Commercial Pilots Salary
Commercial Pilots in Louisiana make a median of $95,940 a year. The range runs from $47K at the entry level to $169K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 87.28), which stretches that salary to about $109,922 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,191/month, or 19.6% of estimated take-home pay.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Louisiana. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $96K get you in Louisiana?
About commercial pilots
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What this looks like in Louisiana
Pay for commercial pilots in Louisiana runs about 22% below the U.S. median of $123K. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,191/month, 19.7% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Regional Price Parity sits at 87.28 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 13% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Lower pay, lower costs, Louisiana can be a reasonable trade-off for commercial pilotss who value affordability over top-dollar markets.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Louisiana
Entry-level commercial pilots (10th percentile) start around $47K. Mid-career wages sit at $96K. Top earners bring in $169K or more, a $122K spread from bottom to top.
Commercial Pilots salary by metro in Louisiana
6 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| New Orleans-Metairie | $136K | +42% | 140 |
| Lake Charles | $100K | +4% | 70 |
| Houma-Bayou Cane-Thibodaux | $98K | +2% | 160 |
| Monroe | $91K | -5% | 40 |
| Baton Rouge | $90K | -7% | 90 |
| Lafayette | $79K | -17% | 210 |
Compare to other states
Track commercial pilots salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Louisiana numbers change.
Related careers in Transportation
Frequently asked questions
Can a commercial pilot afford a 2BR apartment alone in Louisiana?
Yes — at the median salary of $96K, rent takes 19.7% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,191/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for commercial pilots in Louisiana?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new commercial pilots typically earn — is $47K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,819/month. At HUD’s $1,191/month FMR, rent would take 42% 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 Louisiana?
Local pay runs 22% below the national median — $96K here vs. $123K nationally. Cost of living is 13% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does Louisiana compare to the national average for commercial pilots?
Louisiana pays $96K median vs. the U.S. average of $123K — that’s -22%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 87.28), the purchasing-power equivalent is $110K — below the national median.
How much do commercial pilots make in Louisiana?
The median is $95,940 a year. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $46,990, and experienced commercial pilots can clear $169,410. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $96K enough to live in Louisiana?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $6,032/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,191/month, which eats 19.7% 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 Louisiana?
Louisiana has a Regional Price Parity of 87.28 (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 $109,922 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.