Commercial Pilots pay range in Columbus
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $60,300 a year or less, while the top 10% make $216,270 or more. The middle half of commercial pilots in Columbus earn between $92,980 and $216,270.
- $60K10th
- $93K25th
- $176KMedian
- $216K75th
- $216K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $153,240 | $12,770 | — |
| Median | $175,690 | $14,641 | — |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $92,980 | $7,748 | — |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $216,270 | $18,022 | — |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year (BLS publishes this job's pay as annual only).
Commercial Pilots salary after taxes in Columbus
On the average salary of $153,240, a single filer in Columbus takes home about $108,396 a year, or $9,033 a month and $4,169 every two weeks. Taxes take 29% of gross pay.
Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2026 rules). Includes Columbus's local income tax (2.5%); the city income tax is that of the principal city (suburbs have their own rates) and school district income taxes are not included.
Is Columbus a good place for commercial pilots? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the Columbus area are 5% below the U.S. average (BEA price parity 95.5), so the average $153,240 buys what about $160,513 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 3.4 times the median wage of all jobs in Columbus ($51,340). A typical home costs $333,537, or 2.2 years of this average salary before tax.
Commercial Pilots salary in other Ohio cities
Columbus ranks 1st of 6 Ohio metro areas for this job, the best-paid in the state.
- Columbus$153,240
- Cincinnati$150,620
- Cleveland$148,680
- Dayton$129,010
- Akron$117,330
- Toledo$88,790
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 Columbus: questions
What is the entry-level commercial pilots salary in Columbus?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $60,300 a year and the 25th percentile is $92,980, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the commercial pilots take-home pay in Columbus?
About $108,396 a year ($9,033 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $153,240. Includes Columbus's local income tax (2.5%); the city income tax is that of the principal city (suburbs have their own rates) and school district income taxes are not included.
Do commercial pilots earn more in Columbus than elsewhere?
The average here is 4% more 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 Columbus, OH (18140). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 13.2%.
- 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 (2026 rules). Includes Columbus's local income tax (2.5%); the city income tax is that of the principal city (suburbs have their own rates) and school district income taxes are not included.
- Job concentration: location quotient 4.15, this job is 4.2 times as concentrated as in the U.S. overall.
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