Commercial Pilots Salary
Commercial Pilots in Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN make a median of $193,940 a year. The range runs from $91K at the entry level to $355K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 93.07), which stretches that salary to about $208,381 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,272/month, or 11.2% of estimated take-home pay.
So what does $194K get you in Louisville/Jefferson County?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Louisville/Jefferson County’s Regional Price Parity (93.07). 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 Louisville/Jefferson County
Louisville/Jefferson County sits well above the national pay line for commercial pilots, local pay runs about 57% higher than the U.S. median of $123K. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,272/month, 11.2% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Regional Price Parity sits at 93.07 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 7% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Combined with manageable housing costs, Louisville/Jefferson County offers a genuinely strong financial position for commercial pilotss at the median.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for commercial pilots in metros near Louisville/Jefferson County, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Lexington-Fayette | $111K | $120K |
| Columbus | $99K | $107K |
| Columbus | $176K | $184K |
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin | $157K | $152K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN
Entry-level commercial pilots (10th percentile) start around $91K. Mid-career wages sit at $194K. Top earners bring in $355K or more, a $264K 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 Louisville/Jefferson County numbers change.
Related careers in Transportation
Frequently asked questions
Can a commercial pilot afford a 2BR apartment alone in Louisville/Jefferson County?
Yes — at the median salary of $194K, rent takes 11.2% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,272/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for commercial pilots in Louisville/Jefferson County?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new commercial pilots typically earn — is $91K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $5,464/month. At HUD’s $1,272/month FMR, rent would take 23% of that take-home — manageable on an entry-level income.
Is commercial pilot a high-paying job in Louisville/Jefferson County?
Local pay is 57% above the national median — $194K here vs. $123K nationally.
How does Louisville/Jefferson County compare to the national average for commercial pilots?
Louisville/Jefferson County pays $194K median vs. the U.S. average of $123K — that’s +57%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 93.07), the purchasing-power equivalent is $208K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do commercial pilots make in Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN?
The median is $193,940 a year. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $91,070, and experienced commercial pilots can clear $355,390. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $194K enough to live in Louisville/Jefferson County?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $11,388/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,272/month, which eats 11.2% 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 Louisville/Jefferson County?
Louisville/Jefferson County has a Regional Price Parity of 93.07 (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 $208,381 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.