Commercial Pilots Salary
Commercial Pilots in Wisconsin make a median of $129,860 a year. The range runs from $66K at the entry level to $270K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 94.33), which stretches that salary to about $137,666 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,202/month, or 15.2% of estimated take-home pay.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Wisconsin. Jump to a metro for precise data:
Where the paycheck goes
What $130K actually covers in Wisconsin, month by month
About commercial pilots
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What this looks like in Wisconsin
Commercial pilots pay in Wisconsin tracks closely to the national median, $130K locally vs. $123K nationwide, a 5% difference. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,202/month, 15.4% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Regional Price Parity sits at 94.33 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 6% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Wisconsin
Entry-level commercial pilots (10th percentile) start around $66K. Mid-career wages sit at $130K. Top earners bring in $270K or more, a $204K spread from bottom to top.
Commercial Pilots salary by metro in Wisconsin
5 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Milwaukee-Waukesha | $178K | +37% | 420 |
| Eau Claire | $115K | -12% | 30 |
| Madison | $110K | -15% | 90 |
| La Crosse-Onalaska | $99K | -23% | 30 |
| Oshkosh-Neenah | $87K | -33% | 50 |
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Track commercial pilots salary changes
BLS updates this data annually. We'll email you when Wisconsin 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 Wisconsin?
Yes — at the median salary of $130K, rent takes 15.4% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,202/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for commercial pilots in Wisconsin?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new commercial pilots typically earn — is $66K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $4,385/month. At HUD’s $1,202/month FMR, rent would take 27% of that take-home — manageable on an entry-level income.
Is commercial pilot a high-paying job in Wisconsin?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $130K locally vs. $123K nationally, a 5% difference.
How does Wisconsin compare to the national average for commercial pilots?
Wisconsin pays $130K median vs. the U.S. average of $123K — that’s +5%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 94.33), the purchasing-power equivalent is $138K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do commercial pilots make in Wisconsin?
The median is $129,860 a year. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $66,390, and experienced commercial pilots can clear $269,990. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $130K enough to live in Wisconsin?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $7,806/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,202/month, which eats 15.4% 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 Wisconsin?
Wisconsin has a Regional Price Parity of 94.33 (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 $137,666 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.