Commercial Pilots Salary
Commercial Pilots in New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ make a median of $225,900 a year. The range runs from $63K at the entry level to $322K for experienced workers. Prices run high here (RPP 112.56), so that salary is closer to $200,693 in real purchasing power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $2,910/month, or 22.3% of estimated take-home pay.
So what does $226K get you in New York-Newark-Jersey City?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by New York-Newark-Jersey City’s Regional Price Parity (112.56). 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 New York-Newark-Jersey City
New York-Newark-Jersey City sits well above the national pay line for commercial pilots, local pay runs about 83% higher than the U.S. median of $123K. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $2,910/month, 22.6% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Cost-of-living overall is 13% above the national average (BEA RPP 112.56), so groceries and services cost more too. Combined with manageable housing costs, New York-Newark-Jersey City offers a genuinely strong financial position for commercial pilotss at the median.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for commercial pilots in metros near New York-Newark-Jersey City, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Buffalo-Cheektowaga | $153K | $160K |
| Kiryas Joel-Poughkeepsie-Newburgh | $281K | $256K |
| Rochester | $129K | $133K |
| Burlington-South Burlington | $138K | $137K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ
Entry-level commercial pilots (10th percentile) start around $63K. Mid-career wages sit at $226K. Top earners bring in $322K or more, a $259K 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 New York-Newark-Jersey City numbers change.
Related careers in Transportation
Frequently asked questions
Can a commercial pilot afford a 2BR apartment alone in New York-Newark-Jersey City?
Yes — at the median salary of $226K, rent takes 22.6% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $2,910/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for commercial pilots in New York-Newark-Jersey City?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new commercial pilots typically earn — is $63K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $3,769/month. At HUD’s $2,910/month FMR, rent would take 77% 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 New York-Newark-Jersey City?
Local pay is 83% above the national median — $226K here vs. $123K nationally. Keep in mind cost of living here is 13% above the national average, which offsets some of that premium.
How does New York-Newark-Jersey City compare to the national average for commercial pilots?
New York-Newark-Jersey City pays $226K median vs. the U.S. average of $123K — that’s +83%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 112.56), the purchasing-power equivalent is $201K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do commercial pilots make in New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ?
The median is $225,900 a year. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $62,820, and experienced commercial pilots can clear $321,550. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $226K enough to live in New York-Newark-Jersey City?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $12,866/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $2,910/month, which eats 22.6% 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 New York-Newark-Jersey City?
New York-Newark-Jersey City has a Regional Price Parity of 112.56 (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 $200,693 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.