Commercial Airline Pilot Salary
in Philadelphia
2026 · Official labour data · 8 comparison cities
Last updated: July 2026 · Source: BLS OES Survey · 1.1M employer sample
Typical range: $127,777 – $186,369
How much does a Commercial Airline Pilot make in Philadelphia, PA?
A Commercial Airline Pilot in Philadelphia earns a median of $154,317/year (about $74/hour). Most earn between $127,777 (25th percentile) and $186,369 (75th percentile); top earners (90th percentile) make $220,957 or more — 4% above the US average. Figures are from BLS employer payroll data, not self-reports.
Understanding these Commercial Airline Pilot salary numbers
We report percentiles, not a single average, because pay isn't evenly spread — a handful of very high earners would drag an average upward and mislead you. Here's exactly what each figure means.
Median (P50) — $154,317
Half of Commercial Airline Pilots in Philadelphia earn more than this and half earn less. It's the most honest "typical" salary — better than an average, which gets skewed by a few top earners.
25th percentile (P25) — $127,777
The lower end of the typical range: 75% of Commercial Airline Pilots earn more than this. It's common for early-career roles or lower-cost employers. Earning below it is grounds to negotiate.
75th percentile (P75) — $186,369
Your negotiation target: only 25% of Commercial Airline Pilots earn above it. Reaching P75 usually means seniority, in-demand specialisations, or simply negotiating from data. See how to negotiate.
90th percentile (P90) — $220,957
Top earners: only 10% of Commercial Airline Pilots make this or more — typically senior, highly specialised, or at the best-paying employers.
Gross vs after-tax pay
These figures are gross (before tax). What actually reaches your account depends on your country, state, and deductions. Estimate your net with the take-home calculator.
National vs Philadelphia pay
City figures apply the local market premium to BLS data, so Philadelphia differs from the US average by +4%. A higher number isn't always better once cost of living is counted.
Hourly rate — $74/hr
The hourly figure is the annual median divided by 2,080 (40 hours × 52 weeks). If you regularly work more than 40 hours, your real hourly rate is lower than this. Convert any salary with the salary calculator.
Why this differs from Glassdoor or Payscale
Those sites publish what people say they earn (self-reports), which skew high because higher earners report more often. Our figures come from mandatory employer payroll records (BLS OEWS), so they reflect the whole market — not just a vocal subset.
How current and reliable is this number?
This page carries a confidence score of 100/100, based on the data source and coverage. US figures track the latest BLS release and refresh automatically; international figures use OECD/ILO data. See the changelog for live data freshness.
What counts as a "good" Commercial Airline Pilot salary in Philadelphia?
Around the median ($154,317) is solid and $186,369+ is strong — but "good" really depends on local costs. Check what the number is actually worth with the good-salary breakdown for Philadelphia.
Still curious how we get these numbers? Every figure is traceable to a primary source — see the full methodology and data sources.
Commercial Airline Pilot salary in Philadelphia, PA: median $154,317 (P75 $186,369), per BLS OEWS via Official Salary, 2026.
Free JSON: /api/salary?job=pilot&city=philadelphia — no key. API & widgets →
Key insights for Commercial Airline Pilots in Philadelphia
- ›Commercial Airline Pilots in Philadelphia earn about 4% more than the national median for the role ($154K vs $148K).
- ›Cost of living in Philadelphia runs about 8% above the US average, so $154K is worth roughly $143K at national prices.
- ›After a simplified take-home estimate, $154K nets about $108K/yr — roughly $72K/yr left after typical single-person living costs here.
- ›Pay climbs with seniority: a senior/staff Commercial Airline Pilot reaches about $185K — a +20% step from mid-level.
Commercial Airline Pilots in Philadelphia typically earn $128K–$186K a year.
The market median is $154K — half earn above, half earn below.
Top earners (top 10%) make $221K or more.
Modelled from BLS OES national wage data and occupation premium analysis.
Commercial Airline Pilot Salary Analysis — Philadelphia
Commercial Airline Pilots in Philadelphia earn a median salary of $154K, which is 4% above the national median of $148K. Salaries in this market are broadly in line with the national average.
Based on BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) and employer payroll records. Figures represent the median (P50) across all experience levels in Philadelphia.
Cost of Living Adjustment
Philadelphia's cost of living is 8% above the US average. Your $154K salary has the equivalent purchasing power of approximately $143K in a city with average US living costs.
Salary Distribution — Philadelphia
5-band distribution from employer payroll records
New graduates, 0–1 yr exp
1–3 years experience
3–7 years, typical professional
Senior / high-performer — target
Staff / principal / lead
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Official Salary Fair Pay Score™
Is $154K a good salary for Commercial Airline Pilot in Philadelphia?
Based on BLS data for 154,317 comparable professionals in this role
You're earning above the median — in the top half of this role's salary range.
Why This Salary?
How we arrived at $154K for Commercial Airline Pilots in Philadelphia
Source: BLS OES. All figures reflect 2026 market conditions.
Commercial Airline Pilot Salary by Experience Level in Philadelphia
How compensation grows from entry-level through staff / lead
| Experience Level | Years | Percentile | Annual Salary | Monthly | Hourly |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Entry | 0 | 0 yrs | $111,108 | $9,259 | $53 |
| Junior | 2 | 2 yrs | $132,713 | $11,059 | $64 |
| Mid-LevelTypical | 4 | 4 yrs | $147,116 | $12,260 | $71 |
| Senior | 6 | 6 yrs | $160,490 | $13,374 | $77 |
| Staff | 10 | 10 yrs | $185,180 | $15,432 | $89 |
| Principal | 14 | 14 yrs | $203,698 | $16,975 | $98 |
| Distinguished | 18 | 18 yrs | $208,328 | $17,361 | $100 |
Based on BLS OEWS percentile distribution. Actual salary depends on employer, skills, and negotiation.
Skills That Earn More — Commercial Airline Pilot
Estimated premium above the Philadelphia median based on market demand
Estimates based on job-posting salary premiums for verified high-demand skills.
Commercial Airline Pilot Intelligence Report
Career metrics and full compensation breakdown — from BLS demand data
Career Opportunity Score
Composite: demand growth × 1.4 + (100 − AI risk) × 0.4
Total Compensation — Commercial Airline Pilot
Beyond base salary: bonus, equity, and benefits
Bonus, equity, and benefits are modelled estimates from category norms (not scraped from any single employer); base is BLS. Actual total comp varies by employer, level, and negotiation.
Typical Benefits for Commercial Airline Pilots
— show
Often adds 20–35% to your effective pay
Compare Commercial Airline Pilot Salaries by City
How Philadelphia, PA stacks up against other major markets
| City | Median | P75 | vs US avg |
|---|---|---|---|
| Philadelphia, PA (current) | $154,317 | $186,369+ | +4% |
| New York, NY | $179,672 | $216,990+ | +21% |
| San Francisco, CA | $209,313 | $252,788+ | +41% |
| Seattle, WA | $216,273 | $261,193+ | +46% |
| Austin, TX | $168,958 | $204,051+ | +14% |
| Boston, MA | $196,970 | $237,881+ | +33% |
| Chicago, IL | $160,146 | $193,409+ | +8% |
| Los Angeles, CA | $162,389 | $196,118+ | +10% |
| Denver, CO | $178,409 | $215,465+ | +21% |
Official Salary Career GPS™
What should I do next as a Commercial Airline Pilot?
Career path data not available for this occupation.
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Go deeper on Commercial Airline Pilot pay
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the average Commercial Airline Pilot salary in Philadelphia, PA?
The median Commercial Airline Pilot salary in Philadelphia, PA is $154K per year (2026), based on BLS OEWS employer payroll data from 1.1 million employers. The top 25% earn $186K+ per year.
What is a good Commercial Airline Pilot salary in Philadelphia, PA?
The 75th percentile ($186K/yr) is the professional benchmark — what the top quarter already earns. It's a documented, negotiable target backed by BLS payroll data. Anything above the median ($154K) is above-average for this role in Philadelphia, PA.
How much does a Commercial Airline Pilot earn per hour in Philadelphia, PA?
Based on the median annual salary of $154K, a Commercial Airline Pilot in Philadelphia, PA earns approximately $74/hr (2,080-hour work year). The P75 rate is ~$90/hr.
Is Philadelphia, PA a good market for Commercial Airline Pilots?
Philadelphia, PA pays 4% above the US national average for this role. Demand for Commercial Airline Pilots is growing 6% annually, and AI automation risk is rated low for this occupation.
How do I negotiate a higher Commercial Airline Pilot salary in Philadelphia, PA?
Cite the BLS P75 figure ($186K) — it is verifiable public data from government payroll records. Request the full compensation package: base + equity/bonus + benefits. Timing matters: negotiate at the offer stage, not after acceptance. Counter with a specific number, not a range.
What is the entry-level Commercial Airline Pilot salary in Philadelphia, PA?
Entry-level Commercial Airline Pilots in Philadelphia, PA (10th–25th percentile) earn roughly $108K–$128K per year, rising toward the $154K median with experience and in-demand skills.
What does a senior Commercial Airline Pilot earn in Philadelphia, PA?
Senior Commercial Airline Pilots in Philadelphia, PA — the top quartile up to the 90th percentile — earn about $186K–$221K per year, with the top 10% making $221K+.
How Is This Salary Calculated?
Every number is derived from a transparent, reproducible methodology — no estimates, no black boxes.
Where does the salary data come from?
All US figures come from the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey — a mandatory biannual survey of 1.1 million US employers who report actual payroll data.
How is the Philadelphia figure calculated?
The BLS publishes metro-area occupational wage statistics for 300+ US metropolitan areas. For Philadelphia, Official Salary uses the BLS metro premium ratio (metro median ÷ national median) and applies it to the national baseline.
What do P10, P25, P50, P75, and P90 mean?
These are salary percentiles from employer payroll records. P50 (median) means 50% of workers earn less. P75 means 75% earn less — this is the recommended negotiation anchor. P10 and P90 represent the bottom 10% and top 10% respectively.
How is take-home pay estimated?
Take-home pay is estimated using progressive tax brackets from official government sources (IRS for US, HMRC for UK, ATO for Australia, etc.). Social contributions (National Insurance, FICA, etc.) are added. These are estimates — actual take-home depends on deductions, filing status, and location.
How often is data updated?
US BLS salary data refreshes every 24 hours via the BLS public API. OECD international wages refresh monthly. ECB currency rates refresh every 4 hours.
Full formulas and source citations on the methodology page.
What a Commercial Airline Pilot salary really means in Philadelphia
Take-home pay, rent affordability, and remote benchmarking — on the $154,317 median.
Estimated take-home
≈ $9,661/month net
- Gross median
- $154,317
- Income tax
- −$26,575
- Social / FICA
- −$11,805
- Effective rate
- 25%
Federal income tax only (FICA included). State income tax varies. Single-filer estimate — not tax advice.
Rent affordability
of take-home on a typical 1-bed (~$1,268/mo)
The 30% rule says housing should stay under 30% of take-home. Here it's comfortably within that line. After all living costs (~$3,020/mo), roughly $6,641/mo is left to save or invest.
Cost-of-living estimate for Philadelphia; rent ≈ 42% of budget.
Remote vs onsite
typical fully-remote benchmark range
Onsite Commercial Airline Pilots in Philadelphia earn the local median of $154,317. Fully-remote roles are usually benchmarked between the US median ($148,000) and the local rate — employers increasingly set remote pay by national or regional bands, not your city.
Compare all Commercial Airline Pilot markets →How to reach the top 25% as a Commercial Airline Pilot in Philadelphia
The gap between a typical Commercial Airline Pilot and the top quartile in Philadelphia is $32,052/year — about $2,671/month more than the median. Reaching the 75th percentile ($186,369) usually comes down to seniority, in-demand specialisations, and negotiating from real data instead of hoping for a raise.
Education Premium — Commercial Airline Pilot
How degree level affects salary · ACS Census data
Source: US Census Bureau ACS PUMS · BLS OES wage data.
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Data Source & Attribution
Salary data sourced from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS survey (1.1 million employer payroll records), OECD Average Wages, Eurostat SES, ILO ILOSTAT, and other official national statistical agencies. Data is updated via ISR and reflects the most recent release cycle.