Commercial Pilots pay range in Indianapolis
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $75,540 a year or less, while the top 10% make $225,500 or more. The middle half of commercial pilots in Indianapolis earn between $93,560 and $157,390.
- $76K10th
- $94K25th
- $129KMedian
- $157K75th
- $226K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $138,020 | $11,502 | — |
| Median | $128,900 | $10,742 | — |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $93,560 | $7,797 | — |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $157,390 | $13,116 | — |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year (BLS publishes this job's pay as annual only).
Commercial Pilots salary after taxes in Indianapolis
On the average salary of $138,020, a single filer in Indianapolis takes home about $98,724 a year, or $8,227 a month and $3,797 every two weeks. Taxes take 28% of gross pay.
Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2025 rules). Includes Indianapolis's local income tax (2.02%).
Is Indianapolis a good place for commercial pilots? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the Indianapolis area are 4% below the U.S. average (BEA price parity 95.7), so the average $138,020 buys what about $144,228 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 2.6 times the median wage of all jobs in Indianapolis ($49,340). A typical home costs $295,921, or 2.1 years of this average salary before tax.
Commercial Pilots salary in other Indiana cities
Indianapolis ranks 1st of 2 Indiana metro areas for this job, the best-paid in the state.
- Indianapolis$138,020
- Columbus$113,730
Highest-paying cities for commercial pilots
Waterbury, CT pays this job the most of the metro areas we cover ($267,680).
- Waterbury, CT$267,680
- Kiryas Joel, NY$226,850
- Bridgeport, CT$226,590
- Santa Rosa, CA$218,810
- Louisville, KY$210,350
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Commercial Pilots salary in Indianapolis: questions
What is the entry-level commercial pilots salary in Indianapolis?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $75,540 a year and the 25th percentile is $93,560, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the commercial pilots take-home pay in Indianapolis?
About $98,724 a year ($8,227 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $138,020. Includes Indianapolis's local income tax (2.02%).
Do commercial pilots earn more in Indianapolis than elsewhere?
The average here is 6% less than the U.S. metro average for this job ($146,776).
Sources and how to read this page
- Wages: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 estimates for metropolitan areas. SOC code 53-2012; area Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood, IN (26900). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 8.6%.
- Cost of living: Bureau of Economic Analysis regional price parities (RPP), 2024; 100 = U.S. average.
- Home value: Zillow Home Value Index. Typical-wage figure: OEWS all occupations, same metro.
- Take-home pay: Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2025 rules). Includes Indianapolis's local income tax (2.02%).
- Job concentration: location quotient 1.08, this job is about as common as in the U.S. overall.
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