Commercial Pilot salary
Updated Updated for 2026 tax law
A commercial pilot earns a median of $123,220 a year in the US, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025). The average is $146,080. About 47,630 people work in this job.
Take-home pay on $123,220
- Gross pay
- $4,739.23
- Federal income tax
- −$704.11
- Social Security (6.2%)
- −$293.83
- Medicare (1.45%)
- −$68.72
- Texas income tax
- $0.00No state income tax on wages
- Take-home pay
- $3,672.57
Annual breakdown
- Gross
- $123,220
- Federal
- $18,307
- FICA
- $9,426
- State + local
- $0
- Net
- $95,487
- Marginal federal rate
- 24.0%
- Marginal state rate
- 0.0%
2026 federal brackets (Rev. Proc. 2025-32) and 2026 state rules. Estimates assume wages are your only income and use annual liability, so your actual withholding can differ slightly.
Similar jobs
- Ship Engineer: $109,530
- Air Traffic Controller: $148,080
- Captain: $92,460
- Transportation Inspector: $92,100
- Subway and Streetcar Operator: $86,380
- Locomotive Engineer: $81,410
- Railroad Conductor and Yardmaster: $78,000
- Gas Compressor and Gas Pumping Station Operator: $77,320
BLS occupation: Commercial Pilots. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 (SOC 53-2012). Excludes the self-employed. BLS publishes annual pay only for this occupation.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a commercial pilot make an hour?
BLS reports annual pay only for this job: a median of $123,220 a year.
What is the salary range for a commercial pilot?
The bottom 10% earn under $58,850 and the top 10% earn over $266,620 a year.
How much is $123,220 after taxes?
About $95,487 a year in Texas (no state income tax) or $86,671 in California for a single filer in 2026.
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Estimates for information only — not tax, legal or financial advice.