First Class Pilot Salary
$49.5K - $63.5K
10% of jobs
$63.5K - $77.5K
8% of jobs
$77.5K - $91.5K
4% of jobs
$99.6K is the 25th percentile. Wages below this are outliers.
$91.5K - $105.5K
7% of jobs
$105.5K - $119.5K
8% of jobs
$119.5K - $133.5K
6% of jobs
The median wage is $141.3K / yr.
$133.5K - $147.5K
16% of jobs
$155.4K is the 75th percentile. Wages above this are outliers.
$147.5K - $161.5K
31% of jobs
$161.5K - $175.5K
6% of jobs
$175.5K - $189.5K
3% of jobs
$189.5K - $203.5K
3% of jobs
$49.5K
$143.5K
$201.5K
$130,916
/year
$62.94
/hour
First Class Pilot Salary Comparison by Location
Nationwide
United States
$130,916
Columbus
Ohio
$126,452
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How much does a First Class Pilot make?
As of Jun 14, 2026, the average annual pay for a First Class Pilot in the United States is $130,916 a year.
Just in case you need a simple salary calculator, that works out to be approximately $62.94 an hour. This is the equivalent of $2,517/week or $10,909/month.
While ZipRecruiter is seeing annual salaries as high as $201,500 and as low as $49,500, the majority of First Class Pilot salaries currently range between $100,000 (25th percentile) to $155,000 (75th percentile) with top earners (90th percentile) making $175,000 annually across the United States. The average pay range for a First Class Pilot varies little (about 55000), which suggests that regardless of location, there are not many opportunities for increased pay or advancement, even with several years of experience.
A First Class Pilot in your area makes on average $126,452 per year, or $4,464 (3.410%) less than the national average annual salary of $130,916. Ohio ranks number 30 out of 50 states nationwide for First Class Pilot salaries.
To estimate the most accurate annual salary range for First Class Pilot jobs, ZipRecruiter continuously scans its database of millions of active jobs published locally throughout America.
Find your next high paying job as a First Class Pilot on ZipRecruiter today.
What are Top 10 Highest Paying Cities for First Class Pilot Jobs
We've identified 10 cities where the typical salary for a First Class Pilot job is above the national average. Topping the list is Two Rivers, WI, , with Barrow, AK, and Nome, AK, close behind in the second and third positions. Nome, AK, beats the national average by $31,485 (24.0%), and Two Rivers, WI, furthers that trend with another $45,736 (34.9%) above the $130,916 average.
With these 10 cities having average salaries higher than the national average, the opportunities for economic advancement by changing locations as a First Class Pilot appears to be exceedingly fruitful.
Finally, another factor to consider is the average salary for these top 10 cities varies very little at 13% between Two Rivers, WI, and Sunnyvale, CA, , reinforcing the limited potential for much wage advancement. The possibility of a lower cost of living may be the best factor to use when considering location and salary for a First Class Pilot role.
City | Annual Salary | Hourly Wage |
|---|---|---|
Two Rivers, WI | $176,652 | $84.93 |
Barrow, AK | $163,092 | $78.41 |
Nome, AK | $162,401 | $78.08 |
Berkeley, CA | $160,299 | $77.07 |
Hooper Bay, AK | $159,305 | $76.59 |
Aspen, CO | $158,240 | $76.08 |
Sitka, AK | $157,712 | $75.82 |
Kilauea, HI | $156,913 | $75.44 |
San Francisco, CA | $154,242 | $74.15 |
Sunnyvale, CA | $153,650 | $73.87 |
What are Top 5 Best Paying Related First Class Pilot Jobs in the U.S.
Analyzing some similar jobs related to the First Class Pilot job category, we found that Chief Pilot jobs have average salaries greater than First Class Pilot jobs.
Significantly, Chief Pilot jobs pay $32,277 (24.7%) more than the average First Class Pilot salary of $130,916. If you're qualified, finding work as a Chief Pilot may help you make more money than that of the average First Class Pilot position.
Job Title | Annual Salary | Hourly Wage |
|---|---|---|
Chief Pilot | $163,193 | $78.46 |
Helicopter Pilot | $100,249 | $48.20 |
Helicopter Landing Officer | $96,397 | $46.34 |
Skywest | $54,791 | $26.34 |
Outreach Representative | $46,726 | $22.46 |
About Our Data
ZipRecruiter salary estimates, histograms, trends and comparisons are derived from both employer job postings and third party data sources.
