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
$241,887
San Jose, CA
National Average
$171,679
Across 50 metros
Top 10 Minimum
$182,969
To rank in top 10
| Rank | City | Median Salary | Hourly Rate | vs. Average | Details |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | San Jose, CA Cost of Living: 179.8 | $241,887 | $116.29/hr | +40.9% | View Details |
| 2 | San Francisco, CA Cost of Living: 169.3 | $237,292 | $114.08/hr | +38.2% | View Details |
| 3 | Seattle, WA Cost of Living: 149.6 | $213,137 | $102.47/hr | +24.1% | View Details |
| 4 | New York, NY Cost of Living: 128.7 | $203,254 | $97.72/hr | +18.4% | View Details |
| 5 | Boston, MA Cost of Living: 148.4 | $196,967 | $94.70/hr | +14.7% | View Details |
| 6 | Washington, DC Cost of Living: 140.1 | $195,256 | $93.87/hr | +13.7% | View Details |
| 7 | San Diego, CA Cost of Living: 142.8 | $193,799 | $93.17/hr | +12.9% | View Details |
| 8 | Los Angeles, CA Cost of Living: 146.3 | $189,773 | $91.24/hr | +10.5% | View Details |
| 9 | Sacramento, CA Cost of Living: 119.2 | $183,092 | $88.03/hr | +6.6% | View Details |
| 10 | Denver, CO Cost of Living: 118.4 | $182,969 | $87.97/hr | +6.6% | View Details |
All 50 Cities Ranked
San Jose, CA
$242k
/year
San Francisco, CA
$237k
/year
Seattle, WA
$213k
/year
New York, NY
$203k
/year
Boston, MA
$197k
/year
Washington, DC
$195k
/year
San Diego, CA
$194k
/year
Los Angeles, CA
$190k
/year
Sacramento, CA
$183k
/year
Denver, CO
$183k
/year
Austin, TX
$182k
/year
Portland, OR
$178k
/year
Minneapolis, MN
$177k
/year
Riverside, CA
$176k
/year
Philadelphia, PA
$176k
/year
Baltimore, MD
$174k
/year
Hartford, CT
$173k
/year
Chicago, IL
$173k
/year
Houston, TX
$172k
/year
Miami, FL
$172k
/year
Providence, RI
$172k
/year
Raleigh, NC
$171k
/year
Orlando, FL
$167k
/year
Detroit, MI
$167k
/year
Phoenix, AZ
$166k
/year
Dallas, TX
$166k
/year
Atlanta, GA
$166k
/year
Nashville, TN
$164k
/year
Salt Lake City, UT
$163k
/year
Charlotte, NC
$163k
/year
Indianapolis, IN
$163k
/year
Kansas City, MO
$163k
/year
Tampa, FL
$162k
/year
Columbus, OH
$162k
/year
Milwaukee, WI
$161k
/year
Cleveland, OH
$160k
/year
Richmond, VA
$159k
/year
Las Vegas, NV
$159k
/year
St. Louis, MO
$158k
/year
Cincinnati, OH
$158k
/year
Pittsburgh, PA
$158k
/year
Louisville, KY
$156k
/year
New Orleans, LA
$156k
/year
San Antonio, TX
$156k
/year
Jacksonville, FL
$155k
/year
Tucson, AZ
$155k
/year
Oklahoma City, OK
$148k
/year
Birmingham, AL
$147k
/year
Memphis, TN
$147k
/year
El Paso, TX
$142k
/year
Frequently Asked Questions
What city pays Airline Pilots the most?
San Jose, CA pays Airline Pilots the most, with a median salary of $241,887 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 $171,679 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.