Top 10 Highest Paying Cities for Airline Pilots
Find out which cities offer the best salaries for Airline Pilots. Data based on 2023 Bureau of Labor Statistics wage estimates.
Highest Paying City
$208,164
San Jose, CA
National Average
$149,650
Across 50 metros
Top 10 Minimum
$157,845
To rank in top 10
| Rank | City | Median Salary | Hourly Rate | vs. Average | Details |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | San Jose, CA Cost of Living: 179.8 | $208,164 | $100.08/hr | +39.1% | View Details |
| 2 | San Francisco, CA Cost of Living: 169.3 | $201,819 | $97.03/hr | +34.9% | View Details |
| 3 | Seattle, WA Cost of Living: 149.6 | $183,549 | $88.24/hr | +22.7% | View Details |
| 4 | New York, NY Cost of Living: 128.7 | $181,664 | $87.34/hr | +21.4% | View Details |
| 5 | Boston, MA Cost of Living: 148.4 | $175,408 | $84.33/hr | +17.2% | View Details |
| 6 | Washington, DC Cost of Living: 140.1 | $170,393 | $81.92/hr | +13.9% | View Details |
| 7 | Los Angeles, CA Cost of Living: 146.3 | $169,180 | $81.34/hr | +13.1% | View Details |
| 8 | San Diego, CA Cost of Living: 142.8 | $166,052 | $79.83/hr | +11.0% | View Details |
| 9 | Chicago, IL Cost of Living: 105.4 | $158,374 | $76.14/hr | +5.8% | View Details |
| 10 | Denver, CO Cost of Living: 118.4 | $157,845 | $75.89/hr | +5.5% | View Details |
All 50 Cities Ranked
San Jose, CA
$208k
/year
San Francisco, CA
$202k
/year
Seattle, WA
$184k
/year
New York, NY
$182k
/year
Boston, MA
$175k
/year
Washington, DC
$170k
/year
Los Angeles, CA
$169k
/year
San Diego, CA
$166k
/year
Chicago, IL
$158k
/year
Denver, CO
$158k
/year
Austin, TX
$156k
/year
Portland, OR
$155k
/year
Sacramento, CA
$154k
/year
Philadelphia, PA
$154k
/year
Miami, FL
$154k
/year
Hartford, CT
$154k
/year
Raleigh, NC
$152k
/year
Dallas, TX
$152k
/year
Baltimore, MD
$151k
/year
Atlanta, GA
$150k
/year
Charlotte, NC
$150k
/year
Minneapolis, MN
$149k
/year
Houston, TX
$148k
/year
Riverside, CA
$147k
/year
Nashville, TN
$147k
/year
Detroit, MI
$147k
/year
Phoenix, AZ
$146k
/year
Richmond, VA
$145k
/year
Providence, RI
$143k
/year
Las Vegas, NV
$143k
/year
Jacksonville, FL
$142k
/year
Orlando, FL
$141k
/year
Pittsburgh, PA
$141k
/year
Salt Lake City, UT
$141k
/year
Milwaukee, WI
$141k
/year
Tampa, FL
$139k
/year
Columbus, OH
$139k
/year
Cleveland, OH
$138k
/year
Louisville, KY
$137k
/year
Kansas City, MO
$137k
/year
Indianapolis, IN
$137k
/year
Cincinnati, OH
$136k
/year
San Antonio, TX
$134k
/year
St. Louis, MO
$134k
/year
Tucson, AZ
$133k
/year
New Orleans, LA
$131k
/year
Oklahoma City, OK
$129k
/year
Memphis, TN
$129k
/year
Birmingham, AL
$127k
/year
El Paso, TX
$127k
/year
Frequently Asked Questions
What city pays Airline Pilots the most?
San Jose, CA pays Airline Pilots the most, with a median salary of $208,164 per year.
What is the average Airline Pilot salary across all cities?
The average Airline Pilot salary across all 50 major US metro areas is $149,650 per year.
Should I consider cost of living when comparing salaries?
Yes! Cities like San Francisco and New York pay higher salaries, but also have higher costs of living. A $80,000 salary in a city with 90 cost of living index has more purchasing power than$100,000 in a city with 150 cost of living index.