Commercial Pilots Salary
Commercial Pilots in Flagstaff, AZ make a median of $68,460 a year. The range runs from $38K at the entry level to $130K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 100.33), that's roughly $68,235 in purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,921/month, about 41.9% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $68K get you in Flagstaff?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Flagstaff’s Regional Price Parity (100.33). 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 Flagstaff
Pay for commercial pilots in Flagstaff runs about 44% below the U.S. median of $123K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,921/month, which is 42% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost of living (RPP 100.33) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. That combination, below-market pay with high housing costs, makes this a financially demanding market for commercial pilotss.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for commercial pilots in metros near Flagstaff, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler | $106K | $102K |
| Tucson | $109K | $113K |
| Prescott Valley-Prescott | $102K | $104K |
| Sierra Vista-Douglas | $100K | $113K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Flagstaff, AZ
Entry-level commercial pilots (10th percentile) start around $38K. Mid-career wages sit at $68K. Top earners bring in $130K or more, a $92K 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 Flagstaff numbers change.
Related careers in Transportation
Frequently asked questions
Can a commercial pilot afford a 2BR apartment alone in Flagstaff?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $68K, rent takes 42% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,921/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,400/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for commercial pilots in Flagstaff?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new commercial pilots typically earn — is $38K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,293/month. At HUD’s $1,921/month FMR, rent would take 84% 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 Flagstaff?
Local pay runs 44% below the national median — $68K here vs. $123K nationally.
How does Flagstaff compare to the national average for commercial pilots?
Flagstaff pays $68K median vs. the U.S. average of $123K — that’s -44%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 100.33), the purchasing-power equivalent is $68K — below the national median.
How much do commercial pilots make in Flagstaff, AZ?
The median is $68,460 a year. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $38,220, and experienced commercial pilots can clear $130,490. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $68K enough to live in Flagstaff?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $4,570/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,921/month, which eats 42% of your paycheck. That's above the 30% rule of thumb, housing will be a stretch at the median salary, though you can manage with roommates or a smaller place.
How far does a commercial pilots salary go in Flagstaff?
Flagstaff has a Regional Price Parity of 100.33 (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 $68,235 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.