SOC 53-2012 · May 2025 · BLS OEWS
Commercial Pilots — Washington
Washington · 2 metro areas compared
The median wage for Commercial Pilots in Washington is $117,730 per year, close to the national median of $123,220 for the same occupation.
Wage distribution · annual
Shaded band holds the middle 50% of earners
Salary overview
The median wage for Commercial Pilots in Washington is $117,730 per year, close to the national median of $123,220 for the same occupation. Pay ranges from under $70,420 at the tenth percentile to more than $314,200 at the ninetieth, with the interquartile range running from $84,540 to $200,480.
The area has 890 jobs in this occupation, which works out to 0.3 of every thousand jobs. Among the 48 states with published data for this occupation, Washington ranks 22nd by median wage. Seattle leads the state's metro areas for this occupation, at $126,990. Set against every other occupation measured in the same area, it ranks 119th of 757 by median pay.
Percentile breakdown
| Percentile | Annual | vs US median |
|---|---|---|
| 10th | $70,420 | −42.9% |
| 25th | $84,540 | −31.4% |
| Median (50th) | $117,730 | −4.5% |
| 75th | $200,480 | +62.7% |
| 90th | $314,200 | +155.0% |
| Mean | $149,860 | +21.6% |
Highest-paying metro areas in Washington
What the pay is worth locally
Prices in Washington run 7.0% above the national average, so the median of $117,730 buys what $110,028 would elsewhere in the country. Measured that way the gap against the national median narrows to 10.7% below the national median in real terms.
Published median
$117,730as reported by BLSLocal price level
107.0US average = 100 · BEA 2024Adjusted for local prices
$110,028US average = 100 · BEA 2024Key takeaways
- Median pay is $117,730 a year, 4.5% below the national median.
- Published pay spans $70,420 to $314,200 between the tenth and ninetieth percentiles.
- The area has 890 jobs in this occupation.
- It ranks 22nd of 48 states for this occupation.
- The highest-paying metro area covered is Seattle, at $126,990.
Frequently asked questions
What is the median wage for Commercial Pilots in Washington?
The median annual wage is $117,730, as of May 2025. Half of the workers in this occupation earn more than that and half earn less.
Is that higher than the national average?
The national median for this occupation is $123,220, so pay in Washington is 4.5% lower. These figures are medians, not averages: half of workers fall on each side.
What do the top earners make?
The top tenth of this occupation in Washington earns more than $314,200 per year. The ninetieth percentile is the highest figure the survey publishes.
What is the starting range?
The tenth percentile wage is $70,420 per year. The survey measures wages actually paid rather than experience level, so this reflects the lowest-paid tenth rather than entry-level pay specifically.
Which area nearby pays the most?
The highest median for this occupation among the metro areas covered is in Seattle, at $126,990 per year.
How many jobs are there in this occupation here?
The survey estimates 890 jobs in this occupation in Washington. Self-employed workers are not included.
Source and methodology
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 Wages are for wage-and-salary workers; self-employed workers are not included. Salary Explorer is an independent project. It is not affiliated with, or endorsed by, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics or any government agency. Full methodology.
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