Aurora-Centennial?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $133K locally vs. $123K nationally, a 8% difference.
How does Denver-Aurora-Centennial compare to the national average for commercial pilots?
Denver-Aurora-Centennial pays $133K median vs. the U.S. average of $123K — that’s +8%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 105.78), the purchasing-power equivalent is $126K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do commercial pilots make in Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO?
The median is $132,810 a year. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $57,100, and experienced commercial pilots can clear $285,550. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $133K enough to live in Denver-Aurora-Centennial?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $7,974/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $2,169/month, which eats 27.2% 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 Denver-Aurora-Centennial?
Denver-Aurora-Centennial has a Regional Price Parity of 105.78 (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 $125,553 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.