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State comparison · 2025

Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers salary: California vs Michigan

Occupation

Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers in Michigan earn a median of $428,570. In California, $353,900. After cost-of-living, the gap is 28.2% — not 17.4%.

Nominal pay gap
-17.4%
California vs Michigan
COL-adjusted gap
-28.2%
After BEA Regional Price Parities

California

Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers

Median
$353,900
p25
$208,070
p75
$390,260
p10
$179,270
p90
$427,660
COL index (BEA RPP)100 = US average
110.7
Hiring velocity (180d)
-33%
See full breakdown for California

Michigan

Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers

Median
$428,570
p25
$215,440
p75
$428,570
p10
$181,880
p90
$428,570
COL index (BEA RPP)100 = US average
96.2
Hiring velocity (180d)
+25%
See full breakdown for Michigan

BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Cost-of-living adjustment from BEA Regional Price Parities (overall index). Hiring velocity from DOL OFLC public disclosure data, recent 180 days vs prior. See methodology.