Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers salary
in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN
- Middle 50%
- $205,480–$420,280
- vs U.S. median
- +26%
- Metro rank
- #9 of 22
Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers in the Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN metro earn a median of $293,490 a year, based on BLS estimates for 6,360 jobs (May 2025). That is 26% above the U.S. median of $232,140 and in line with the IL statewide median of $293,490. It ranks #9 of 22 metros with published figures for this job.
- SOURCEBLS OEWS, May 2025
- SAMPLE6,360 jobs (estimate)
- SCOPEall employers, all experience levels
- PERIODMay 2025 estimates
Full percentile breakdown
BLS · metro vs U.S.
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Employers filing for this job in Chicago
1 employers · DOL
Median of each employer’s DOL LCA filings (5+ filings) in this metro, FY2026 Q3. Visa-sponsored positions only, base pay.
| Employer | Median base | Filings |
|---|---|---|
| SkyWest Airlines | $263,286 | 12 |
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Questions
What is the average Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers salary in Chicago?
The BLS median is $293,490 a year (May 2025). Half of the 6,360 jobs pay between $205,480 and $420,280. The 10th percentile is $179,840 and the 90th is $429,040.
Is Chicago a high-paying metro for Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers?
That is 26% above the U.S. median of $232,140 and in line with the IL statewide median of $293,490. It ranks #9 of 22 U.S. metros with published BLS figures for this job.
Does this include experience levels?
BLS figures cover all experience levels together. Employer filings carry a DOL wage level, which the free checker can filter by (approximate).
Which employers pay Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers the most in Chicago?
Among employers with 5+ visa-sponsored filings here, the highest medians were SkyWest Airlines ($263,286). These are base wages for sponsored positions, not all employees.
Sources: U.S. BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 (national + state) (metro area estimates, all employers); employer rows from U.S. DOL OFLC LCA Disclosure Data, FY2026 Q3 (LCA_Disclosure_Data_FY2026_Q3.xlsx). Base pay only. Estimates can have sampling error, especially for smaller metros.