Commercial Pilots Salary
Commercial Pilots in Wilmington, NC make a median of $172,320 a year. The range runs from $72K at the entry level to $252K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 96.42), that's roughly $178,718 in purchasing power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,426/month, or 13.4% of estimated take-home pay.
So what does $172K get you in Wilmington?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Wilmington’s Regional Price Parity (96.42). 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 Wilmington
Wilmington sits well above the national pay line for commercial pilots, local pay runs about 40% higher than the U.S. median of $123K. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,426/month, 14.2% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Cost of living (RPP 96.42) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. Combined with manageable housing costs, Wilmington offers a genuinely strong financial position for commercial pilotss at the median.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for commercial pilots in metros near Wilmington, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia | $145K | $149K |
| Raleigh-Cary | $131K | $133K |
| Greensboro-High Point | $134K | $144K |
| Fayetteville | $128K | $139K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Wilmington, NC
Entry-level commercial pilots (10th percentile) start around $72K. Mid-career wages sit at $172K. Top earners bring in $252K or more, a $180K 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 Wilmington numbers change.
Related careers in Transportation
Frequently asked questions
Can a commercial pilot afford a 2BR apartment alone in Wilmington?
Yes — at the median salary of $172K, rent takes 14.2% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,426/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for commercial pilots in Wilmington?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new commercial pilots typically earn — is $72K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $4,331/month. At HUD’s $1,426/month FMR, rent would take 33% 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 Wilmington?
Local pay is 40% above the national median — $172K here vs. $123K nationally.
How does Wilmington compare to the national average for commercial pilots?
Wilmington pays $172K median vs. the U.S. average of $123K — that’s +40%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 96.42), the purchasing-power equivalent is $179K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do commercial pilots make in Wilmington, NC?
The median is $172,320 a year. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $72,190, and experienced commercial pilots can clear $251,900. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $172K enough to live in Wilmington?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $10,065/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,426/month, which eats 14.2% 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 Wilmington?
Wilmington has a Regional Price Parity of 96.42 (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 $178,718 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.