Commercial Pilots Salary
Commercial Pilots in Visalia, CA make a median of $75,600 a year. The range runs from $36K at the entry level to $172K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 99.83), that's roughly $75,729 in purchasing power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,474/month, or 29.9% of estimated take-home pay.
So what does $76K get you in Visalia?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Visalia’s Regional Price Parity (99.83). 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 Visalia
Pay for commercial pilots in Visalia runs about 39% below the U.S. median of $123K. Rent runs $1,474/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 30.3% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Cost of living (RPP 99.83) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for commercial pilots in metros near Visalia, 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, Visalia, CA
Entry-level commercial pilots (10th percentile) start around $36K. Mid-career wages sit at $76K. Top earners bring in $172K or more, a $136K 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 Visalia numbers change.
Related careers in Transportation
Frequently asked questions
Can a commercial pilot afford a 2BR apartment alone in Visalia?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $76K, rent takes 30.3% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,474/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,500/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for commercial pilots in Visalia?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new commercial pilots typically earn — is $36K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,171/month. At HUD’s $1,474/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 Visalia?
Local pay runs 39% below the national median — $76K here vs. $123K nationally.
How does Visalia compare to the national average for commercial pilots?
Visalia pays $76K median vs. the U.S. average of $123K — that’s -39%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 99.83), the purchasing-power equivalent is $76K — below the national median.
How much do commercial pilots make in Visalia, CA?
The median is $75,600 a year. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $36,180, and experienced commercial pilots can clear $171,720. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $76K enough to live in Visalia?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $4,867/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,474/month, which eats 30.3% 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 Visalia?
Visalia has a Regional Price Parity of 99.83 (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 $75,729 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.