Commercial Pilots Salary
Commercial Pilots in Grand Forks, ND-MN make a median of $111,680 a year. The range runs from $61K at the entry level to $233K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 86.66), which stretches that salary to about $128,871 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,089/month, or 15.1% of estimated take-home pay.
So what does $112K get you in Grand Forks?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Grand Forks’s Regional Price Parity (86.66). 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 Grand Forks
Commercial pilots pay in Grand Forks tracks closely to the national median, $112K locally vs. $123K nationwide, a 9% difference. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,089/month, 15.4% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Regional Price Parity sits at 86.66 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 13% 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 Grand Forks, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Fargo | $132K | $145K |
| Bismarck | $138K | $151K |
| Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington | $127K | $121K |
| Sioux Falls | $112K | $124K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Grand Forks, ND-MN
Entry-level commercial pilots (10th percentile) start around $61K. Mid-career wages sit at $112K. Top earners bring in $233K or more, a $172K 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 Grand Forks numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a commercial pilot afford a 2BR apartment alone in Grand Forks?
Yes — at the median salary of $112K, rent takes 15.4% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,089/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for commercial pilots in Grand Forks?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new commercial pilots typically earn — is $61K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $3,641/month. At HUD’s $1,089/month FMR, rent would take 30% of that take-home — manageable on an entry-level income.
Is commercial pilot a high-paying job in Grand Forks?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $112K locally vs. $123K nationally, a 9% difference.
How does Grand Forks compare to the national average for commercial pilots?
Grand Forks pays $112K median vs. the U.S. average of $123K — that’s -9%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 86.66), the purchasing-power equivalent is $129K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do commercial pilots make in Grand Forks, ND-MN?
The median is $111,680 a year. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $60,690, and experienced commercial pilots can clear $233,050. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $112K enough to live in Grand Forks?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $7,065/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,089/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 Grand Forks?
Grand Forks has a Regional Price Parity of 86.66 (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 $128,871 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.