Commercial Pilots Salary
Commercial Pilots in Trenton-Princeton, NJ make a median of $205,700 a year. The range runs from $62K at the entry level to $305K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 103.18), that's roughly $199,360 in purchasing power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,950/month, or 16.5% of estimated take-home pay.
So what does $206K get you in Trenton-Princeton?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Trenton-Princeton’s Regional Price Parity (103.18). 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 Trenton-Princeton
Trenton-Princeton sits well above the national pay line for commercial pilots, local pay runs about 67% higher than the U.S. median of $123K. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,950/month, 16.5% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Cost of living (RPP 103.18) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. Combined with manageable housing costs, Trenton-Princeton offers a genuinely strong financial position for commercial pilotss at the median.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for commercial pilots in metros near Trenton-Princeton, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| New York-Newark-Jersey City | $226K | $201K |
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington | $159K | $155K |
| Pittsburgh | $134K | $142K |
| Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton | $171K | $171K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Trenton-Princeton, NJ
Entry-level commercial pilots (10th percentile) start around $62K. Mid-career wages sit at $206K. Top earners bring in $305K or more, a $242K 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 Trenton-Princeton numbers change.
Related careers in Transportation
Frequently asked questions
Can a commercial pilot afford a 2BR apartment alone in Trenton-Princeton?
Yes — at the median salary of $206K, rent takes 16.5% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,950/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for commercial pilots in Trenton-Princeton?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new commercial pilots typically earn — is $62K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $3,741/month. At HUD’s $1,950/month FMR, rent would take 52% 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 Trenton-Princeton?
Local pay is 67% above the national median — $206K here vs. $123K nationally.
How does Trenton-Princeton compare to the national average for commercial pilots?
Trenton-Princeton pays $206K median vs. the U.S. average of $123K — that’s +67%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 103.18), the purchasing-power equivalent is $199K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do commercial pilots make in Trenton-Princeton, NJ?
The median is $205,700 a year. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $62,350, and experienced commercial pilots can clear $304,560. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $206K enough to live in Trenton-Princeton?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $11,846/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,950/month, which eats 16.5% 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 Trenton-Princeton?
Trenton-Princeton has a Regional Price Parity of 103.18 (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 $199,360 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.