Commercial Pilots Salary
Commercial Pilots in Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA make a median of $121,490 a year. The range runs from $81K at the entry level to $206K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 91.7), which stretches that salary to about $132,486 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,318/month, or 17.9% of estimated take-home pay.
So what does $121K get you in Des Moines-West Des Moines?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Des Moines-West Des Moines’s Regional Price Parity (91.7). 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 Des Moines-West Des Moines
Commercial pilots pay in Des Moines-West Des Moines tracks closely to the national median, $121K locally vs. $123K nationwide, a 1% difference. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,318/month, 18.1% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Regional Price Parity sits at 91.7 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 8% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for commercial pilots in metros near Des Moines-West Des Moines, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin | $157K | $152K |
| Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington | $127K | $121K |
| Milwaukee-Waukesha | $178K | $183K |
| St. Louis | $92K | $96K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA
Entry-level commercial pilots (10th percentile) start around $81K. Mid-career wages sit at $121K. Top earners bring in $206K or more, a $125K 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 Des Moines-West Des Moines numbers change.
Related careers in Transportation
Frequently asked questions
Can a commercial pilot afford a 2BR apartment alone in Des Moines-West Des Moines?
Yes — at the median salary of $121K, rent takes 18.1% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,318/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for commercial pilots in Des Moines-West Des Moines?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new commercial pilots typically earn — is $81K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $4,876/month. At HUD’s $1,318/month FMR, rent would take 27% of that take-home — manageable on an entry-level income.
Is commercial pilot a high-paying job in Des Moines-West Des Moines?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $121K locally vs. $123K nationally, a 1% difference.
How does Des Moines-West Des Moines compare to the national average for commercial pilots?
Des Moines-West Des Moines pays $121K median vs. the U.S. average of $123K — that’s -1%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 91.7), the purchasing-power equivalent is $132K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do commercial pilots make in Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA?
The median is $121,490 a year. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $81,270, and experienced commercial pilots can clear $206,390. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $121K enough to live in Des Moines-West Des Moines?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $7,274/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,318/month, which eats 18.1% 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 Des Moines-West Des Moines?
Des Moines-West Des Moines has a Regional Price Parity of 91.7 (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 $132,486 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.