Commercial Pilots Salary
Commercial Pilots in Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA make a median of $102,300 a year. The range runs from $59K at the entry level to $269K for experienced workers. Prices run high here (RPP 110.53), so that salary is closer to $92,554 in real purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $2,693/month, about 42.8% of take-home, which is tight.
Where the paycheck goes
What $102K actually covers in Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, month by month
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura’s Regional Price Parity (110.53). 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 Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura
Pay for commercial pilots in Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura runs about 17% below the U.S. median of $123K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $2,693/month, which is 43.3% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost-of-living overall is 11% above the national average (BEA RPP 110.53), so groceries and services cost more too. That combination, below-market pay with high housing costs, makes this a financially demanding market for commercial pilots.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for commercial pilots in metros near Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont | $173K | $150K |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad | $128K | $114K |
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario | $112K | $106K |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara | $159K | $144K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA
Entry-level commercial pilots (10th percentile) start around $59K. Mid-career wages sit at $102K. Top earners bring in $269K or more, a $210K 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 annually. We'll email you when Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura numbers change.
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Quick answers
The stuff people actually ask about this job
Can a commercial pilot afford a 2BR apartment alone in Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $102K, rent takes 43.3% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $2,693/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,900/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for commercial pilots in Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new commercial pilots typically earn — is $59K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $3,963/month. At HUD’s $2,693/month FMR, rent would take 68% 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 Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura?
Local pay runs 17% below the national median — $102K here vs. $123K nationally.
How does Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura compare to the national average for commercial pilots?
Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura pays $102K median vs. the U.S. average of $123K — that’s -17%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 110.53), the purchasing-power equivalent is $93K — below the national median.
How much do commercial pilots make in Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA?
The median is $102,300 a year. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $58,920, and experienced commercial pilots can clear $268,750. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $102K enough to live in Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $6,225/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $2,693/month, which eats 43.3% 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 Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura?
Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura has a Regional Price Parity of 110.53 (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 $92,554 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.